learn EAD (xml)

http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcoll/findaids/collection.html#photos

those are examples of finding aids. they use EAD, which is a particular application of xml used in archives, so that different archival collections can share their data.

finding aids are a way to tell patrons what’s in a collection (ranganathan’s law: “save the time of the reader”).

also, they promote usage of collections that would otherwise languish un-consulted, and the wisdom of the ages would not get passed down, etc.

my supervisor at work doesn’t do EAD stuff. but she wants me to work on an EAD finding aid for this one project, so i’ll have to work with another supervisor on that.

basically what this means is i’ll have to do this pretty independently, instead of having someone hand it to me.

i have already had two kids at work teach me some basic stuff. now i have to read the manual and input some of the things i almost have ready.

my non-EAD-knowin’ boss is out for two weeks. i have to make sure that, regularly during this two weeks, i get in some good EAD work because i may not be able to do so as much when she gets back.