Daniel,

While I was at Arizona Archives Online I worked on a set of macros in Word
that can be used to automate the conversion of the container list portion of
finding aids.  The idea being that you paste the container list into a Word
template, quickly apply styles to the text using either key commands or find
and replace, then run a macro which applies tags based on the styles.  While
the Word documents have to be formatted very specifically, using find and
replace can quickly accomplish this.   It can be a little hard to set up and
figure out if you haven't used macros before but I wrote some basic user
guides that try to explain the process.  Also, I should mention the original
macros are all from the Bentley Historical Library which Nathan mentioned, I
just modified them and created a more detailed user guide.

So that everyone can see the documents I created a quick Google Site with
then on it at https://sites.google.com/site/wordtoeadmacros/
Start with the Installing ASH macros document and it will tell you how to
set up macros (you have to do it on a PC the macros don't work on Macs)
Then just use the conversion guide skipping all the intro stuff and going
right to the section on running the macros

Feel free to email me as you hit snags- there are lots of places for the
setup to go wrong and the macros are picky, but if you're converting a large
number of finding aids this will save you a lot of time once you have it
down.  These macros are in use at a dozen institutions in Arizona and with a
little set up they should be able to work for you as well.

Catalina Oyler
Digital Initiatives Coordinator
The Five Colleges of Ohio

On Thu, Oct 7, 2010 at 1:36 PM, Cornwall, Daniel D (EED) <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> 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.
>
>
>
>