It might be worth experimenting with MS Word's keyboard macros.  If 
there is predictable spacing in your MS Word finding aids, a keyboard 
macro could save you a lot of key strokes.  Some of us here at UMass use 
this method to encode container lists in EAD that were formatted in MS 
Word tables.

No matter what, you'll still have to do the conversion one document at a 
time since, as others have explained, Word documents and EAD are two 
totally different concepts.


Aaron

On 10/7/2010 1:46 PM, Houghton,Andrew wrote:
> Don't know whether one exists or not, but the fact that the documents are in MS Word means that you could attach some VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) macros to the documents and run a macro that extracts and creates XML.
>
> Andy.
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
>> Cornwall, Daniel D (EED)
>> Sent: Thursday, October 07, 2010 01:36 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: [CODE4LIB] Looking for a Word to EAD converter
>>
>> Hi All,
>>
>>
>>
>> While I think what I'm looking for doesn't exist, I wanted to ask some
>> experts before making confident assertions.
>>
>>
>>
>> Our institution has a lot of finding aids for photo and manuscript
>> collections in MS Word Format. They have pretty standard subheadings.
>> An
>> example can be found at
>> www.library.state.ak.us/hist/hist_docs/finding_aids/MS220.doc
>> <http://www.library.state.ak.us/hist/hist_docs/finding_aids/MS220.doc>
>> .
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> I've had inquiries about getting these Word finding aids converted to
>> EAD (Encoded Archival Description) through some sort of converter. I
>> haven't been able to locate any such program, but maybe that's a
>> reflection on my searching skills.
>>
>>
>>
>> There are a number of programs to create EAD finding aids from scratch
>> and I've recommended acquiring one of these programs and getting staff
>> to rekey/copy&  paste from Word into the EAD finding aid program. Staff
>> are not willing to do this at least until I can demonstrate that there
>> is no automated way to convert our finding aids. Of course, if there is
>> a converter, so much the better.
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks in advance for any enlightenment you can give me. - Daniel
>>
>>
>>
>> =======================================
>>
>> Daniel Cornwall
>>
>> Head of Technical and Imaging Services
>>
>> Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums
>>
>> PO Box 110571
>> Juneau, AK 99811-0571
>> Phone (907) 465-6332
>>
>> Fax (907) 465-2665
>> E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
>>
>> See Division resources at http://lam.alaska.gov
>> <http://lam.alaska.gov/>
>> .
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Any opinions expressed in this e-mail are mine alone and not those of
>> my
>> employer unless explicitly stated.
>>
>>

-- 
Aaron Rubinstein
Digital Project Manager
Special Collections and University Archives
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Tel: (413)545-9637
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web: http://people.umass.edu/arubinst