The following two Rare Book School EAD Courses will be offered in 2002.

--Implementing EAD, an introductory course, will be offered only once in
2002, March 11-15, 2002.

--Publishing EAD, a new advanced course, will also be offered only once in
2002, August 5-9, 2002.

*Please pay special attention to the course requirements when applying.

Applications for Implementing EAD should be submitted as soon as possible.
For application information, see http://www.virginia.edu/oldbooks/rbs/app.html

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Implementing Encoded Archival Description
March 11-15, 2002
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

Encoded Archival Description (EAD) provides standardized machine-readable
access to primary resource materials. This course is aimed at archivists,
librarians, and museum personnel who would like an introduction to EAD that
includes an extensive supervised hands-on component. Students will learn
SGML encoding techniques in part using examples selected from among their
own institutions' finding aids. Topics: the context out of which EAD
emerged; introduction to the use of SGML authoring tools and browsers; the
conversion of existing finding aids to EAD.

This course will provide a practical introduction to the application of
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) to the encoding of archive and
manuscript library finding aids. The course is aimed primarily at
archivists who process and describe collections in finding aids, though it
will also be useful to repository administrators contemplating the
implementation of EAD Version 1.0, and to technologists working in
repositories.

The course will cover the following areas: the history of EAD and its
theoretical and technological foundations; an introduction to Standard
Generalized Markup Language (SGML) and Extensible Markup Language (XML),
including discussions of authoring and network publishing tools; a detailed
exploration of the structure of EAD; use of software tools to create and
publish finding aids; discussion of conversion techniques and
methodologies, and templates for the creation of new finding aids; and the
integration and management of EAD in an archive or library.

The class will jointly encode and publish a finding aid that will
illustrate a wide variety of essential EAD and SGML concepts. Students will
also encode one of their own finding aids.

*Applicants must have a basic knowledge of archival descriptive practices
as well as experience using word-processing software with a graphical user
interface. Some experience with the World Wide Web and HTML will aid the
learning process. In their personal statement, applicants should indicate
their relevant archival background, the extent of their previous experience
with computers in general and graphical user interfaces and EAD in
particular, and describe their role (present or future) in the
implementation of EAD in their home institution.

Daniel Pitti has taught this course since 1997, usually twice annually.

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Publishing EAD Finding Aids
August 5-9, 2002
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

This course will introduce students to standards and software used for
publishing Extensible Markup Language (XML) encoded documents, with a focus
on EAD encoded finding aids. It is aimed at systems support personnel in
archives, libraries, and museums , or self-supporting archivists,
librarians, and museum staff who would like an introduction to EAD
publishing technology and methods. The course will focus on writing
stylesheets using Extensible Stylesheet Language-Transformation (XSLT), but
will also cover Web server technology, available software for indexing and
searching XML encoded information, and use of Extensible Stylesheet
Language (XSL) Formatting Objects to produce printed finding aids. Topics
include: in-depth introduction to the Extensibl e Stylesheet Language
(XSL); authoring of stylesheets using the XSLT language, focusing on XML to
XML, and XML to HTML transformations; use of multiple stylesheets and
frames; survery and functional evaluation of available indexing and
searching software; use of XSL Transformation and Formatting Objects to
produce PostScript, PDF, RTF, and other printable encodings; survey and
functional evaluation of XSL and XSLT software. The course will conclude
with a discussion of management and administrative issu es presented by Web
publishing.

The class will jointly write stylesheets for a complex finding aid. The
stylesheets will involve XML to XML transformations, for example,
transforming from one version of EAD to another, and XML to HTML
conversions involvin g different design and navigation strategies. Students
also will be given an opportunity to work with each other and the
instructor on complex transformation challenges found in their own
institutions.

*Applicants must have an excellent understanding of EAD encoded finding
aids, a good understanding of HTML encoding, and an aptitude for computer
technology as demonstrated by past experience. In their personal statement,
applicants should document their qualifications in these three areas, and
also descr ibe their role (present or future) in the implementation of EAD
in their home institution.

Daniel Pitti is teaching this new course for the first time in 2002.



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Daniel V. Pitti         Project Director
Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities
Alderman Library        University of Virginia  Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
Phone: 434 924-6594     Fax: 434 982-2363       Email: [log in to unmask]
http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu
AREA CODE IS NEW EFFECTIVE JUNE 2001