Creating an Index in Finding Aids
An index is a compilation of key terms or pointers which have been assembled in list form to enhance access to materials (or parts of materials) being described. Indices generally contain lists of key terms not explicitly represented by the description in the finding aid but are directly associated with the materials being described, such as names of people or places, compositions or literary works, etc., coupled with unit/folder numbers. One could also include indices that were created for the collection by a third party such as a genealogical index to court records. Not considered part of the physical hierarchical organization of the finding aid, an index follows the </dsc> in the finding aid and begins with an <add>.
EAD Tagging rules
<index> may contain: address, blockquote, chronlist, head, index, indexentry, list, listhead, note, p, and table
<index>may occur within: add or index
<indexentry>may contain: corpname, famname, function, genreform, geogname, indexentry, name, namegrp, occupation, persname, ptr, ptrgrp, ref, subject
(For more information about the various tags, see the EAD
Tag Library published by the Society
of American Archivists and the Library
of
Congress)
Examples
The examples below illustrate various levels of complexity that could be used in marking up an index. Note that the unit numbers following the main entry could be made into links that, when clicked, will take the user to the designated point in the finding aid that is being described. (For more information about creating internal links, see the instructions for Internal Links in Finding Aids.)
1. Schlesinger example - without internal linking to designated folders:
Example drawn from the finding aid for: Shouse, Catherine (Filene), 1896-1994. Papers, 1978-1998 (MC448).
Display:
INDEX OF SELECTED CORRESPONDENTS
This index includes the names of selected writers and recipients.
Information about persons and subjects is not indexed.
Key: No symbol = Recipient; * = Writer and Recipient; # = Writer
- Adams, Sherman, 176, 425#
- Addams, Jane, 106, 107
- Alby, Charlotte, R., 397*, 398*
- Allen, Bruce R., 352, 353#
Markup:
</dsc>
<add><index>
<head>INDEX OF SELECTED CORRESPONDENTS</head>
<p>This index includes the names of selected writers and recipients.
Information about persons and subjects is not indexed.<p>
<p>Key: No symbol = Recipient; * = Writer and Recipient; # = Writer<p>
<indexentry><persname>Adams, Sherman, 176, 425#</persname></indexentry>
<indexentry><persname>Addams, Jane, 106, 107</persname></indexentry>
<indexentry><persname>Alby, Charlotte, R., 397*, 398*</persname></indexentry>
<indexentry><persname>Allen, Bruce R., 352, 353#</persname></indexentry>
</index>
</add>
2. Example of a name index with internal linking:
Example drawn from the finding aid for: American Birth Control League. Records: Guide. (bMS Am 2063).
Display:
VI. Index of names
Markup:
</dsc>
<add><index>
<head> VI. Index of names.</head>
<indexentry><namegrp><corpname> Abbeville County Medical Society (S. C.), </corpname><function>correspondent.;</function></namegrp><ref target="hou00030f293">(293)</ref></indexentry>
<indexentry><namegrp><persname>Abbott, C. S. , Dr. ,</persname><function>recipient. </function></namegrp><ref target="hou00030f281">(281)</ref></indexentry>
<indexentry><namegrp><persname>Abe, Isoo, 1865-1949. </persname></namegrp><ref target="hou00030f594">(594)</ref></indexentry>
<indexentry><namegrp><persname>Abell, Harry D. , Dr. , </persname><function>correspondent. </function></namegrp><ptrgrp><ref target="hou00030f173">(173)</ref><ref target="hou00030f182">(182)</ref></ptrgrp></indexentry>
<indexentry><namegrp><persname>Abell, Harry D. , Dr. , </persname><function>recipient. </function></namegrp><ptrgrp><ref target="hou00030f175">(175)</ref><ref target="hou00030f183">(183)</ref><ref target="hou00030f184">(184)</ref><ref target="hou00030f200">(200)</ref></ptrgrp></indexentry>
</index></add></archdes></ead>
Please note that:
<function> is used to describe the how the index entry
is being pointed to
<namegrp> is used to contain any grouping of names or other controlled
access points
<ptrgrp>is used around multiple <ref>s and internal links
3. Example of an addressee index with internal linking
Example drawn from the finding aid for: Grew family. Papers of the Grew, Andrews, Norton, and Wigglesworth families, 1738-1884: Guide. (bMS Am 1136 ).
Display in OASIS:
INDEX OF ADDRESSEES
- Andrews, Loring, 1768-1805. 248,250,262,263,264,267,269,280,283,295,296,297,298,301,302
- Grew, Jane (Wigglesworth), 1805-1868. 405,406,428,431,432,546,548,549,551,552,553,554,555,556 to560,563,564,566,569,570,572,582,583,585,586,587 to591,593 to595,691,701,703,706
- Norton, Andrews, 1786-1853. 447,442(1),442(2),442(4),442(5),442(6),442a(2),442a(3),442a(5),443,443(2),443(4),444(2),444(3),444(4),445(2),450
Markup (for Andrews, Loring, 1768-1805 only):
</dsc>
<add><index>
<head>INDEX OF ADDRESSEES</head>
<indexentry><namegrp><persname> Andrews,
Loring, 1768-1805. </persname></namegrp>
<ptrgrp>
<ref=target"hou00072f248">248,
</ref><ref=target"hou00072f250">250, </ref>
<ref=target"hou00072f262">262, </ref>
<ref=target"hou00072f263">263, </ref><ref=target"hou00072f264">264, </ref><ref=target"hou00072f267">267, </ref><ref=target"hou00072f269">269, </ref><ref=target"hou00072f280">280, </ref><ref=target"hou00072f283">283, </ref><ref=target"hou00072f295">295, </ref><ref=target"hou00072f296">296, </ref>
<ref=target"hou00072f297">297, </ref><ref=target"hou00072f298">298,
</ref>
<ref=target"hou00072f301">301, </ref><ref=target"hou00072f302">302,</ref>
</ptrgrp>
</indexentry
</index></add></archdesc></ead>