Now that we're in the period of considering modifications to the EAD DTD,
I'd like to post some thought.s They are more along the lines of
"fantasies" because I'm not sure of their practicality at the present time.
At the recent annual meeting of the Music Library Association, Antonio M.
Calvo, a member of the faculty of the library school at UC-San Jose, had a
poster session in which he proposed enhancing (sounds safer than "doing
away with") MARC to XML, showing how it can enhance the nature of
authorities. The name of his project is Nomen, and you can see a very
brief presentation at: http://senna.sjsu.edu/lmain/Nomen/
After seeing his presentation, and considering the New York Public
Library's implementation of EAD using the Advanced Revelation database, an
idea occured to me.
It seems to me that the EAD DTD is designed to be "flat," or in only two
dimensions. You mark up your document, in order to display it. When we
need outside information incorporated into the finding aid, we can utilize
entities. Ok, fine.
But shouldn't we be aiming for something else - of expanding the DTD so
that it incorporate other things. Inspired by Calvo's concern (though not
necessary his method), why couldn't we set up an interlocking DTD for
names, so as to achieve relational name authority system along with EAD?
Of course, other relational DTDs could be considered as well, but it seems
to me that names (personal and corporate) is a priority.
I recognize that something as broad and vast like has to take quite a while
to consider. Yet I hope it is a direction the working group consider.
Bob Kosovsky, Librarian
Music Division -- The New York Public Library
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My opinions do not necessarily represent those of my institutions.
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