Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb The Archivists’ Toolkit ECURE Presentation 28 Feb Bradley Westbrook & Lee Mandell

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Overview Project objectives and overview Summary of application features Description of functional modules Application architecture and technology Demonstration example

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Project Objectives To build digital tools that will: Support archival processing in a manner that promotes efficiency and standardization Integrate key functions in the archival lifecycle: –Accessioning –Description –Subjects and name management –Location management Produce outputs such as EAD, EAC, METS, MARCXML and various administrative outputs Be deployable in a range of archival settings

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Project Team Brian Schottlaender, UCSD, Co-Principal Investigator Carol Mandel, NYU, Co-Principal Investigator Brad Westbrook, UCSD, Proj. Mgr & Spec Team Leader Lee Mandell, NYU, Design Team Mgr Jason Varghese, NYU, Programmer Kelcy Shepherd, FC, Analyst Brian Stevens, NYU, Analyst Luc Declerck, UCSD, and David Ackerman, NYU, Administrative Oversight

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Project Advisory Board Robin Chandler, CDL Michael Fox, MHS Merrilee Proffitt, RLG Richard Szary, Yale Guenter Waibel, RLG Beth Yakel, U Mich

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Project Partners Bates College Five Colleges: Amherst College Archives and Special Collections, Hampshire College Archives, Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections, Smith College Archives & Sophia Smith Collection, & UMass-Amherst, Special Collections and Archives NYC: The American Museum of Natural History, The Brooklyn Museum of Art, Carnegie Hall, The Center for Jewish History, & Manhattan College NYU: Fales Library, Tamiment Library, University Archives UCSD: Mandeville Special Collections & SIO Archives

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb First Year Accomplishments Functional Requirements Identified Application Specification Composed (

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Goals for Second Year Build Prototype from AT Specification –Interface Design Compose User Documentation –User Manual –Application Help Module –Installation Scripts Test Application and Documentation –Functional Testing –Usability Testing Formulate Business Plan Release Tested Application (est. Nov. 2006)

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Application Features Output neutral data Modular Customizable Easy to use Secure Stand-alone or network Context-sensitive help Open source

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Design Overview Administration/Project Management Ingest Accession Description (Resources, Surrogates) Names Subjects Location Search

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Establish repository record Manage users Customize default fields, required fields, input forms Create project definitions Record Management / Tracking Application/Project Management

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Ingest Module EAD version 2002 MARC XML parent records MARC XML controlled headings Accession data in delimited format

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Accession Module Preliminary descriptive information Some collection management fields Descriptive and administrative outputs: –Accession record –Accession receipt –Acquisitions report –Processing reports –More…

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Description Module Archival resources and surrogates Inputs based on DA:CS, ISAD(G) Outputs: EAD METS Dublin Core Collections guide MARC XML MODS Printed finding aids More…

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Location Module For tracking “permanent” locations Accommodate a range of practice Outputs: –Location record –Shelf list –List of all locations for a resource

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Names Module Authority control for names (personal, family, and corporate/conference) Includes fields for contact information, biographical/historical note Supports see also and see references Outputs: –Source record –Sources list –EAC record

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Subject Module Basic authority control for subjects Can create records in advance or on an as-needed basis Outputs: –Repository subject guide

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Search Module For moderated use in reference setting Features: –Search for resource by resource ID, title, creator, or subject –Search for resources, resource components, surrogates, and surrogate components by keywords in title –Search for locations by resource ID

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Back End (database) Developed with mySQL Will work with many SQL databases both open source and commercial –Partial list: DB2, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, Sybase, Microsoft SQL Server, Informix, Ingres... Why SQL and not other technologies like xml and object databases? –Maturity of SQL databases –Likelihood of local IT departments having SQL expertise –Many existing open source projects to integrate into the projects.

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Front End (Client) Needs: Cross platform (Mac OSX, Windows 98+, Linux), open source, sophisticated user interface capabilities Solution: Java desktop client –Many more user interface options than a web based client –Will run on any computer with Java 5 (1.5) installed Client and database can be installed on the same computer or on different computers. –Single machine configuration –Local network configuration –Wide area network configuration

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb Open Source SourceForge –Project will be listed by the end of the year. –Source code will be available in an early alpha version early next year for viewing only –When we enter beta testing we will be open to other developers joining the effort Anyone will be able to download the source code and use it as they wish. We hope a developer community will grow out of the project

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb A Live Demonstration

Archivists' Toolkit - ECURE Presentation, 28 Feb