Steady converts CSV into EAD XML

Upload

Choose a CSV file to upload. The file must have headers which conform to the stead schema. If you have your container list data in Excel, you will need to export it as CSV before uploading it.

You can try it out with a sample CSV file.

To import into ArchivesSpace and have instances created properly, you may need to make some other changes to the EAD. You can select and fill out the following options to try to do that for you. This is currently an experimental feature.

Please wait for and accept the download of the EAD XML. Once this one completes just change the file to process another.

Stead schema

These are the allowable values for the CSV header row. All values apply at the container level except the values that apply to the series or subseries level.

series title
series number
series dates
subseries number
subseries title
subseries dates
file id
file title
file dates
extent
physdesc
internal only
restrictions
conditions governing access
scopecontent
note1
note2
instance type
container 1 type
container 1 number
container 2 type
container 2 number
container 3 type
container 3 number
geogname
geogname_source
corpname
corpname_source
famname
famname_source
name
name_source
persname
persname_source
subject
subject_source

About

Use Cases

In most cases tools like ArchivesSpace are preferred because they centralize and normalize the creation of archival description and arrangement. We have two main use cases for maintaining container lists in spreadsheets instead of working directly in ArchivesSpace.

  1. Sometimes donors provide container lists for their collections as a spreadsheet. In other cases hired appraisers will provide detailed spreadsheets which could also be used as container lists. We want to be able to edit those as little as possible to allow them to form the basis of a preliminary inventory. In this way in MPLP-style we can make the collection accessible as quickly as possible.
  2. NCSU Libraries stores some of its architectural collections like drawings in off-site storage. With poor wireless coverage in some areas it is more convenient to enter container information in a spreadsheet off-line. Also this allows several people to be working on a single collection resource at one time. The spreadsheets can then be merged, exported to CSV, and transformed to EAD XML.

Code

Steady is a Ruby on Rails application and is available as open source software. See the full source code.

Contact

This little utility was developed by Jason Ronallo as part of his work at NCSU Libraries.

Email: jronallo@gmail.com

Problems or Issues?

Please feel free to contact me about any issues you have with using Steady. Please attach your CSV file and, if available, the EAD XML output from this tool.