About Data Creation

Archives Hub Descriptions

We take in descriptions of archive collections from a range of institutions. Descriptions can be at collection level or they can be multi-level. They can be summary descriptions, designed to give the researcher an overview of a collection, or they can be detailed descriptions, with substantial contents information.

Descriptions should include our mandatory fields and we encourage index terms to be included (structured entries for names, places, subjects, book titles and genre form).

Format of Descriptions

The Archives Hub takes in descriptions in the Encoded Archival Description (EAD) format.

EAD is a machine- and human-readable XML standard, which has been developed specifically for use with archival descriptions, and which maps to ISAD(G) fields.

Why EAD?

EAD is an international standard created by the archival community. It provides a software- and hardware-independent way of exchanging data, so it is interoperable, and not tied to any particular system.

EAD descriptions are text files, which means they can be created with many different tools and applications, and large amounts of information can be stored in very little space.

EAD provides structure, but it is also flexible, and can be used for a wide variety of finding aids.

Creating Descriptions

If you have an archives management system, such as Calm or AtoM, you may prefer to provide us with the exported descriptions. See our pages on exporting.

Revising descriptions

You can contact us with any revisions to your descriptions, and more information is provided here on revising descriptions.