Rare Book School '98 Courses, Expanded Description


From: http://poe.acc.virginia.edu/~oldbooks/rbs98/summer_expanded.shtml. See the main conference entry in the SGML/XML Web Page.



[27]

Introduction to Electronic Texts and Images.

This course will provide a wide-ranging and practical
exploration of electronic texts and related technologies.
It is aimed primarily (although not exclusively) at
scholars keen to develop, use, and publish electronic
texts as part of their own textual, research, and
pedagogical work, and at librarians planning to develop
an etext operation. Drawing on the experience and
resources available at UVa's Electronic Text Center,
the course will cover the following areas: how to find
existing etexts; how to create archival-quality etexts,
including digital image facsimiles; the necessity of
Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) for
etext development and use; the implications of XML;
text analysis software; and the management and use of
Web-based SGML text databases. 

As a focus for our study of etexts, the class will create
an electronic version of a printed text, mark its structure
with SGML("TEI") tagging, create digital images of
sample pages and illustrations, produce a hypertext
version, and make it all available on the Internet. 

Applicants need to have some experience with the
tagging of HTML documents. In their personal
statement, applicants should assess the extent of their
present knowledge of the electronic environment, and
outline a project of their own to which they hope to apply
the skills learned in this course. 

The course will be offered twice (in Weeks 2 and 4) in
anticipation of its usual large number of applications. In
your personal statement, please indicate if you can take
the course in either of the two time slots in which it is
offered (by doing so, you will materially increase your
chances of being admitted to the course). David
Seaman: 94- Return to course descriptions. 

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[6]

Implementing Encoded Archival Description.

This course will provide a practical introduction to the
application of the emerging standard Encoded Archival
Description (EAD) to the encoding of archive and
manuscript library finding aids. 

The course is aimed primarily at archivists who process
and describe collections in finding aids, though it will also
be useful to repository administrators contemplating the
implementation of EAD, and to technologists working in
repositories. The course will cover the following areas:
the history of EAD and its theoretical and technological
foundations; an introduction to Standard Generalized
Markup Language (SGML) including discussions of
authoring and network publishing tools; a detailed
exploration of the structure of EAD; use of software
tools to create and publish finding aids; discussion of
conversion techniques and methodologies, and
templates for creation of new finding aids; and finally,
the integration and management of EAD in an archive or
library. 

The class will jointly encode and publish a finding aid
that will illustrate a wide variety of essential EAD and
SGML concepts. 

Applicants must have a basic knowledge of archival
descriptive practices as well as experience using
word-processing software with a graphical user
interface. Some experience with the World Wide Web
and HTML will aid the learning process. 

The course will be offered twice. Session I (no. 16: July
13-17) is directed at those who have had no previous
formal encounter with EAD. Session II (no. 37: 27-31
July) is directed at those who have already begun
working with EAD. In their personal statement,
applicants should indicate their relevant archival
background, the extent of their previous experience with
computers in general, and graphical user interfaces and
EAD in particular, and describe their role (present or
future) in the implementation of EAD in their home
institution. Daniel Pitti. 97- Return to course
descriptions.