Course Description
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 Extensible 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 issues 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 involving 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 describe their role (present or future) in the implementation of EAD in their home institution.Faculty
Daniel Pitti
Daniel Pitti became Project Director at the University of Virginia‘s Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities in 1997, before which he was Librarian for Advanced Technologies at the University …
Advance Reading List
Course Bibliography 2006
Please report any malfunctioning links to Daniel Pitti (mailto:dpitti@virginia.edu
Note: If you have limited time, the essential reading is marked with an asterisk. Articles should be read; reference materials browsed in order to familiarize yourself with them.
I. XSL, XQuery, and XPATH
*Elliotte Rusty Harold, “Chapter 17 of the XML Bible (2nd edition): XSL Transformations.”
Good, reasonably short introduction to XSL.
*XSLT and XPath Quick Reference
Two page quick reference.
XSLT Programmer’s Reference (2nd edition)
Excellent reference source for developers of XSLT stylesheets. This is only available as a book. *The first chapter, “XSLT in Context,” however, is available online, and should read before taking the course.
The Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL)
*Elliotte Rusty Harold, “Chapter 18 of the XML Bible (2nd edition): XSL Formatting Objects.”
XML Query Tutorial (W3Schools)
World Wide Web (W3C) Consortium Recommendations (or Standards)
XSL Transformations (XSLT) Version 1.1
XML Path Language (XPath) Version 1.0
Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) Version 1.0 [Formatting Objects]
II. Software: Saxon, Tomcat, Apache, and JDK
Saxon is an XSLT processor. A Java servlet application of Saxon will be used in the course, with Tomcat serving as the “servlet container.” While Tomcat, Saxon, and related software will be installed before the class, links to the Tomcat and Saxon web sites are provided here. Students should have basic familiarity with “servlets.” In addition, links are also provided here to Sun’s Java page, as the Java Development Kit is required for Tomcat and Saxon.
Saxon 8.4B is an excellent XSLT and XQuery processor and will be used in the workshop.
Cocoon is an open source XML publishing framework. Integrated with eXist (see below), it can be used to perform rendering and indexing of XML documents.
eXist is an open source XML indexer. Integrated with Cocoon (see above), it can be used to perform rendering and indexing of XML documents. eXist comes bundled with Coccon.
III. XML and Text Markup
World Wide Web Consortium XML Homepage
*TEI Gentle Introduction to XML
*Introduction to XML / Daniel V. Pitti
IV. Software
V. Encoded Archival Description Articles and Reference Materials
Encoded Archival Description: Introduction and Overview / Daniel Pitti DLIB Magazine, November 1999
American Archivists (Chicago: Society of American Archivists), vol. 60, nos. 3-4. Two issues devoted to EAD.
*EAD Tag Library, Version 2002 (Chicago: Society of American Archivists and Library of Congress, 1998)
EAD Application Guidelines, Version 1.0 (Chicago: Society of American Archivists and Library of Congress, 1999)
VI. Encoded Archival Description Internet Sites
Library of Congress EAD Homepage
The Library of Congress is the official maintenance agency for EAD.
EAD Listserv
To subscribe, send a one-line message to: LISTSERV@LOC.GOV
Containing the text: SUBSCRIBE EAD YourName
Once subscribed, submit messages to EAD@LOC.GOV
A lot of useful material and links to implementations sites and contacts.
Course History
- 2002–2006
Daniel Pitti taught this course several times during this period.