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Connecting Community to Collections with Online Finding Aids

Connecting Community to Collections with Online Finding Aids. Utah Library Association Conference Layton, UT • May 2011. Utah Valley University Sutherland Archives. The Need for “ Findability ”. Utah Valley University. Campus Archives started 2004. Digital Collections started 2006 .

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Connecting Community to Collections with Online Finding Aids

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  1. Connecting Community to Collections with Online Finding Aids Utah Library Association Conference Layton, UT • May 2011

  2. Utah Valley University Sutherland Archives The Need for “Findability”

  3. Utah Valley University Campus Archives started 2004. Digital Collections started 2006.

  4. Processing Took Priority!!!

  5. Basic means of access I created catalog records and inventory lists for each physical collection.

  6. Sample Inventory List

  7. UVU Sutherland Archives Finding Aids I eventually created in-depth print finding aids for each collection.

  8. But there had to be a better way…

  9. Added Links to Finding Aids in Catalog Records • I inserted links to PDF copies into the catalog records of archival collections.

  10. Access Finding Aid through Catalog

  11. There STILL has to be a better way… • My finding aids are not searchable • They are not “found” by Google, etc. • Only someone searching UVU Library’s catalog will find them and our collections • I’ve heard of making finding aids searchable online with EAD…What is it? • I need it, how do I get it, and how do I use it????

  12. How We Did It Utah State University

  13. Online Finding Aids • Since 1996, the Fife Folklore Archives at USU Libraries’ Special Collections & Archives has hosted online finding aids. • Before we hosted our guides, we made sure that each included well defined descriptive matter. • Descriptive matter for our finding aids include: • Collection Overview • Creator • Title • Dates • Collection Number • Quantity (size) • Summary • Repository Information • Biographical Note/Historical Note • Content Description (Scope & Content) • Collection Use (Restrictions/preferred citation, etc.) • Administrative Information (Provenance) • Subjects (This came later. . .when we moved to EAD.) • Collection Inventory (Container lists) • Box • Folder • Item information/description

  14. Online Finding Aids • First efforts were encoded in HTML/PHP • This afforded content access by search engines, like Google • Easy to print register (for both in-house and patron use) • Unique look to brand us • But no archival standards—although we followed in house/SAA guidelines (defined descriptive matter) • Online presence led to increased visibility of collections • Australian mother seeks lullabies for her developmentally challenged child • Researcher seeks folk song/citation information for Bob Dylan biography • Cowboy poetry enthusiasts seek poems • In-house use ease for researchers and SCA staff • Increased reference services—mostly via web PHP HTML

  15. USU Move to EAD • In 2007-8 USU (along with others in the Mountain West Digital Library) began to encode and host finding aids in EAD. • Encoded Archival Description (EAD) is an XML standard (set of rules) used to encode archival finding aids. • EAD is maintained by the Library of Congress in partnership with the Society of American Archivists. Many repositories in the US, England, Australia and other places have adopted and implemented EAD. • EAD originated in 1993 (1.0 version was released in 1998) at the University of California at Berkeley. The project's goal was to create a standard for describing collections held by archives and special collections, similar to the MARC standards for describing regular books.

  16. EAD file in XML Finding aid text is encoded using EAD and XML markup so the finding aids can be shared, searched and viewed electronically. XML is the markup language that allows EAD files to be read and exchanged electronically. At USU we use Oxygen XML editor.

  17. USU Move to EAD • Through funding from a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grant, in partnership with the Utah Manuscripts Association (UMA), USU was able to migrate 550 existing online registers to EAD. • Folklore • Manuscript • Photographs • Archives • The move was exciting, but not without growing pains…

  18. Challenges • Problems using CONTENTdm software • Lack of permanent URLs • Unable to keep same URL if need to update finding aid • Could not replace finding aid, had to reload as new object • New object given a new URL • URL recorded in catalog records, online references, etc., became broken links • Limits on number of characters in a record • Had to split large finding aids into multiple parts • CONTENTdm EAD upload option inadequate • Had to upload one file at a time • Did not allow links to digitized content • Did not import some needed EAD fields (bioghist, accessrestrict, etc.) • Had to create our own program (actually a script) for uploading EAD files into CONTENTdm • Program crosswalked EAD data into Dublin Core fields before uploading • Made EAD data searchable in a Dublin Core metadata record • Allowed us to link to a digitized content • Allowed us to import batches of files rather than one file at a time • Now working with NWDA to host EAD files, but will be harvested by MWDL • Search engine (Google) issues • Conversion Challenges • For some partners, inconsistent descriptive matter complicated conversion into EAD and made outsourcing difficult

  19. EAD Benefits • Help standardize how archival information are represented & or presented in an electronic environment • Enable effective searching & retrieval • Display & exchange of the information contained in an archival aid • Future migration potential/ease • Participation in a regional/topical consortium • Allows for more robust searching options (for directed researchers) • Professional networking and collegial support William Osei-Poku, “Encoded Archival Description: EAD– INFO 653 Short Paper 2.” Selected Works: Bepress. http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=raspino&sei-redir=1#search=%22encoded+archival+description%22

  20. USU EAD Portal digital.lib.usu.edu/ead.php

  21. How We Did It Utah State Archives

  22. The Beginning • EAD 1.0 (2000) • Conversion of hundreds of existing files • Software: XMetal, transformation to HTML pages and PDF for printing • EAD 2002 (2008) • LSTA grant + development of new software

  23. “Automagical” Processed Containers module Workspace for linking containers to location and describing contents

  24. Output • One-button generation • Strange Characters • Validation

  25. Finding Aid Review • According to Best Practice Guidelines • Adding • abstracts • browsing terms • Notes in right fields • Imported container lists

  26. Uploading to MWDL • Successes • Extraction script automating process • Sharing collections • Challenges • Importing • File management – New and Replace • Updating • Avoiding duplicates

  27. Online Everywhere • Utah State Archives Website • Pages in Research section • Government Agency information • Mountain West Digital Library • Web/Google Searching

  28. Digital Too • Container list data digital metadata • Links in container lists to digital objects

  29. Being Analyzed • ArchivesZ Project: Visualizing Archival Collections - What is in all those boxes? • Data analysis in 2009 • Collection size • http://archivesz.org/

  30. Outcomes • 1,718 migrated • now 1,867 • Most popular… • Top 5 rep. 10% of all views but there’s a “long tail…”

  31. Take a Look! archives.utah.gov/research/inventories

  32. LSTA Project for creating EAD files and a statewide search portal Collaborating on Finding Aids

  33. Utah Manuscripts Assn. LSTA Project • Funding: Library Services and Technology Act grants program • Timeframe: 2007-2008 • Principal Investigator: Bradford Cole at Utah State University Library

  34. Utah Manuscripts Assn. LSTA Project • Six partners created EAD files:

  35. Utah Manuscripts Assn. LSTA Project • A local EAD collection

  36. Utah Manuscripts Assn. LSTA Project • Display of an EAD finding aid

  37. Standardizing:EAD 2002 Schema See loc.gov/ead

  38. Best Practice Guidelines See LSTA project wiki: lsta.lib.byu.edu

  39. Encoding Tools • Tool created by LSTA grant at U of U: • xEADhttp:// lsta.lib.byu.edu • Other commercial tools: • Oxygen XMLhttp://www.oxygenxml.com • Archivist’s Toolkithttp://www.archiviststoolkit.org • AXAEM http://www.axaem.com

  40. xEAD Encoding tool from Univ. of Utah

  41. EAD validationsoftware BPGilyzer adapted by BYU

  42. EAD uploading processfor CONTENTdm Extraction of fields from EAD

  43. XSL stylesheet for displaying EAD files

  44. An EAD file in XML

  45. Same file rendered for the Web with XSL

  46. Training materials Procedures developed by U of U trainers

  47. Local searching Weber State – search on phrase

  48. Local searching Weber State

  49. Local searching Weber State

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