DACSDACS

Describing Archives: A Describing Archives: A Content StandardContent Standard

The BackgroundThe Background Archives, Personal Papers & Manuscripts, 1980sArchives, Personal Papers & Manuscripts, 1980s

– New Technologies with Web, XML, EADNew Technologies with Web, XML, EAD– Revision to include rules for finding aids and catalog Revision to include rules for finding aids and catalog

records records – ISAD and ISAAR (CPF)ISAD and ISAAR (CPF)

CUSTARD Project (Canadian-U.S. Task Force on CUSTARD Project (Canadian-U.S. Task Force on Archival Description), 2001Archival Description), 2001– Replace APPM and RADReplace APPM and RAD– Accommodate ISAD and ISAAR (CPF)Accommodate ISAD and ISAAR (CPF)– Apply to all types of archival materialApply to all types of archival material– Apply to all levels of description (MARC to finding aid)Apply to all levels of description (MARC to finding aid)– Apply regardless of descriptive output (MARC, EAD, DB)Apply regardless of descriptive output (MARC, EAD, DB)– Too many differences between Canada and USToo many differences between Canada and US

Relationship to APPMRelationship to APPM APPMAPPM

– Only for catalog recordsOnly for catalog records

– APPM has 2 partsAPPM has 2 parts I. DescriptionI. Description II. Headings & Uniform II. Headings & Uniform

TitlesTitles

DACSDACS– Applies to all levels of Applies to all levels of

descriptiondescription

– DACS has 3 partsDACS has 3 parts I. Describing Archival I. Describing Archival

Materials Materials II. Describing CreatorsII. Describing Creators III. Forms of NamesIII. Forms of Names

– More guidance on content More guidance on content of the data elementof the data element

– DACS omits areas DACS omits areas irrelevant to archival irrelevant to archival material (bibliographic material (bibliographic series)series)

Structure of DACSStructure of DACS

Statement of PrinciplesStatement of Principles– Basis for the rules in DACSBasis for the rules in DACS– Explains the nature of Archival Material, Explains the nature of Archival Material,

the context in which they were created, the context in which they were created, and the need to reflect the relationship and the need to reflect the relationship between records and the activities that between records and the activities that generated them in the description.generated them in the description.

Overview of Archival Overview of Archival DescriptionDescription

Main Objective of Archival Description is to create Access Main Objective of Archival Description is to create Access Tools that aid users in discovering desired records.Tools that aid users in discovering desired records.

Access PointsAccess Points– Natural language must be translated into a formal subject Natural language must be translated into a formal subject

heading from standardized thesaurus (LCSH)heading from standardized thesaurus (LCSH)

– Permits faster and precise searchingPermits faster and precise searching

– Names (creator, title, S&C, Bio, Custodial History,Immediate Names (creator, title, S&C, Bio, Custodial History,Immediate Source of Acquisition)Source of Acquisition)

– Places (creator, title, S&C, Bio)Places (creator, title, S&C, Bio)– Subjects (Title, S&C, Bio)Subjects (Title, S&C, Bio)– Documentary forms (Title, Extent, S&C)Documentary forms (Title, Extent, S&C)– Occupations (S&C, Bio)Occupations (S&C, Bio)– Functions (Title, S&C, Bio)Functions (Title, S&C, Bio)

Part I:Part I: Describing Archival Describing Archival MaterialsMaterials

25 elements for describing archival material25 elements for describing archival material

Output neutral Output neutral

No required order of elements No required order of elements

Levels of DescriptionLevels of Description– Single-Level (describes material at one level only) and Single-Level (describes material at one level only) and

Multi-Level (must have a sublevel)Multi-Level (must have a sublevel)– Description must meet minimum set of elementsDescription must meet minimum set of elements– Minimum, Optimum and Added ValueMinimum, Optimum and Added Value

Multilevel MinimumMultilevel Minimum Reference CodeReference Code Name and Location of RepositoryName and Location of Repository TitleTitle Date Date ExtentExtent Name of CreatorName of Creator Scope and Content (brief)Scope and Content (brief) Conditions Governing AccessConditions Governing Access Language and Scripts of the MaterialLanguage and Scripts of the Material Identification of the whole-part relationship of top level to Identification of the whole-part relationship of top level to

the next subsequent level.the next subsequent level. Each subsequent level should include all above elements Each subsequent level should include all above elements

unless the information is the same as that of a higher levelunless the information is the same as that of a higher level

Multilevel OptimumMultilevel Optimum

All elements in MinimumAll elements in Minimum Administrative/Biographical HistoryAdministrative/Biographical History Scope and Content (full)Scope and Content (full) Access PointsAccess Points Each subsequent level should include Each subsequent level should include

all elements at higher levels, and all elements at higher levels, and identification of the whole-part identification of the whole-part relationship to next levelrelationship to next level

Multilevel Added ValueMultilevel Added Value

All elements in Multilevel optimumAll elements in Multilevel optimum Any other elements the repository Any other elements the repository

wishes to usewishes to use

Data Element Rules in DACS Data Element Rules in DACS

Rules for each data element are Rules for each data element are numbered (2.5.1)numbered (2.5.1)

For each element DACS provides :For each element DACS provides :– Purpose and scope Purpose and scope – CommentaryCommentary– ExclusionsExclusions– Sources of InformationSources of Information– General RulesGeneral Rules– Example in EAD and MARC 21Example in EAD and MARC 21

Part II: Describing CreatorsPart II: Describing Creators

3 Steps to create documentation that 3 Steps to create documentation that establishes archival contextestablishes archival context

– 1. Identifying Creators (Chapter 9) (2.6)1. Identifying Creators (Chapter 9) (2.6)

– 2. Administrative/Biographical History 2. Administrative/Biographical History (Chapter 10) (2.7)(Chapter 10) (2.7)

– 3. Authority Records (Chapter 11)3. Authority Records (Chapter 11)– Put names in a standardized form to facilitate retrieval Put names in a standardized form to facilitate retrieval

of information across descriptions, systems and of information across descriptions, systems and institutionsinstitutions

Identifying Creators: Chapter 9Identifying Creators: Chapter 9

Rules for determining which entities Rules for determining which entities need to be documented as creatorsneed to be documented as creators

Names are also Access PointsNames are also Access Points

Creating this Access Point links all Creating this Access Point links all records by a particular person, etc. records by a particular person, etc. togethertogether

Authority Records: Chapter 11Authority Records: Chapter 11

Based on ISAAR (CPF)Based on ISAAR (CPF)

4 Types of Information:4 Types of Information:– Authoritative form of the name with reference Authoritative form of the name with reference

to any variant forms (see Pt. 3)to any variant forms (see Pt. 3)– History and Activities associated with the entity History and Activities associated with the entity

(see Chapter 10)(see Chapter 10)– References to related persons, family, References to related persons, family,

corporate bodiescorporate bodies– Management information on the creation and Management information on the creation and

status of the authority recordstatus of the authority record

Part III: Forms of NamesPart III: Forms of Names

• Rules for creating standardized forms of Rules for creating standardized forms of namesnames

• Form of Names for Persons and Families Form of Names for Persons and Families (Chapter 12)(Chapter 12)

• Form of Geographic Names (Chapter 13 Form of Geographic Names (Chapter 13 • Form of Names for Corporate Bodies Form of Names for Corporate Bodies

(Chapter 14)(Chapter 14)• Follows AACR2 numbering in Chapters 22-Follows AACR2 numbering in Chapters 22-

24 respectively24 respectively

Example EAD Template Example EAD Template

UCLA-Clark LibraryUCLA-Clark Library www.cdlib.org/cgi-bin/oactools/templwww.cdlib.org/cgi-bin/oactools/templ

ate/oacead/ucla-claark@OACContentate/oacead/ucla-claark@OACContent

Template GuideTemplate Guide www.cdlib.org/inside/projects/oac/toowww.cdlib.org/inside/projects/oac/too

lkit/templates/help3-4.htmllkit/templates/help3-4.html