ead + xslt = pdf: generating full pdf finding aids from encoded archival description xml in atom
DESCRIPTION
AtoM (Access to Memory) is an open source web application for standards-based archival description and access. AtoM already features an EAD XML export - a metadata exchange standard used by cultural heritage institutions to manage and share archival descriptions. A future feature in AtoM, sponsored by SFU Archives, will allow users to transform AtoM's EAD XML with the use of an XSLT (eXtensible Stylesheet Transformation Language) and turn it into a well formatted, user-friendly PDF finding aid. This lightning talk will discuss the development of this feature, the technology behind it and how this development work could be applied to different systems. This presentation was made at Code4LibBC 2014, in Vancouver, BC, Canada, on November 27, 2014.TRANSCRIPT
EAD + XSLT = PDFCreating full-text PDF finding aids from AtoM descriptions
Dan Gillean
Mike Gale
Code4Lib BC 2014
MEET AtoM (hello world!)
What is AtoM?AtoM stands for
Access to Memory
It is a web-based, open source application for standards-based archival description and access in a multilingual, multi-repository environment.
Web-based
Open source
Standards-based
Multilingual
Multi-respository
20142008
0.X-BETA 1.0-BETA
FIRST
NON-BETA
RELEASE
AtoM’S DEVELOPMENT
1.1 2.01.31.2
TRILLIUM THEME
BACKGROUND
2013
BACKGROUND
• SFU Archives and SFU Library Special Collections
and Rare Books migration to AtoM
2013
• Implementation of Archivematica for digital
preservation
• RFQ for several new features in both
applications
BACKGROUND
2013 - 2014• Request for ability to transform whole AtoM
descriptions into PDF finding aids for
researchers
• Mid 2013: High-level requirements,
implementation planning
• Late 2013-2014: Development
ARHCIVAL DESCRIPTION IN AtoM
ARCHIVAL DESCRIPTION IN AtoM
BACKGROUND
• Q: How can we offer researchers
a way to view and print the
entire finding aid?
BACKGROUND
• A: Transform EAD output into
PDF!
• Encoded Archival Description
• XML-based
• Metadata exchange standard for archival
description
• Maintained by SAA and LoC
• Version 2 released in 2002 (current)
• EAD3 currently in Gamma (2015 release)
E-A-Whaa?
• eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation
• Language for transforming XML
• Maintained by W3C
• 1.0 Version - 1999
• 2.0 Version – 2007 (but not well supported)
• 3.0 Version currently in Last Call Draft Status
X-S-L-Huh?
EAD + XSLT = PDF
EAD + XSLT = PDF
EAD + XSLT+ XSL-FO = PDFApacheFOP
ARCHIVAL DESCRIPTION IN AtoM
EAD EXPORT IN AtoM
NEXT STEPS• Dev project underway:
• Print full lower-level descriptions
• Make available in PDF, RTF, and TXT
• Make options configurable for AtoM admins
• Will be included in AtoM 2.2 release (2015)
