OAI and EAD

1
OAI and EAD

• Chris Prom
• University of Illinois Archives

2
EAD/OAI Issues

• Should we map whole finding aid?
• Context for hits-- representing hierarchical
  inheritance
• What level of materials are being described?
• EADs flexibility as a data structure standard

3
EAD/OAI Study

• Study of encoding patterns
• Basic metadata elements exist in many finding
  aids
• Lack of standardization
• Unique encoding practices
• Empty or near empty records
• Some lack key metadata elements
• Little use of content standards like APPM, LCSH,
  LCNAF
• Archivists workflow difficulties
• Preprint http//web.library.uiuc.edu/ahx/workpap/
  
• OAI may help harmonize differences in markup
  protocols and provide better access

4
Mapping EAD to OAI

• Use one master record
• represent hierarchy using mini records
• Xpointer
• //dsc1/c012/c023/c0310
• When EADs are split into their subordinate
  components, XPointers identify the individual
  parts and link them together
• Server-side scripts use the XPointers for
  rendering and linking
• unbundles EAD while preserving context on output

5
Index and Search Issues

• Size of EAD finding aids 1 EAD can result on
  1000s of DC records
• Frequently occurring search term can overwhelm
  results list
• http//oai.grainger.uiuc.edu/oai/search/
• working on revised mapping

6
Work to Do

• Upcoming article--Reengineering Archival Access
  Through the OAI Protocols
• Does it scale?
• Will archival community embrace OAI?
• Build OAI support into Archivist Workbench tools?
• Issue White Paper with technical and mapping
  details
• Follow on (production level) grant/project?