As for the FilemakerPro database developed at the UC Berkeley Art
Museum, it has been tested by several project partners in MOAC
(Museums and the Online Archive of California). While there are still
several issues remaining to be worked out, for example in special
character handling, the database does produce valid EAD SGML finding
aids. For more general background information on the database you may
want to read an article I've written for MCN's magazine SPECTRA. An
online version of the article is available at
http://www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/moac/imaging/index.html. If you have
any other specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them off the
list.

For more information on the Microsoft Access database, you may want
to get in touch directly with folks at the UC Berkeley Bancroft
Library. I am not entirely sure who the best point person would be,
but I'm sure Merrilee Proffit ([log in to unmask]) would
be able to steer you in the right direction.

Hope this helps,
Guenter

>Back in September, Richard Reinhart announced a tool in Filemaker which
>will produce valid EAD/SGML for the MOA2 project, and noted that Berkely
>had developed a similar tool for Microsoft Access.  Can someone on the
>list shed light on the status of that Access tool or the testing of
>the Filemaker tool? Has anyone else on the list attempted the Herculean
>task of creating a relational database that can produce valid EAD?
>
>The reason I ask is that our special collections division would like
>implement EAD, and is considering options.  One of those options is a
>relational database than can produce valid EAD.  They have some container
>lists in SQL Server (with Access interface on the desktop) that would
>eventually need to be converted.  Any guidance here would be helpful.
>
>Chris
>
>--------
>Christopher Prom
>Assistant University Archivist
>University of Illinois Archives
>Room 19 Library (MC-522)
>1408 W. Gregory Drive
>Urbana, IL 61801
>
>web:    http://www.library.uiuc.edu/ahx/
>e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>phone:  217 333 0798
>fax:    217 333 2868

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Guenter Waibel
Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive
Digital Media Developer http://www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/
Digital Imaging SIG Chair, MCN http://www.mcn.edu/visig_subscribe.taf
[log in to unmask]
Phone   510-643-8655
Fax     510-642-4889
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