First Things First: Reengineering Finding Aids for Implementation of EAD

Although it is tempting for a repository to begin its work with EAD by marking up its existing finding aids as they are, more satisfying results will ensue if the repository invests some time up front in assessing, and perhaps revising, its finding aid model. The Minnesota Historical Society recently completed such a project to evaluate the effectiveness of its finding aids and to reengineer their look, feel, and structure in order to make them more effective tools for delivering information about archival materials to distance users via the World Wide Web, as well as to in-house users. The author describes the process and the results of that intensive project.