Michele -- Brown University is displaying component container information in the center, as last element of each component, agreeing that the intellectual structure (series/files/items) should be emphasized over physical location. Our finding aids are in process of migrating from a previous site to a new one. We still have a few more display glitches in the inventory area which need addressing in the stylesheets, but we plan to "go public" late summer, adding our implementation information to the LC list in the fall. Meanwhile, keeping in mind these are in a provisional state, you can preview a couple of our finding aids to see how the container information displays: http://dl.lib.brown.edu/bamcotest/bamco.php?eadid=mswyman http://dl.lib.brown.edu/bamcotest/bamco.php?eadid=ms-1u-t3 http://dl.lib.brown.edu/bamcotest/bamco.php?eadid=ms80.1 http://dl.lib.brown.edu/bamcotest/bamco.php?eadid=ms80.5 Sarah Shaw Digital Initiatives Librarian (EAD Specialist) Brown University Library Box A / Providence, RI 02912 TEL: 401 863-1508 FAX: 401 863-1272 [log in to unmask] ======================================================================== ==== -----Original Message----- From: Encoded Archival Description List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of MicheleR Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2005 6:42 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Container Information -- Left or Right? Hello all -- We are currently debating the knotty question of whether to have our finding aids display the container information down the left side of the page or down the right side of the page. The left side is more traditional, and many of the implementations I've reviewed on the web have chosen this approach. On the other hand, as we all know, it is the intellectual structure of the material itself, not the container, that is the primary organizing key of a collection; this is re-emphasized by the structure of the EAD document which of course is built upon the divisions and subdivisions of material, not on where it's physically housed. So I am wondering: how many of you have chosen to display container information on the right, and how many of you have chosen to display it on the left? Has anyone received feedback (pro or con) from researchers, other libraries, etc? If anyone has published finding aids to the web that have the container information on the left, could you share the URL so we can take a look? Many thanks -- Michele Rothenberger Syracuse Unversity SCRC