EAD Toolkit

EAD Version 2002

This "toolkit” of freeware and OAC- and MOAC-developed resources is provided for contributing members to assist in the creation, editing, manipulation, proofing, and viewing of EAD Version 2002 finding aids that are compliant with the OAC Best Practice Guidelines for Encoded Archival Description (OAC BPG EAD).

For additional methods, tools, and other freely available resources used by repositories to encode EAD Version 2002 finding aids, consult the EAD Help Pages.

See sections below:

• Collection Management Tools
• Encoding Tools
• Conversion and Transformation Tools
• Publishing and Uploading Tools
• Validation and OAC BPG EAD-Compliance Checking Tools
• Outsourcing
• Additional Resources

 

Collection Management Tools

Archivists' Toolkit
An open-source archival data management system developed by UC San Diego, New York University, and the Five Colleges, Inc. The toolkit can generate EAD finding aids and METS digital objects.

Archon
An open-source, web-based archival data management system developed by the University of Illinois. The toolkit can generate EAD finding aids and MARC records for digital objects.

OAC Archivists' Toolkit and Archon Hosting Service
A hosting service being developed by the CDL for OAC contributors. By hosting one or both of these applications, we are seeking to provide a technical infrastructure for institutions that do not have the capacity to host the backend databases locally. Institutions would only need to implement the application clients to use the systems.

Encoding Tools

OAC EAD Web Templates

These online forms were developed by the CDL for generating collection- through series-/subseries-level finding aids that are compliant with the OAC BPG EAD and EAD Version 2002. Encoders cut and paste segments of their non-EAD finding aids into the form. The form is then converted to a text file and saved as a XML EAD file. EAD files should be validated and checked for OAC BPG EAD-compliance using a XML parser, in addition to voroEAD and/or the OAC BPG Validator.

Word Processors and Text Editors

JGSoft EditPad Lite
This is a freely-available desktop simple text editor created by JGSoft that includes line and character numbers for text. This feature is particularly useful for troubleshooting EAD files parsed by software such as SP1.3.4. EAD files should be validated and checked for OAC BPG EAD-compliance using a SGML or XML parser, in addition to voroEAD and/or OAC BPG Validator.

SGML/XML Authoring Tools

EAD Cookbook
This is a set of free desktop software tools, templates, stylesheets, and instructions for markup of complete finding aids developed by Michael J. Fox that can be used in conjunction with Corel XMetal, Corel WordPerfect 9.0, or SoftQuad Author/Editor. The particular authoring software used can also be configured to validate your EAD files. You should consider utilizing voroEAD or OAC BPG Validator to check for OAC BPG EAD-compliance.

EAD Cookbook for Notetab
Developed by Chris Prom, this is a set of NoteTab clipbooks, batch files, and associated files allowing EAD markup and finding aid publication via the NoteTab Pro and NoteTab Light text editors in conjunction with the EAD Cookbook. You should consider utilizing voroEAD or OAC BPG Validator to check for OAC BPG EAD-compliance.

Conversion and Transformation Tools

EAD to MARC Conversion Script
Stylesheets, scripts, and support files for converting EAD finding aids into MARC21, developed by Mark Carlson.

EAD to PDF
Code for converting EAD finding aids into PDF, developed by the CDL.

OAC EAD Conversion Tool (EAD Version 1.0 to EAD Version 2002)
Use this simple web form to easily convert your finding aids online: put a valid URL for your XML finding aid in the text field and select "EAD v1 to 2002 Conversion." This tool triggers the SAA conversion XSL stylesheets so you don't have to implement them locally. Please note the following before attempting to convert your files:

• Your finding aid must be in XML.
• Your finding aid must be placed on your local webserver.
• The conversion expands all references to external entity data files (containing either parseable data, such as additional EAD content; or non-parseable data, such as an image file). Entity declarations must therefore refer to absolute URLs (as system identifiers) for those files.

  This includes the the EAD DTD in the DOCTYPE declaration: the DOCTYPE declaration must explicity invoke and resolve to a valid form of the EAD DTD via a URL, or must be removed altogether.

  If referring to the EAD DTD file using an absolute URL for the EAD DTD, you may refer to a copy of the EAD DTD file hosted at the CDL ("http://oac.cdlib.org/ents/ead.dtd"). Alternatively, refer to a copy of the EAD DTD file on your local webserver.

  Example of correct encoding:
  <!DOCTYPE ead PUBLIC "+//ISBN 1-931666-00-8//DTD ead.dtd (Encoded Archival Description (EAD)
  Version 2002)//EN" "http://oac.cdlib.org/ents/ead.dtd">

  Example of incorrect encoding:
  <!DOCTYPE ead PUBLIC "+//ISBN 1-931666-00-8//DTD ead.dtd (Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002)//EN" "ead.dtd">

SAA Conversion XSL Stylesheets (EAD Version 1.0 to EAD Version 2002)
Created by SAA. Contains links to a zip archive of XSL stylesheets, documentation, and associated binary tools for converting EAD Version 1.0 finding aids to EAD Version 2002.

SX
This program was developed by James Clark for transforming SGML into XML. Can be used in conjunction with instructions in the EAD Cookbook, Section 5.

Publishing and Uploading Tools

voroEAD
You can submit finding aids to the CDL using the voroEAD system. voroEAD is also used to preview and publish finding aids in the OAC.

Validation and OAC BPG EAD-Compliance Checking Tools

OAC BPG Validator
This is a preconfigured desktop XML parser developed by the OAC. It provides users with a list of EAD Version 2002 encoding errors in addition to OAC BPG EAD compliance errors in the form of log, each error linked to a specific line in the EAD file which users can click on and view. Can be used in conjunction with a simple text editor such as JGSoft's EditPad Lite or SGML/XML authoring software to correct encoding and OAC BPG EAD compliance problems.

SP 1.3.4
This desktop parser was developed by James Clark for validating SGML files; it needs to be configured to work with EAD. For complete instructions on installing and using SP 1.3.4, see Stephen Miller's "Parsing EAD with NSGMLS". Can be used in conjunction with a simple text editor such as JGSoft's EditPad Lite to correct encoding problems.

Outsourcing

The following list is a partial directory of vendors providing EAD encoding services in California. The OAC does not in any way endorse these vendors. Omission of a particular vendor does not indicate disapproval; the list will be updated as additional vendors are identified.

• Apex CoVantage
• ArchProteus
• ByteManagers
  
• Techbooks

Additional Resources

voroEAD Submission/Source Files
Access versions of your submission/source finding aids. These files were originally converted from EAD Version 1.0 to EAD Version 2002 by the OAC in December 2004. The transformations were generated using the following processes by the CDL:

1. Converted all SGML finding aids to XML.
2. Utilized the SAA Conversion XSL Stylesheets for initial transformation. The CDL used the following modified version of the primary SAA stylesheet (parameter settings used by the CDL are documented in the stylesheet):
   • v1to02.cdl.xsl

   For a summary of general transformations introduced by the SAA stylesheet -- including conversion assumptions made by the stylesheet, and the effect of parameter settings -- see the SAA Conversion XSL Stylesheets documentation.

3. Utilized the following two CDL-developed XSLT stylesheets for additional transformations, in sequential order, in order to normalize finding aids for compliance with the OAC BPG EAD:

   • pass2.xsl
   • valid.xsl

The following list summarizes the CDL-specific transformations introduced by the three sets of stylesheets:

• Expanded all parseable internal and external entities.
• Added ID attribute values added to all high-level nested tags in <archdesc>, and all <c0x> component tags in <dsc>. (This process was only done if ID attribute values were not present in the finding aid).
• Added existing CDL Archival Resource Key (ARK) assigned to finding aid as <eadid> IDENTIFIER attribute value.
• Added MARC Organization Code for institution as <eadid> MAINAGENCYCODE attribute value.
• Added filing title for the finding aid in <titleproper type="filing"> tag.
• Placed <unitdate> outside of <unittitle> at the <archdesc> level.
• Added <dao> ROLE attribute values, based on the OAC BPG EAD. (This process was only done if <dao> encoding was present in the finding aid).

In order to download finding aids from your institution's directory, select "File" and choose "Save Page As..." or "Save As ... " from your browser's toolbar.