Museums and the Web 2001 : Demonstration

Archives & Museum Informatics
158 Lee Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M4E 2P3 Canada
info@archimuse.com
www.archimuse.com

Published: March 15, 2001.

Taming the Beast: Using WordPerfect to Get EAD Tagging Under control
Matt Nickerson , Southern Utah University, USA
http://archive.li.suu.edu/

Session: Demo Session 2

This demonstration will show how Southern Utah University (SUU) has successfully used WordPerfect's SGML editor to simplify and standardize the process of creating EAD-based finding aids for manuscript, photograph and artifact collections in their library's Special Collections. The SGML editor has been part of the WordPerfect word processing package since version 8.0 and is immediately available to institutions using this product as their word processing application. In addition, the powerful macro feature can simplify the coding of complex nested tag structures often necessary at the folder or item level of a finding aid. Creating standardized templates, and "tagging macros" has made it possible for SUU student employees to create high quality EAD-based finding aids with only minimal supervision from library professionals. Museums and libraries wishing to begin work with EAD will see how staff or volunteers with little or no cataloging training can be taught to use these WordPerfect tools to create quality finding aids that adhere to national EAD standards.