The Influence of American and European Practices on the Evolution of EAD

SUMMARY

Widespread adoption of EAD in the United States and in Europe is attributable to a number of factors, including compatibility with ISAD(G), availability of funding for data conversion, requirements of granting agencies, and the desire of archivists to use common standards.     

EAD Encoding and Display: A Content Analysis

ABSTRACT

The study investigated implications of variations in EAD-encoded finding aids on the Web. A content analysis methodology was used to examine five different aspects of EAD finding aids: (1) data elements; (2) labeling terminology; (3) navigation; (4) browsing; (5) searching. Seventeen EAD finding aid web sites selected from 161 RLG member institution web sites, were examined. The results of the study showed that variations in EAD finding aids existed. These include inconsistency in the use of data elements, labeling terminology, and browsing attributes. In addition, some of the EAD finding aid web sites did not provide navigational aids within a finding aid or search functions for access to it. Findings suggest that increased navigational aids, as well as more browsing and search functions are needed to provide better access to EAD-encoded finding aids.     

Moving Beyond the Name: Defining Corporate Entities to Support Provenance-Based Access

SUMMARY

The second edition of the International Standard Archival Authority Records for Corporate Bodies, Persons, and Families (ISAAR(CPF)2) focuses on describing entities as they exist in reality, rather than on establishing authorized terms. This change allows authority records to include multiple authorized terms representing an entity as it changed over time. Traditionally, an authority record has been created for a corporate body each time its name changed. This practice results in an artificial, fragmented view of the entity, concentrating on heading control rather than on providing contextual information necessary to assist with the provenance-method of retrieval and the interpretation of the records. In order to describe entities as ISAAR(CPF)2 allows and better reflect records-creating environments, the author proposes that an authority record describe a definable unit that performs a distinct function without major temporal interruption.     

Problems and Solutions in Our “New World of Archives”

SUMMARY

This article introduces the volume by making a distinction between authority control and the broader notion of context control. After exploring the differences between the two, and offering a tentative definition of context control, the article describes the organization of the volume, and summarizes the articles from the perspective of context control. The article then discusses the main themes that emerge from the articles, including criteria for identifying ‘new’ records-creating entities when some aspect of the current one changes, the role of standards, and the resources required to fully document contextual information. The article concludes by noting that this is a complex and evolving area in need of more study and reporting.     

Encoded Archival Description: Are Finding Aids Boundary Spanners or Barriers for Users?

ABSTRACT

The article reports the results of a usability study of an EAD interface. Findings indicate that subjects had trouble understanding archival terminology and how best to search for information in finding aids. Furthermore, they were not familiar with the structure or contents of finding aids. In addition to building interfaces that minimize archival jargon and rely heavily on users' prior understanding of hierarchical finding aids, this study indicates that users require new forms of virtual reference assistance in the online environment.     

MARC AMC与EAD档案著录标准比较研究

本文分别论述了MARCAMC档案机读目录著录标准与针对档案检索工具的档案置标著录标准EAD的制定与结构等方面的特点 ,在此基础上 ,对二者作了进一步的分析与比较 ,最后得出结论 :以上二者在网络化档案信息的著录与共享利用过程中是互为补充、共同发展的 ,这为我国网络数字化档案信息的著录与检索指明了方向