3.3 Collection-Level Information (Archival Description)
3.3 SECTIONS: Home | Basic Description (The High-Level <did>) | Controlled Vocabulary Terms | Administrative Information | Biographical Sketches and Agency Histories | Scope and Content Note | Arrangement | Description of Subordinate Components | Adjunct Descriptive Data | Other Descriptive Data
3.3.4 Biographical Sketches and Agency Histories
Tag:Description:<bioghist>
Labels/heads:Contextual information about the creation or formation of a body of archival materials in the form of a creator sketch which provides background information about the individual, family, or organization which created or collected the materials. The information may be presented as a narrative text and/or as a chronology.
LC Practice recommends inclusion of biographical data about the originator/s (creator/collector) in the <bioghist> element.
Encoding Analog:Choose or formulate required <head> appropriate to content, e.g.,
- Biographical Note
- Organizational History
- Genealogy Chart
Subelements:545
Tagging Example 1:Generic text formatting elements such as <p>, <list>, and <table> can also be used under <bioghist>. See Tag Library for full list of valid subelements.
Narrative text for Rael Collection
<bioghist encodinganalog="545">
<head>The Collector</head>
<p>Linguist and folklorist Juan Bautista Rael, highly regarded for
his pioneering work in collecting and documenting the Hispano folk
stories, plays, and religious traditions of northern New Mexico and
southern Colorado, was born on August 14, 1900, in Arroyo Hondo, New
Mexico. His bachelor's degree, from St. Mary's College in Oakland in
1923, led to a master's degree from the University of California at
Berkeley in 1927. After deciding on a university career of teaching
and research, Rael relinquished his family inheritance in land,
cattle, and sheep to his three brothers and his sister. He had
realized that the wealth in northern New Mexico that most interested
him was the vast repertory of folk narrative, song, and custom that
had scarcely been documented. </p>
<p>While teaching at the University of Oregon, Rael returned to
Arroyo Hondo in the summer of 1930 to begin compiling his famous
collection of over five hundred New Mexican folk tales ... </p>
</bioghist>
Display Of Tagging Example 1:
<head>The Collector</head>
<p>Linguist and folklorist Juan Bautista Rael, highly regarded for
his pioneering work in collecting and documenting the Hispano folk
stories, plays, and religious traditions of northern New Mexico and
southern Colorado, was born on August 14, 1900, in Arroyo Hondo, New
Mexico. His bachelor's degree, from St. Mary's College in Oakland in
1923, led to a master's degree from the University of California at
Berkeley in 1927. After deciding on a university career of teaching
and research, Rael relinquished his family inheritance in land,
cattle, and sheep to his three brothers and his sister. He had
realized that the wealth in northern New Mexico that most interested
him was the vast repertory of folk narrative, song, and custom that
had scarcely been documented. </p>
<p>While teaching at the University of Oregon, Rael returned to
Arroyo Hondo in the summer of 1930 to begin compiling his famous
collection of over five hundred New Mexican folk tales ... </p>
</bioghist>
Narrative text
The Collector Linguist and folklorist Juan Bautista Rael, highly regarded for his pioneering work in collecting and documenting the Hispano folk stories, plays, and religious traditions of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, was born on August 14, 1900, in Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico. His bachelor's degree, from St. Mary's College in Oakland in 1923, led to a master's degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1927. After deciding on a university career of teaching and research, Rael relinquished his family inheritance in land, cattle, and sheep to his three brothers and his sister. He had realized that the wealth in northern New Mexico that most interested him was the vast repertory of folk narrative, song, and custom that had scarcely been documented. While teaching at the University of Oregon, Rael returned to Arroyo Hondo in the summer of 1930 to begin compiling his famous collection of over five hundred New Mexican folk tales ...Tagging Example 2:
Chonological list for Shaker Collection (single <bioghist>)
<bioghist encodinganalog="545">
<head>Organizational History</head>
<chronlist>
<listhead>
<head01>Date</head01>
<head02>Event</head02>
</listhead>
<chronitem>
<date>1774</date>
<event>Ann Lee (born 1736, Manchester, England), leader of the
Shakers, sailed from Liverpool, England, to New York with eight
companions, eventually settling at Niskeyuna (later called
Watervliet), N.Y. </event>
</chronitem>
<chronitem>
<date>1781</date>
<event>Shaker community (City of Union) founded at Enfield, Conn. </event>
</chronitem>
<chronitem>
<date>1781-1783</date>
<event>Ann Lee and other Shakers traveled in Massachusetts and
Connecticut spreading Shaker doctrine </event>
</chronitem>
<chronitem>
<date>1784</date>
<eventgrp>
<event>Death of Ann Lee </event>
<event>James Whittaker assumed leadership (died 1787)</event>
</eventgrp>
</chronitem>
</chronlist>
</bioghist>
Display Of Tagging Example 2:
<head>Organizational History</head>
<chronlist>
<listhead>
<head01>Date</head01>
<head02>Event</head02>
</listhead>
<chronitem>
<date>1774</date>
<event>Ann Lee (born 1736, Manchester, England), leader of the
Shakers, sailed from Liverpool, England, to New York with eight
companions, eventually settling at Niskeyuna (later called
Watervliet), N.Y. </event>
</chronitem>
<chronitem>
<date>1781</date>
<event>Shaker community (City of Union) founded at Enfield, Conn. </event>
</chronitem>
<chronitem>
<date>1781-1783</date>
<event>Ann Lee and other Shakers traveled in Massachusetts and
Connecticut spreading Shaker doctrine </event>
</chronitem>
<chronitem>
<date>1784</date>
<eventgrp>
<event>Death of Ann Lee </event>
<event>James Whittaker assumed leadership (died 1787)</event>
</eventgrp>
</chronitem>
</chronlist>
</bioghist>
Organizational History 1774 Ann Lee (born 1736, Manchester, England), leader of the Shakers, sailed from Liverpool, England, to New York with eight companions, eventually settling at Niskeyuna (later called Watervliet), N.Y. 1781 Shaker community (City of Union) founded at Enfield, Conn. 1781-1783 Ann Lee and other Shakers traveled in Massachusetts and Connecticut spreading Shaker doctrine 1784 Death of Ann Lee James Whittaker assumed leadership (died 1787)
Non-tabular display with list headings suppressed
Tagging Example 3:Chonological list for Papers of Wilbur and Orville Wright (multiple <bioghist> elements)
<bioghist encodinganalog="545">
<head>Biographical Notes</head>
<bioghist>
<head>Wilbur Wright</head>
<chronlist>
<listhead>
<head01>Date</head01>
<head02>Event</head02>
</listhead>
<chronitem>
<date>1867, Apr. 16</date>
<event>Born, Millville, Ind.</event>
</chronitem>
<chronitem>
<date>1889</date>
<event>Began publication of the West Side News (weekly
newspaper), Dayton, Ohio. </event>
</chronitem>
</chronlist>
</bioghist>
<bioghist>
<head>Orville Wright</head>
<chronlist>
<listhead>
<head01>Date</head01>
<head02>Event</head02>
</listhead>
<chronitem>
<date>1871, Aug. 19</date>
<event>Born, Dayton, Ohio</event>
</chronitem>
<chronitem>
<date>1896-1903</date>
<event>Made aerial experiments with kites and gliders</event>
</chronitem>
</chronlist>
</bioghist>
</bioghist>
Display Of Tagging Example 3:
<head>Biographical Notes</head>
<bioghist>
<head>Wilbur Wright</head>
<chronlist>
<listhead>
<head01>Date</head01>
<head02>Event</head02>
</listhead>
<chronitem>
<date>1867, Apr. 16</date>
<event>Born, Millville, Ind.</event>
</chronitem>
<chronitem>
<date>1889</date>
<event>Began publication of the West Side News (weekly
newspaper), Dayton, Ohio. </event>
</chronitem>
</chronlist>
</bioghist>
<bioghist>
<head>Orville Wright</head>
<chronlist>
<listhead>
<head01>Date</head01>
<head02>Event</head02>
</listhead>
<chronitem>
<date>1871, Aug. 19</date>
<event>Born, Dayton, Ohio</event>
</chronitem>
<chronitem>
<date>1896-1903</date>
<event>Made aerial experiments with kites and gliders</event>
</chronitem>
</chronlist>
</bioghist>
</bioghist>
Chonological list (multiple <bioghist> elements)
Biographical Notes
Wilbur Wright
Date Event
1867, Apr. 16 Born, Millville, Ind.
1889 Began publication of the West Side News
(weekly newspaper), Dayton, Ohio
Orville Wright
Date Event
1871, Aug. 19 Born, Dayton, Ohio
1896-1903 Made aerial experiments with kites and gliders
Tagging Example 4:
Genealogical chart with nested lists
<bioghist encodinganalog="545">
<head>Genealogy Chart, Piccard Family</head>
<list type="simple">
<item>Jules Piccard, m. Helene (Haltenhoff)
<list type="simple">
<item>Auguste, m. Marianne (Denis)
<list type="simple">
<item>Denise</item>
<item>Jacques, m. Marie-Claude</item>
<item>Marianne</item>
<item>Helene</item>
<item>Genevieve</item>
</list>
</item>
</list>
</item>
</list>
</bioghist>
Display Of Tagging Example 4:
<head>Genealogy Chart, Piccard Family</head>
<list type="simple">
<item>Jules Piccard, m. Helene (Haltenhoff)
<list type="simple">
<item>Auguste, m. Marianne (Denis)
<list type="simple">
<item>Denise</item>
<item>Jacques, m. Marie-Claude</item>
<item>Marianne</item>
<item>Helene</item>
<item>Genevieve</item>
</list>
</item>
</list>
</item>
</list>
</bioghist>
Genealogical chart with nested lists
Genealogy Chart, Piccard Family
Jules Piccard, m. Helene (Haltenhoff)
Auguste, m. Marianne (Denis)
Denise
Jacques, m. Marie-Claude
Marianne
Helene
Genevieve
Comments:
- Biographical information in <bioghist> may be expressed as a narrative text (Example 1), as a chronological list (Examples 2-3), or as a simple list (Example 4).
- When <chronlist> tagging is used, be sure to include list head tagging that are required for proper accessibility in a Web display. See <listhead> in Example 2.
- When multiple biographical notes/agency histories are appropriate to the content of a single finding aid (for example, the papers of Wilbur and Orville Wright, or the Herndon-Weik Collection of Lincolniana), <bioghist> elements may be created for each individual or organization which needs contextual information (e.g., Charles Eames, Ray Eames; or, William Henry Herndon, Jesse William Weik, Abraham Lincoln). It does not matter whether these are in narrative form, chronology form, or both. It is suggested that each <bioghist> be bundled under one overall <bioghist>. Within each <bioghist>, use a <head> which indicates the person or organization being described. See Example 3.
- If biographical information is neither narrative nor a chronological list, e.g., a genealogical chart, use appropriate text formatting such as <list> or <table>. See Example 4.
- LC Practice recommends the inclusion of <bioghist>, as this element is required by ISAD-G. If little is known about an individual or organization, provide a brief description in the format desired (e.g., narrative or chronlist). Conversely, if the individual or organization is very well known and a full <bioghist> is not desired in the finding aid, provide at least the information available in the 545 field (Biographical/Historical Note) and cite a standard reference source if desired.
Order: following <descgrp type="admininfo"> and preceding <scopecontent>
Revision Date: 09/30/03
