EAD ODD: a solution for project-specific EAD schemes

Abstract

This article tackles the issue of integrating heterogeneous archival sources in one single data repository, namely the EHRI portal, whose aim is to support Holocaust research by providing online access to information about dispersed sources relating to the Holocaust (http://portal.ehri-project.eu). In this case, the problem at hand is to combine data coming from a network of archives in order to create an interoperable data space which can be used to search for, retrieve and disseminate content in the context of archival-based research. The central aspect of the work described in this paper is the assessment of the role of the Encoded Archival Description (EAD) standard as the basis for achieving the tasks described above. We have worked out how we could develop a real strategy of defining specific customization of EAD that could be used at various stages of the process of integrating heterogeneous sources. We have developed a methodology based on a specification and customization method inspired from the extensive experience of the Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) community. In the TEI framework, one has the possibility to model specific subsets or extensions of the TEI guidelines while maintaining both the technical (XML schemas) and editorial (documentation) content within a single framework. This work has led us quite far in anticipating that the method we have developed may be of a wider interest within similar environments, but also, as we believe, for the future maintenance of the EAD standard.

Appendix: EAD ODD constraints expressed in the EHRI guidelines

Constraints expressed in the EHRI guidelines

ISAD(G) field concerned by the constraint	Corresponding EAD elements or paths	Expression of the constraint
Reference codes ISAD(G) 3.1.1	ead:eadid ead:unitid	Copy the reference number given by the collection-holding institution
Other forms of title	ead:titleproper ead:unititle	It is an EHRI requirement to provide English translations of non-English language titles
Dates ISAD(G) 3.1.3 for dates of the descriptions units	ead:date ead:unitdate	Follow the ISO 8601 standard (Data elements and interchange formats—Information interchange—Representation of dates and times.) The standardized form is YYYY-MM-DD
Level of description ISAD(G) 3.1.4	ead:archdesc/@level ead:c{01-06}/@level	ISAD(G) 3.1.4 has a predefined list of units. As EHRI works with archives and collections that have not been arranged according to traditional rules, the terms used for the levels of description might also deviate. It is therefore chosen that this list should be flexible and expandable
Archival history	ead:custodhist ead:acqinfo	3.2.4 “Immediate source of acquisition or transfer” has been included in this element
Access points	ead:controlaccess/ead:subject ead:controlaccess/ead:placename ead:controlacess/ead:persname ead:controlaccess/ead:famname ead:controlaccess/ead:corpname ead:controlaccess/ead:geogname	Wish to support linkage with EHRI authorities lists, thesauri or internationally recognized gazetteers (like Geonames for plan names)
Languages of materials ISAD(G) 3.4.3	ead:language/@langcode	Mandatory in EHRI Its value must be in the ISO 639-1 or ISO 639-2 lists (International Standards for Language Codes)
Scripts of materials ISAD(G) 3.4.3	ead:langmaterial/ead:language/@scriptcode	Mandatory in EHRI Its value must be in the ISO 15924 list (International Standard for Names of Scripts)
Existence and locations of originals ISAD(G) 3.5.1	ead:originalsloc	The link to Repository Authority list and the request for extra information is specific to EHRI
Existence and locations of copies	ead:altformavail	The link to Repository Authority list is specific to EHRI
Publication note	ead:bibliography	Combination of guidelines from ISAD(G) and ISBD and Guidelines created by EHRI for describing personalities and corporate bodies
Institution Identifier To identify the agency(ies) responsible for the description	ead:titlestmt/ead:author	Mandatory in EHRI
Language of description	ead:langusage/ead:language/@langcode	Mandatory in EHRI Its value must be in the ISO 639-1 or ISO 639-2 lists (International Standards for Language Codes)
Script of description	ead:langusage/ead:language/@scriptcode	Mandatory in EHRI Its value must be in the ISO 15924 list (International Standard for Names of Scripts)
Sources To identify providers of metadata descriptions, other than collection-holding institutions	ead:titlestmt/ead:author	Mandatory in EHRI
EHRI scope To identify the extent of Holocaust-related material within the total collection	ead:odd[type   =   ”EHRI-scope”]	Desirable in EHRI
EHRI copyright	ead:publisher	Mandatory in EHRI
Rules or conventions ISAD(G) 3.7.2	ead:descrules	Mandatory in EHRI
Date(s) of description ISAD(G) 3/7.3	ead:processinfo/ead:p/ead:date	Mandatory in EHRI Use of the ISO 8601 standard