[SOA] A Starter Packet from the OhioLINK EAD Task Force

[Toni Jeske]

Dear SOA Members,



OhioLINK is creating and hosting a statewide repository of archival finding aids to increase access to and showcase the rich collections housed in Ohio archival repositories. This message is to inform you of the progress being made toward this goal, and to help you prepare for contributing your institution's finding aids to this shared repository in the future.



In December 2004, the OhioLINK Database Management and Standards Committee (DMSC) appointed an Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Task Force to develop standards and guidelines for the creation and use of electronic finding aids within the OhioLINK repository. The EAD Task Force is to complete the following charge by December, 2006:

  a.. Develop specification/template for EAD documents that may be contributed to OhioLINK.  
  b.. Follow progress of DLXS (the EAD software) enhancement requests 
  c.. Customize software toolkit for multi-institutional environment (e.g., in the context of EAD metadata and content, customize search options, and institutional branding) 
  d.. Generate some marketing/training ideas 
  e.. Educate members of the DMS committee on progress and findings 
During its first year, the Task Force created Content Guidelines defining the range of requirements - from "minimally encoded" to "fully encoded" - needed to contribute a finding aid to the EAD repository. The Content Guidelines will be released in early May, 2006, at which time we hope that you will review them and offer feedback.  The Content Guidelines and tools will encourage consistency across Ohio EAD finding aids.  In its second year, the Task Force is continuing its work on refining the content guidelines, developing a Web-based template for encoding finding aids, evaluating EAD software, customizing a software toolkit, and developing training ideas. One of the primary advantages of these developments is that institutions across Ohio will be able to create EAD finding aids without having to know or understand the technicalities of XML encoding. 

 

While work continues in laying the foundations for an EAD repository in Ohio, the Task Force recognizes that there are several tasks that individual institutions can do now to get ready for the future of EAD in Ohio. The Task Force has created this packet to help Ohio archival institutions prepare themselves and their finding aids for participating in the OhioLINK statewide repository of archival finding aids. Included is the document "Why EAD?" explaining the advantages of encoding finding aids in EAD, as well as a chart of required elements for a minimally encoded finding aid to be contributed to OhioLINK. Institutions can evaluate their finding aids and make sure the information for the required elements exists in their finding aids. The packet also includes instructions for finding or requesting a Library of Congress Repository Code. This code uniquely identifies each repository in a shared resource environment, and will be required for EAD finding aids submitted to OhioLINK. We have included a list of recommended reading, as well as links to examples of other cooperative EAD projects. The final section of this packet outlines future developments on the road to an OhioLINK repository of EAD finding aids.    



 

OhioLINK EAD Task Force Members:

Amy McCrory, Ohio State University, Co-Chair

Amanda Wilson, Ohio State University, Co-Chair

Linda Cantara, Case Western Reserve University

Dianna Ford, University of Akron

Cara Gilgenbach, Kent State University

Toni Jeske, Wright State University

Anne Gilliland, OhioLINK Staff Liason

 

Task Force Advisors:

Nan Card, Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center

Cynthia Ghering, Ohio Historical Society

Barbara Strauss, Cleveland State University

 

Questions? Comments?

 

Please contact the EAD Task Force Co-Chairs for more information.

 

Amy McCrory: mccrory.7 at osu.edu or (614) 292-8647

Amanda Wilson: wilson.1596 at osu.edu or (614) 292-6314
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