EAD Finding Aid Editor - Kaufman Papers (AILLA/Benson)

This skill provides specialized guidance for creating and editing the preliminary EAD2002 finding aid for the Terrence Kaufman Papers collection at AILLA/Lillas Benson, UT Austin.

Project Context

Collection: Terrence Kaufman Papers
Institution: Archive of Indigenous Languages of Latin America (AILLA), Lillas Benson Latin American Studies and Collections, University of Texas at Austin
Status: Pre-processed materials, preliminary finding aid in progress
Standard: EAD2002
Primary File: KaufmanEAD.xml

Workflow

When working on the Kaufman finding aid:

1. Review Current State: Load and analyze KaufmanEAD.xml to understand the current structure
2. Implement Feedback: Apply staff feedback from Benson archivists systematically
3. Validate Structure: Check against EAD2002 schema (schema2.xsl) and institutional standards
4. Reference Examples: Consult institutional EAD examples in references/ for consistency
5. Preserve Context: Maintain AILLA-specific metadata and indigenous language documentation standards

Key EAD2002 Elements for Archival Collections

Critical Structural Elements

• <ead> - Root element
• <eadheader> - Header with metadata about the finding aid itself
• <archdesc> - Main archival description (level="collection" or "fonds")
• <did> - Descriptive identification (required in archdesc and component levels)
• <dsc> - Description of subordinate components (series, subseries, files, items)

Common Components in <did>

• <unittitle> - Title of the unit
• <unitid> - Unique identifier
• <unitdate> - Date(s) of materials
• <physdesc> - Physical description including <extent>
• <repository> - Holding institution
• <langmaterial> - Language of materials (important for AILLA multilingual collections)
• <origination> - Creator information

Important Descriptive Elements

• <bioghist> - Biographical/historical note
• <scopecontent> - Scope and content note
• <arrangement> - Organization of materials
• <accessrestrict> - Access restrictions
• <userestrict> - Use restrictions
• <prefercite> - Preferred citation
• <controlaccess> - Controlled access terms (subjects, names, etc.)

Component Structure (<c> or <c01>-<c12>)

For series/subseries/file organization:

• Use <c> elements or numbered <c01>, <c02>, etc.
• Each component has level attribute: "series", "subseries", "file", "item"
• Each component typically contains its own <did> and may have additional descriptive elements

AILLA-Specific Considerations

• Indigenous Language Materials: Ensure proper language codes in <langmaterial>
• Cultural Sensitivity: Review access restrictions for culturally sensitive materials
• Documentation Standards: Follow AILLA metadata standards for linguistic materials
• Researcher Context: Include sufficient detail for linguists and indigenous language researchers

Reference Files

The skill includes institutional EAD examples demonstrating Benson standards:

• references/carlosmorton.xml - Carlos Morton Papers EAD example
• references/ailla.xml - AILLA collection EAD example
• references/pirapirana.xml - Pirapirana collection EAD example
• references/ead2002-elements.md - Quick reference for EAD2002 element usage

Consult these files when questions arise about:

• Proper element nesting and hierarchy
• Institutional description conventions
• Container notation standards
• Subject heading formatting

Validation

Use schema2.xsl to validate the finding aid structure. Common validation steps:

1. Check XML well-formedness
2. Validate against EAD2002 DTD/schema
3. Verify required elements are present
4. Ensure proper nesting and hierarchy
5. Check controlled vocabulary terms

Best Practices for This Project

1. Consistency: Match formatting and description style from reference EADs
2. Completeness: Ensure all required EAD2002 elements are present
3. Clarity: Write descriptions for researchers unfamiliar with the collection
4. Accuracy: Verify dates, extent, and other factual information
5. Standards Compliance: Follow both EAD2002 and Benson institutional guidelines