Houghton EAD container listing guidelines

When a collection of materials is completely sorted and organized, the cataloger begins to catalog the items into a finding aid. This finding aid, when completed, will be posted on OASIS. This section of the manual will endeavor to describe the “usual” way we encode our text within the <dsc> container listing, but will only cover the areas not already mentioned in this manual. The EAD/XML encoding we use, must validate against the Harvard EAD schema.

<dsc type="in depth"> [Description of Subordinate Components]

This element wraps the entire hierarchical grouping of materials being described.

<c level="series"><did><unittitle>[Title for series] </unittitle></did>

The default level within OASIS is="item", and it is possible to have a finding aid with no series, but only items. However, most finding aids will have multiple series, then subseries, and then items within.

Options are:

level="file/fonds/item/otherlevel/recordgrp/series/subgrp/subseries".If any of these apply (in Houghton, series, subseries, item are most likely), you must change the attribute. Additionally, "otherlevel=namegrp" has been defined (see Namegroup in general notes section below).

If there are other level breakdowns under series, format the elements in same manner:

Example:

<c level="series"><did><unittitle>I. Correspondence </unittitle></did>

<c level="subseries"><did><unittitle>A. John Smith correspondence </unittitle></did> ... [item-level <c>s go here] ... </c>

<c level="subseries"><did><unittitle>B. Smith Family correspondence </unittitle></did> ... [item-level <c>s go here] ... </c>

</c>

There are only a few elements that Houghton normally would use within a series or sub-series, etc… prior to the description of the folders/items. These elements are possible, but not mandatory:

<acqinfo> Occasionally an entire series might have been given by a different donor from the rest of the collection. Use this element here as well as stating it in the front matter. </acquifo>

<accessrestrict> OR <userestrict> It is possible that an entire series might be restricted in some way and the cataloger might deem it wise to restate the restriction here at the series level, as well as stating it in the front matter. </accessrestrict> OR </userestrict>

<arrangement> Use if necessary, especially important in long finding aids to show how the subseries are organized. </arrangement>

<scopecontent> Use with a long finding aid and if using only the s/c element in the front matter would get too cumbersome.

The lowest level usually is item [in reality the physical “thing” is a folder, but the attribute is item]:

<did> [Descriptive Identification]

The opening of the <did> element signals that the CORE descriptive text about the described materials is about to be listed. The various subelements within the <did> should be brief, clearly designated statements of information.

<physloc>x </physloc> [Physical location]

Use only if needed, for a size designation that goes with the unitid information. This should go before the <unitid> element. Only add a <physloc> for the items that vary from the norm of the collection. i.e.: if most of the collection is a b [housed in a box], add only pf, f, or MS as <physloc>s

Example: <physloc>f </physloc><unitid>(58) </unitid>

<container> [Container]

Rarely used in Houghton cataloging, but occasionally needed for old finding aids. Use as needed. ex: <container>[Box 1] </container>

<unitid> (xx) [ID of the unit]

Houghton item number, in parentheses, with space after (xx) ] </unitid>. ID number for volume, folder or bibliographic unit. Most often this is a single item number, but it could be a range of item numbers, e.g. (32-39). It provides the means of locating the physical “thing” being described [on the shelf].

The item number is combined with the call number to allow easy retrieval of folders from the stacks: ex: bMS Am 4561 (34)

All Houghton collection folders are assigned item numbers except for “catch-all” collections such as the Autograph File, in which items/folders are described and filed alphabetically and can be retrieved using only the name / title. These types of collections are considered “on-going” (NOT closed) and are constantly being added to.

If a folder is RESTRICTED, this text appears after the item number, but within this element: ex: <unitid>(4) RESTRICTED </unitid>

NOTE: Item numbers are added at the end of the processing of a collection, and are added using a macro.

<unittitle> [Title of the unit]

Description of folder contents in an item/folder. Includes text, and the following subelements, to be used as appropriate:

<persname>[Creator]

This is usually the name of correspondent, author, creator, subject of item, etc. Use the Library of Congress Name Authority form of name. If used as main entry of item, put last name first, first name, dates. All other names will be in direct order without dates. (Also can use <corpname> or <famname> if appropriate.) </persname>. Use MARC relator codes to qualify the name if it is not readily apparent what the name’s relationship is to the described material.

Ex: <persname>Smith, John, 1789-1834, subject. </persname>Notes, <unitdate>1945. </unitdate> This qualifier shows that the notes are not BY John Smith, but about him.

<title> [Title]

Use for titles of works, images, etc….

The default style for the <title> tag in OASIS is italic. If you want the title to display with quotes instead, set the attribute <title render="doublequote">. If you want no style, use attribute <title altrender="normal">, writing in "normal".

You should use <emph> element on titles that should not be indexed.

Punctuation usually goes OUTSIDE of the <title> tags, because it should NOT be italicized.

</title>

<genreform> [Genre/Physical characteristic]

Most often do NOT use genreform for common formats such as letter, correspondence, autograph manuscript, manuscript, typescript, etc...

For less common formats, wrap in genreform tags, preceded by a space " : " space The genres should be verified in the AAT.

</genreform>

NOTE: Normally, all text describing the primary nature of a manuscript is put within the <did> element such as:

Ex:… : typescript with autograph manuscript revisions, 1987. 1 folder.

However, it is possible to split very wordy entries and put the additional information into a note such as:

Ex: … : typescript, 1987. 1 folder.

Includes autograph manuscript revisions and manuscript (in unknown hand) additions.

Try to be consistent within a series with choice of location of this text.

<unitdate> [Date of the unit]

Either single or inclusive dates of material being described. These are the actually dates of creation of the material, NOT the dates the material is ABOUT.

Years must have four digits, e.g. 1921-1934. If item has no date, and you don't wish to estimate the date, use "undated" and do not use tags. Do not put text within this tag, only numbers (punctuation is ok).

</unitdate>

</unittitle>

<physdesc><extent></extent></physdesc> [Physical Description/Extent]

This is usually the number of folders.

Ex: … </unittitle><physdesc><extent>1 folder. </extent></physdesc> < /did></c>

Sometimes, usually for security reasons, it is necessary to mention how many items are within a folder: Ex: </unittitle><physdesc><extent>5 items in 1 folder. </extent></physdesc> </did></c>

</did> End of Descriptive Identification

The close of the <did> element signals the end of the core information about the described materials. Text that comes after the end of the <did> should be less important than that enclosed within the <did> element.

<note> [Note]

Here is where additional information, outside the core description of the item, may be written.

Use <note></note> and NOT multiple <note> tags.

Within the <note></note> grouping, other tags might be necessary [but use sparingly!] such as:

<genreform>Mark up only important genre terms. [Use AAT as primary thesaurus] </genreform>

<geogname> Place names. </geogname>

<persname>For additional names mentioned within note, but not previously mentioned in item (also <corpname> and <famname>) </persname>

<occupation>Unusual use only</occupation>

<subject>Unusual use only</subject>

<title>Mark up additional titles not previously mentioned in item. </title>

<list><item>Usual when note includes list of items that display better as list than as paragraph, and when only very brief entry is being supplied. Preferred use is a list of <c>'s so future <dao>'s may be inserted</item></list>

<ref>See explanation in general notes section below </ref>

</c>