L-80: Implementing Encoded Archival Description
30 July - 3 Aug 2007 in Charlottesville
1) How useful were the pre-course readings?
1: Very useful, though some were online references that will continue to be very useful. 2: Very. 3: Very useful. They will continue to be helpful. 4: They will be more useful now that I have completed the course. As pre-class readings, most were a bit mystifying, but I will now be able to use them as useful references. The introductions to EAD and to XML were very helpful as pre-class readings. 5: Useful; not necessary. 6: Yes, and will be more helpful even as post-course readings.
2) Were the course syllabus and other materials distributed in class appropriate and useful (or will they be so in the future, after you return home)?
1-2: Yes. 3: Yes. They were essential the first few days, particularly the spiral-bound notebook, and will continue to be helpful. 4: Yes, I am certain that I will consult my class materials frequently. 5: Yes, both. 6: Yes.
3) What aspects of the course content were of the greatest interest or relevance for your purposes? Was the intellectual level of the course appropriate?
1: DP covered the conceptual framework of EAD in a very clear, straightforward way. 2: All course content was excellent; level very appropriate. 3: Learning and demystifying XML. Yes. 4: The hands-on aspect of this course was the most relevant thing for me. Actually completing a finding aid was what I wanted to do, and I did. Yes, the intellectual level was appropriate. 5: Of greatest interest was the actual encoding. 6: Actually encoding our own finding aid. Intellectual level appropriate.
5) What did you like best about the course?
1: I most liked the instructor, who is very knowledgeable, as well as witty. 2: DP himself. My former professor stated he is the person to teach EAD, period! He is a wonderful and patient teacher. 3: DP and my classmates. 4: I truly enjoyed the encoding. Really! 5: The goods were here – focused on this one purpose; no electronic “geekery”. 6: Encoding – actually doing the work.
6) How could the course have been improved?
1: Another day might have helped, but overall tough to improve. 2: Nothing to add. 3: Offer a joint course on publishing finding aids again. 4: I would have liked to reach the point where we began encoding our own finding aids just a bit sooner. 5: More time devoted to DTD building? 6: If time permitted, doing several smaller finding aids as practice.
8) If you attended the Sunday and/or other evening lectures, were they worth attending?
1-2: Yes. 3: Absolutely. Very interesting. 4: Yes, I enjoyed Monday’s lecture very much. 5: I did not attend very much, due to personal circumstances. 6: Yes.
9) Did you get your money’s worth? Any final or summary thoughts, or advice for other persons considering taking this course in a future year?
1: Absolutely. I will send one of my staff to attend RBS if DP offers another EAD course. 2: Yes, I will try to continue to come back. What a wonderful experience – staff and fellow students. Thank you for a wonderful experience! 3: Yes. I hope those who need to learn EAD can learn it from DP. He is a master in this environment, and makes the learning process very enjoyable. 4: Yes. 5: Yes! Go! 6: Yes, this course can’t be effectively taught in a two-day workshop. Great instructor!
Number of respondents: 6
Percentages
Leave Tuition Housing Travel
Institution Institution Institution Institution
gave me leave paid tuition paid housing paid travel
67% 50% 67% 50%
I took vaca- I paid tui- I paid for my I paid my own
tion time tion myself own housing travel
33% 17% 33% 50%
N/A: self- N/A: Self- N/A: stayed N/A: lived
employed, re- employed, with friends nearby
tired, or had retired, or or lived at
summers off scholarship home
0% 33% 0% 0%
There were 4 archivists (67%); 1 archivist/rare book librarian (17%); and 1 librarian/part-time student (17%).