EAD Basics, Part 1

What is EAD?

·         XML-based DTD.

What does it do?

·         Provides structural metadata for electronic archival finding aids

Why Do I need it?

·         If you are tasked with using or creating a finding aid, it will most likely be encoded in or need to be encoded in EAD.

History?

Developed starting in 1993 at UC, Berkeley library

Intended to be non-proprietary standard for encoding machine-readable finding aids.

Wanted functionality MaRC did not provide.

Started it in Standardized Generic Markup Language.

During early development, the Library of Congress agreed to maintain the standard and its web presence.

4 release versions:

·         Feb 1996 Alpha

·         Dec. 1996 Beta

·         August 1998: Version 1.0

·         2002: EAD DTD 2002.