Presentation Type
Presentation
Date
2025-11-20
Description
This presentation outlines the novel method developed by the Historical Resources Center (HRC) at MD Anderson Cancer Center for migrating its oral history collection between platforms. The HRC’s model for maximizing accessibility involves segmenting each interview into chapters, each with a title, abstract, and subject headings. The system also aims to present both the media files and transcripts of interviews simultaneously. Over the past fifteen years, the collection has undergone multiple processing and publishing models. At one point, the archives relied on four software platforms: a browser-based display system, CONTENTdm and LibGuides for search and browsing, and ArchivesSpace for finding aids. While this setup was complex and required extensive metadata generation, it was stable and effective. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the public browser’s server and ArchivesSpace were retired, and Digital Commons replaced CONTENTdm. This prompted the development of a new publishing model: interviews posted to Digital Commons, and metadata managed in a new ArchivesSpace instance. The archivist repurposed existing metadata sources to build a Microsoft Excel-based crosswalk, enabling batch import of interviews and metadata into the new platforms. The crosswalk spreadsheet linked Dublin Core and EAD schemas, formatted metadata, and exported batch-ready files. Digital Commons supported Excel uploads, while ArchivesSpace used XML via EAD templates. Batch uploading proved faster than manual entry, offering benefits such as consistency, reduced errors, and quicker processing. This adaptable model demonstrates an efficient approach to migrating oral history interviews using existing metadata and standardized crosswalks.
Keywords
MIRL Symposium, 2025 MIRL Symposium, presentation
Rights and Permissions
Copyright © 2025 The Author.
Repository Citation
Garza, Jose J., "Crosswalk that Talk: Migrating Interview Collections Using Existing Metadata" (2025). Medical Institutional Repositories in Libraries (MIRL) Symposium. 17.
https://scholarlycommons.henryford.com/mirl/2025/program/17
Crosswalk that Talk: Migrating Interview Collections Using Existing Metadata
This presentation outlines the novel method developed by the Historical Resources Center (HRC) at MD Anderson Cancer Center for migrating its oral history collection between platforms. The HRC’s model for maximizing accessibility involves segmenting each interview into chapters, each with a title, abstract, and subject headings. The system also aims to present both the media files and transcripts of interviews simultaneously. Over the past fifteen years, the collection has undergone multiple processing and publishing models. At one point, the archives relied on four software platforms: a browser-based display system, CONTENTdm and LibGuides for search and browsing, and ArchivesSpace for finding aids. While this setup was complex and required extensive metadata generation, it was stable and effective. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the public browser’s server and ArchivesSpace were retired, and Digital Commons replaced CONTENTdm. This prompted the development of a new publishing model: interviews posted to Digital Commons, and metadata managed in a new ArchivesSpace instance. The archivist repurposed existing metadata sources to build a Microsoft Excel-based crosswalk, enabling batch import of interviews and metadata into the new platforms. The crosswalk spreadsheet linked Dublin Core and EAD schemas, formatted metadata, and exported batch-ready files. Digital Commons supported Excel uploads, while ArchivesSpace used XML via EAD templates. Batch uploading proved faster than manual entry, offering benefits such as consistency, reduced errors, and quicker processing. This adaptable model demonstrates an efficient approach to migrating oral history interviews using existing metadata and standardized crosswalks.