This could be different from what is under discussion here, but I've
seen "false levels" at multiple institutions while cleaning up batches
of EADs. As far as I can tell, the main reason component padding has
been done historically is for display purposes. Some processors in the
past may not have understoond CSS or didn't have access to the finding
aid CSS files. While processors may not know what CSS is, they can
clearly see that they control indentation through component levels.
Add a component level and you immediately see increased indentation in
your rendered display. I think it's easy for processors not to
understanding why this is a bad practice if they are new to
technologies like EAD/CSS/HTML or if no one stressed the separation of
encoding and display in their training.
Joyce
On Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 6:29 PM, Fox, Michael <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I just have to comment on an aspect of EAD that may or may not be implied in the original post, one that has nothing to do with the technical solutions suggested.
>
> To be very clear, the statement that
>
> My understanding correct EAD encoding:
>>
>> * c1 - Series
>> * c2 - Subseries
>> * c3 - File
>>
>> OR
>>
>> * c1 - Series
>> * c2 - File
>
> is not literally correct. There is no assumption in EAD that any level of component relates to any level of intellectual arrangement. A <c01> might be a sub-collection, series, subseries, file or item. The same principle applies to every component level. The LEVEL attribute is available to make such designations if one wishes.
>
> I'm not sure I understand what a "false level" might be. Sometimes I have seen individuals attempt to encode containers as component levels- a real no no. But of course we do create levels of hierarchy within our arrangements that organize more than describe subordinate units of "real stuff." As I understand, German archives actually have a term that describes such levels that is rendered by the value "class" for the attribute LEVEL. It is short for classification or in German "Tektonik". It is not classification in the sense of Dewey but rather refers to the structural elements of a hierarchy.
>
> Michael Fox
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Encoded Archival Description List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mark Carlson
> Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 1:10 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Promoting Container Levels
>
> That's true. One needs to remember that component levels are nested and
> that valid EAD documents require <did> within component levels, so you
> can't just remove the false component level and expect it to work.
> Assuming that you are using the EAD DTD, this script appears to work
> (although I haven't tested it extensively). Contact me offlist if you
> want to pursue trying it. Mark
>
> <?xml version="1.0"?>
> <xsl:stylesheet version="1.0"
> xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"
> xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt">
> <xsl:output method="xml" doctype-public="+//ISBN 1-931666-00-8//DTD
> ead.dtd (Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002)//EN"
> doctype-system="ead.dtd" indent="yes"/>
> <xsl:template match="* | processing-instruction() | comment()">
> <xsl:copy>
> <xsl:copy-of select="@*"/>
> <xsl:apply-templates/>
> </xsl:copy>
> </xsl:template>
>
> <!-- Change this to match the <did> of the false level -->
> <xsl:template match="c03/did"/>
> <!-- Change this to match the component level of the false level -->
> <xsl:template match="c03">
> <!-- The following should match the component level of the line above -->
> <c03>
> <!-- This should match the next component level down from the one being
> matched above -->
> <xsl:copy-of select="descendant::c04/*"/>
> </c03>
> </xsl:template>
> </xsl:stylesheet>
>
> On 4/14/2010 7:37 AM, Nathan Tallman wrote:
>> As far as I know, there isn't an easy way to do this. But it never
>> hurts to ask, right?
>>
>> Past encoding practices at my institution inserted a false c0 layer in
>> EAD finding aids. For example,
>>
>>
>> My understanding correct EAD encoding:
>>
>> * c1 - Series
>> * c2 - Subseries
>> * c3 - File
>>
>> OR
>>
>> * c1 - Series
>> * c2 - File
>>
>>
>> Past practices at my institution:
>>
>> * c1 - Series
>> * c2 - Subseries
>> * c3 - False layer to enclose files
>> * c4 - File
>>
>> OR
>>
>> * c1 - Series
>> * c2 - False layer
>> * c3 - File
>>
>>
>> Other than hand-coding, is there a way to promote the c4s to c3s and
>> eliminate the false level? I haven't used Archivist Toolkit or many
>> other collection management software packages that might have this
>> functionality.
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Nathan Tallman
>> Associate Archivist
>> American Jewish Archives
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
--
Joyce Chapman
NCSU Libraries
Metadata and Cataloging/
Digital Library Initiatives
[log in to unmask]
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