ArchivesZ : Visualizing Archival Collections May 10, 2007 University of Maryland, College Park CMSC 734 – Spring 2007 Jeanne Kramer-Smyth Morimichi Nishigaki Tim Anglade

A little about the problem.

Users of library catalogs know what to expect

Archives/Manuscripts are more mysterious ? One box? Ten boxes?

Need to drill down to full record to find out quantity of materials

Or examine the finding aid

Archival Collection Metadata Subjects Range of years Size measured in linear feet + Aggregate Visualize Search ArchivesZ

Architecture

Data Translations

Visualization

Multi-value attributes dataset We propose an innovative method for visualization and exploration of items associated with multi-value attributes Item 1AB Ex) Multi-value attributes dataset Item 2ACE Item 3B Item 4DE ItemsMulti-value attributes Item 5BDEF In our application, items are collections, and multi-value attributes are subjects. How to visualize this type of dataset?

Aggregation and Overlap A Item 1A B Item 2A C E Item 3B Item 4D E Item 5BDEF Item 1 Item 2Item 3 Item 1 Item 2 Item 4 Item 5 Item 2 Item 4 Item 5 BCDEF # of Items Intersection (overlap) carry relations between attribute values and help users to explore dataset Selected attribute values are in users’ interest. Focusing on the overlap with selected items A Item 1 Item 2Item 3 Item 1 Item 2 Item 4 Item 5 Item 2 Item 4 Item 5 BCDEF # of Items Selected overlap with selected group

Dual-sided histogram B C D E F Ex) Selected: {A}Ex) Selected: {} B C D E F A This histogram is called dual-sided histogram A Visualizing total amount on selected attribute values and overlaps at the same time. Giving users an idea for further adding selected attribute values for searching items. In our application, sizes of collections are used instead of number of items. overlapnon-overlap

Demo!

Next Steps Stage ArchivesZ online with small dataset and invite the larger archives and historian community to give feedback Thank you! Special thank you to Jennie Levine, Curator of Historical Manuscripts University of Maryland Libraries – provider of EAD encoded finding aids and answers to many questions Questions?