Developing a Cooperative Intra-institutional Approach to EAD Implementation: The Harvard/Radcliffe Digital Finding Aids Project Free

The Harvard/Radcliffe Digital Finding Aids Project (DFAP) was established in 1995 to explore options for making finding aids available remotely over the Internet. This paper reports on why SGML/EAD became the delivery medium of choice; the process of selection of SGML authoring software; the ongoing development of cross-Harvard standards and guidelines for application of EAD; plans for cross-repository indexing and development of a search engine; and implementation challenges faced by the eight Harvard/Radcliffe repositories participating in the project. Also discussed are the development of an EAD template for future Houghton Library finding aids and problems with retrospective conversion of existing finding aids.