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Maximizing EAD and MARC Resources in Small Repositories

Valerie Gillispie, Assistant University Archivist at Wesleyan University, presents insights on effectively utilizing EAD (Encoded Archival Description) and MARC (Machine-Readable Cataloging) in small repositories. This discussion highlights the importance of creating and enhancing finding aids, prioritizing collections for digitization, and leveraging technology. With over 90 finding aids online at Wesleyan, most in EAD, valuable lessons include optimizing metadata for improved discoverability. The presentation also covers challenges faced in technical services, student involvement, and the importance of networking with other institutions for resource sharing.

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Maximizing EAD and MARC Resources in Small Repositories

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  1. Maximizing Resources: EAD and MARC in the small repository Valerie Gillispie Assistant University Archivist Wesleyan University Middletown, Connecticut

  2. Wesleyan’s Special Collections & Archives: January 2006 • 14 finding aids online • 500+ collections not described online • Existing finding aids • created in Microsoft Word and transformed into HTML documents • paper • Minimal catalog records in OPAC

  3. Consequences of lack of (encoded) online presence? • The curiosity cabinet

  4. Technical services challenges • Setting priorities • Finding assistance • Updating technology

  5. Prioritizing collections • What is available digitally or on paper? • Heavily used collections • Collections central to mission of institution • Collections appropriate for your workers’ skills

  6. Types of assistance • Library and IT professionals • Student workers • Graduate school interns

  7. Appropriate student projects • Small collections that do not require complex re-arrangement • Larger collections that need only an inventory • Projects of personal interest can be good choices . . . but sometimes not

  8. Why move to EAD? • Puts tags around each item in finding aid, i.e. metadata • Transform XML into MARC or other frequently used metadata schemas • Connects us to other institutions and archivists

  9. Online toolkits and references • NCEAD Toolkit http://www.ncecho.org/dig/ncead.shtml • LoC EAD website http://www.loc.gov/ead/index.html • EAD Cookbook http://www.archivists.org/saagroups/ead/ead2002cookbook.html

  10. Take advantage of encoding • MarcEdit • http://oregonstate.edu/~reeset/marcedit/html/index.php

  11. External Resources • EAD listserv • SAA listserv • Other institutions’ websites • Regional/national networking

  12. Wesleyan’s Special Collections & Archives: January 2009 • Over 90 finding aids online, nearly all in EAD • Enhanced MARC records • More students and outside patrons finding collections through Google • The lessons of more product, less process

  13. Thank you! Valerie Gillispie vgillispie@wesleyan.edu http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/schome/

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