This project will aim to develop scripts to prepare EAD XML generated using the University of Maryland's Java-Based EAD Converter tool for ingest into ArchiveSpace. There may also be need to use scripts to clean accession data generated from the University of Maryland's Microsoft Access-based archival management database ("The Beast") in CSV format for ingest into ArchivesSpace.

ArchivesSpace (http://www.archivesspace.org/) is an open-source archives information management system. The UMD Libraries will be using this system beginning in spring 2014. There are currently close to 1000 archival finding aids, encoded using Encoded Archival Description (EAD) that will be ingested into ArchivesSpace. In addition, several thousand accession records from Special Collections and University Archives and the Special Collections in Performing Arts will be ingested, providing a more robust networked system for the UMD Libraries.

Although EAD is a standard, the EAD files currently in use by the UMD Libraries (see http://digital.lib.umd.edu/oclc) are valid EAD, they are formatted differently than how they would appear in ArchivesSpace. Special Collections and University Archives will be evaluating what changes need to be made to standard UMD EAD for smooth import into ArchivesSpace.