This article presents findings from a study conducted to measure and describe interactions with on-line archival finding aids. The measured responses for participants interacting four collection-level search systems individual Both statistical qualitative are provided correlated demographic data such as experience self-reported computer expertise. provides insights into how users navigate descriptive information archivists digital librarians might design interfaces that facilitate efficient...

Since the late 1960s, archivists and technologists have developed implemented innovative standards, practices, technologies intended to facilitate description, availability, use of archival materials. Although people can discover, use, interpret records manuscripts in new ways, lack a systematic understanding how interact with descriptive information digital objects that they create post online. This article introduces Web analytics as method measure user actions, understand some aspects...

Processing is at the heart of what we do as archivists but has been one most under-analyzed aspects our work, particularly in its relationship to access. This article describes and analyzes ways which current processing techniques affect access college university archives. The analysis shows that paper-based backlogs are not correlated application intensive they only mildly complex descriptive technologies. Many institutions have made much information available online might be desirable, few...

The archival community has developed content and data structure standards to facilitate access the diverse unique sets of records, personal papers, manuscript collections that are held by repositories special libraries. However, these difficult for archivists use often implemented in ways negatively affect materials-handling workflows, depriving users best possible totality materials available within an individual repository. authors propose descriptive problems can be addressed implementing...

Over the past decade, a rich body of research and practice has emerged under rubrics electronic records, digital preservation curation. Most this work taken place as activity (often financed by government agencies) within libraries information/computer science departments. Many projects focus on one format information, such publications or data, potentially de-contextualizing individual records. Meanwhile, most institutional archives manuscript repositories, which possess theoretical...

The Open Archives Initiative Protocols present a promising opportunity to make metadata about archives, manuscript collections, and cultural heritage resources easier locate search. However, several technical barriers must be overcome before useful OAI records can produced from the disparate formats used describe these resources. This paper examines Encoded Archival Description (EAD) as test case of issues addressed in transforming OAI. While EAD may appear incompatible, mapping would both...

Abstract The Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting has been suggested as a simple method by which cultural heritage metadata might be exchanged and searched. However, much of the archival description encoded in Encoded Archival Description (EAD) files may not optimally accessible. By analyzing EAD encoding patterns found sample finding aids, this article explores some challenges arise attempting to make interoperable searchable. analysis shows that many lack key elements...

While EAD has been warmly embraced by larger archives and libraries, smaller institutions have hesitated to implement the standard. The Cookbook was developed encourage such acceptance. But does it provide an adequate tool meet archival profession's descriptive needs? This paper addresses question reporting results of a survey users, reviewing literature related usability on-line resources, evaluating retrievability finding aids created responding survey. It includes specific recommendations...

The Open Archives Initiative (OAI) Protocol for Metadata Harvesting presents one promising method by which metadata regarding archives and manuscripts can be shared made more interoperable with from other sources. Against the background of archival descriptive theory practice, this article outlines a exposing deep, hierarchical encoded description (EAD) files assesses some theoretical practical issues that will need to confronted institutions choosing provide or harvest OAI records generated...

ABSTRACT Since 2014, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library has taken custody a growing number collections “born-digital” records, largely through Archives. These comprise panoply digital content formats, ranging from those in common use to obscure varieties early days personal computing. As such, they pose challenge preservation and access. Knowing what software open files formats that have fallen out is often difficult, let alone installing obsolete on contemporary...

For nearly a decade, student organizations have used the Internet to promote events, record activities, issue statements, and maintain officer rosters. Student websites are potentially an important resource for scholarship on twenty-first-century experience, providing both evidence about activities of information body. Based findings from multicomponent case study at University Illinois Urbana-Champaign, this article analyzes documentary value organization discusses ways in which archivists...

The University of Illinois developed an open-source collections management software program and in August 2006 began making it freely available to archivists, curators, special librarians with limited technological resources knowledge. This gave these individuals the ability easily mount a variety on-line access tools their historical using ISAD(G) DACS -compliant standards for description. Archon was created robust interoperability single web-based platform documents artifacts held by...

Click to increase image sizeClick decrease size Notes1. Untitled clipping from Sunderland Daily Post, 23 September 1896, found in Durham Record Office, Independent Order of Rechabites Records, D/IOR [from here: D/IOR], item 48, “North‐Eastern Friendly Societies Convalescent Home, Grange over Sands Lancashire, Management Committee, Sub‐Committee, Building Committee Minute Book,” 1891–1904.2. The most reliable overviews friendly societies are P.H.J.H. Gosden, England, 1815–1875, New York:...

Smaller institutions considering implementation of Encoded Archival Description (EAD) face many challenges in designing an efficient workflow and choosing standards that will allow for future interoperability. In the past, have chosen not to implement EAD due its perceived complexity. The Cookbook , developed by Michael Fox at Minnesota Historical Society, now greatly simplifies creation a best‐practices‐compliant system. However, achieve full benefits must extend capabilities. This article...

The Open Archives Initiative Protocols present a promising opportunity to make metadata about archives, manuscript collections, and cultural heritage resources easier locate search. However, several technical barriers must be overcome before useful OAI records can produced from the disparate formats used describe these resources. This paper examines Encoded Archival Description (EAD) as test case of issues addressed in transforming OAI. While EAD may appear incompatible, mapping would both...