Finding aid editing checklist

Ensure that:

• The med# is in <eadid> and the 9-digit Hollis/Aleph Alma number is in <processinfo>
• The creator’s name in <origination> is also wrapped in entity type tags (<persname>, <corpname>, or <famname>)
• The encoder’s name is in <author> and date of encoding is in <creation><date>.
• Access Points are listed in alphabetical order
• Check that all placeholder values in the <unitdate normal=”0000/0000”> attribute are replaced with start and end years.
• “Undated” appears <unittitle> rather than <unitdate>

If applicable, check to ensure:

• Funding information is entered in a <sponsor> note
• All donors/transferring offices are listed in <acqinfo>
• For collections with born-digital content,check that appropriate information is included in <processinfo>, <accessrestrict>, and <extent>. Make sure processing actions for electronic records are included; include digital extent
• For collections with audiovisual content, check that appropriate information is included in <accessrestrict> and be sure to indicate whether or not AV materials were surveyed
• Note objects transferred to the Warren Anatomical Museum in <separatedmaterial>

Editorial:

• Use (born 1944) not (1944-)
• Include life dates for names of colleagues, family, etc. to disambiguate names, so: Walter Gilbert (born 1932)
• Geographic locations: include the state with the city the first time you mention a city, for example: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Run a spellcheck
• Capitalize names of appointments
• Put dates in day month year order
• Remove occurrences of Dr.
• Write out acronyms as known

Post-publication revisions and updates

Editing:

• Typos or minor errors can be corrected in directly in ArchivesSpace by processors.  Inform Collections Services Archivist of any changes.
• To make more extensive revisions or updates to a published finding aid, please download the XML from ArchivesSpace (NEVER work from the copy saved on the Ndrive). To do this, pull the finding aid up in ArchivesSpace, and in the toolbar (to the right of the blue "Edit" button), select Export > Download EAD. When the updated XML document is complete, send it to the Collections Service Archivist to be re-uploaded. Specific guidance on incorporating accruals is provided below. 

Accruals:

• If updating a finding aid, do not attempt to revise the entire guide to conform to current practices. Incorporate new information into the version as-is.
• When adding accruals to an existing finding aid, always download a copy of the finding aid from ArchivesSpace (see instructions above) to edit. Never work from the copy on the N drive.
• Integration: accruals can be added to existing series or can be new series. Processor should use own judgement after reviewing content as to which choice to make, and then present proposals for integration to Collections Services Archivist for approval.
• Update collection-level elements:
  • <eadheader><titleproper>: update dates as needed
  • <eadheader><creation><date>: update to reflect date of major revision/addition
  • <revisiondesc>: add a note indicating when the finding aid was updated, by whom, and why
  • <unitid>: for archival records, add series as needed
  • <unitdate>: update as needed
  • <physdesc><extent>: update cubic feet, containers, electronic records details as needed
  • <acqinfo>: add new accession information
  • <processinfo>: add new processors (if needed) and dates
  • <prefercite>: update title dates as needed
  • <arrangement>: include new series, subseries, etc., as needed
  • <scopecontent>: integrate description of accrual into existing note
  • <controlaccess>: add additional terms to describe accrual, if needed