EAD is the appropriate metadata schema for a finding aid. HTML is not a
metadata schema.

HTML in no way implies that a computer can read and process your finding
aids.  It has nothing to do with metadata.  HTML is about visual display
for people.

The Wikipedia page on the EAD schema gives an overview:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encoded_Archival_Description  The schema goes
box, folder, item...  It is for describing collections of archival
materials, and making a way to locate documents in that collection (ie. for
making a finding aid).  EAD is for something like all the papers of this
one famous person.  Material that isn't part of a set would get a different
treatment.  It is oriented around preserving the original order of the
materials, and has a background assumption that researchers will make a
physical visit to the archive to access the material.  Some library
oriented CMSes will have a plugin for handling EAD records.  If any
consortium in your area have an Archon install, then that is a good place
to load EAD records so that they will be where researchers are likely to
look.

Since you don't know what EAD is, you should expect to spend some days
dedicated to reading up on metadata in general.  A good place for you to
start would be NISO's Understanding Metadata
http://www.niso.org/publications/press/UnderstandingMetadata.pdf .  You
could also start at the Wikipedia page for metadata.  Then, when you don't
understand things you should read the Wikipedia page for the schema you are
looking at. All of this will be concise material.  Before you actually make
records, pull the actual schema and read it.

The appropriate metadata standard will depend on who you expect to use your
collection and where they will research it, the nature of your archives,
and the staff time you have available for indexing.  Once again, HTML is
not a metadata standard, and is only for visual displays for people, not
for computers to share records with other computers and search systems.

-Wilhelmina Randtke


On Fri, May 10, 2013 at 3:39 PM, Rachel Shaevel <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Hello friendly Borg,
>
> Does anyone have anything thoughts about using EAD for finding aids vs.
> HTML?  Or are both going the way of the dinosaurs?
>
> Thanks!
> Rachel
>
> Rachel Shaevel
> Electronic Resources Cataloger
> Technical Services/Catalog Department
> Chicago Public Library
> Harold Washington Library Center
> 400 S. State St.
> Chicago, IL 60605
> P: (312) 747-4660
> [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>