OAC Best Practice Guidelines for Encoded Archival Description
Tables 4.1-4.3 constitute the "OAC Full" encoding scheme. Together, they reflect multilevel descriptive outputs. Note that encoding to this scheme is not required for finding aids to be submitted to the OAC, i.e., Table 4.3 requirements must be followed only when creating multilevel descriptions. Element statuses (i.e., "Required", "Mandatory", or "Preferred") are therefore relative to this particular part of the encoding scheme.
Table 4.3.
| ELEMENTS & ATTRIBUTES | STATUS | REPEAT? | COMMENTS / APPLICATION NOTES |
| <c01>/<c12> | R | Y | Numbered <c01> through <c12> Components are required; do not use the unnumbered <c> Component. Nested <c0x>s should be used as needed to reflect the intellectual structure of the archival materials. The full suite of subelements and attributes described are available at each component |
| level= | R | Component levels should generally be subordinate to the level set in <archdesc>. | |
| <did> | R | N | |
| <container> | P | Y | Use one or more. |
| type= | P | Recommended for encoding the appropriate container type: "box-folder" for boxes and folders, "box" for boxes only, or "folder" for folders only. | |
| label= | M | Use of an appropriate label for the display of your physical containment data is mandatory if using <container> (e.g., "Box/folder: " or "Box: "). Include a space at the end of the data value. | |
| <unitid> | M | N | Use one <unitid> for the number of the series, subseries, or other unit of description; do not encode the number within <container> or <unittitle>. |
| repositorycode= | M | The value of this attribute is considered to be inherited from the equivalent mandatory entry at the uppermost level (<archdesc>). If the records in a component are held in a different repository than that of their parent, the value should be set using ISO 15511. | |
| countrycode= | M | The value of this attribute is considered to be inherited from the equivalent mandatory entry at the uppermost level (<archdesc>). If the records in a component are held in a different country than that of their parent, the value should be set using ISO 3166-1. | |
| <unittitle> | M | N | Use one <unittitle> for the title of the series, subseries, or other unit of description. This is considered the minimum for description at component levels because some description is needed for users to decide if the documents are worth further investigation. |
| <unitdate> | M | Y | Use one or more <unitdate> tags for single or inclusive dates. If multiple single dates or date ranges are present, each should be encoded in its own <unitdate>. Repeat <unitdate> if both inclusive and bulk dates are given. <unitdate> should be encoded outside of <unittitle>; note that OAC stylesheets will render <unitdate> information separately from <unititle>, and no punctuation therefore needs to be encoded to separate data values between the two elements. Where no <unittitle> content exists, <unitdate> may be placed within <unittitle> so that there is some title-related content. |
| <origination> | M | N | Mandatory if the creator(s) or collector(s) at the level being described is different than defined at the <archdesc> or in a parent level. Use one or more <origination> tags as necessary. |
| label= | M | Encode an appropriate label for the collector or collector. The labels "Creator" or "Collector" are recommended. | |
| |
M | Y | Use one or more appropriate <...name> tags to indicate the type of the origination name. |
|
M | Use "lcnaf" when the name is established in LCNAF. Do not use this element if the name is formulated according to AACR2 rules for name headings; use RULES attribute instead. | |
|
M | Use "aacr2" when the name is not established in LCNAF, but formulated according AACR2 rules for name headings. Do not use this element if the name is established in LCNAF; use SOURCE attribute instead. | |
| <physdesc> | M | N | |
| <extent> | M | Y | Use one or more <extent> tags for multiple views, items, linear feet, etc. Units of measure should be expressed either as part of the content of this tag or in a unit attribute. |
| <repository> | M | N | Mandatory if the repository at level being described is different than defined in the <archdesc> tag or in a parent level. |
| <corpname> | M | Y | Use one or more <corpname> tags to encode the full name of the repository. Use the LCNAF form of the name; if none exists, follow AACR2 rules for formulating name headings. |
| <langmaterial> | M | N | Use if the material being described is in a language different from that specified in the <archdesc> tag or in a parent level. |
| <language> | M | Y | Use one or more <language> tags. |
| langcode= | M | Use ISO 639-2b. | |
| <scopecontent> | M | N | Use one <scopecontent> tag to encode the scope and content information at the appropriate component levels (i.e., subgroup, subfonds, series, etc.). Do not use <abstract>. |
| <accessrestrict> | M | N | Mandatory if there are particular conditions governing access different than defined in the <archdesc> tag or in a parent level. |
| <userestrict> | M | N | Mandatory if there are particular conditions, such as copyright, governing use different than defined in the <archdesc> tag or in a parent level. |
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