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Dear editor,
In the Netherlands, repositories are increasingly putting their finding aids online including scans of the original records. We use these scans just like we would originals: we browse the finding aid, following the hierarchy down to the document we like to consult, and then instead of asking the archivist to get the document for us, we click through to the scans.
I read section 11.11 of EE that explains a somewhat similar situation at NARA, where the scans are available through ARC, and that you have two options: citing with emphasis on the original image or with emphasis on the database. EE states a preference for the database-style. However, in the Dutch situation, I think emphasizing the original makes more sense.
To give you an example, let's take a report of the state of Aalten in 1849, available from the finding aid from the Achterhoek and Liemers Heritage Center website. A deeplink to the document in question is http://www.ecal.nu/archieven?mivast=26&mizig=210&miadt=26&micode=0105&milang=nl&mizk_alle=gemeentebestuur+aalten&miview=inv2. I found this URL would be too bulky and unstable to use in the citation but it can be useful to see what I'm talking about.
With emphasis on the original record, the citation would be something like:
- "Staat en Overzigt der Gemeente van Aalten over den Jaare 1800 Negen en Veertig" [State and overview of the Municipality of Aalten for the year 1849], call number 872; Gemeentebestuur Aalten [Municipal Administration Aalten] (1809) 1811-1942 (1968), record group 0105; Erfgoedcentrum Achterhoek en Liemers [Achterhoek and Liemers Heritage Center], Doetinchem, the Netherlands; online version at 22 March 2015, available through the online finding aid at http://www.ecal.nu.
With emphasis on the website, the citation would be something like:
- "0105 Gemeentebestuur Aalten, (1809) 1811-1942 (1968)" [0105 Municipal Administration Aalten, (1809) 1811-1942 (1968)], finding aid and digital images, Erfgoedcentrum Achterhoek en Liemers (http://www.ecal.nu : accessed 22 March 2015), call number 872, "Staat en Overzigt der Gemeente van Aalten over den Jaare 1800 Negen en Veertig" [State and overview of the Municipality of Aalten for the year 1849].
The second citation is shorter, but in my mind the first citation does more justice to the as-close-to-the-original-as-you-can-get experience that this presentation allows. In this presentation we have the full context of the record, just like we would if we used the original, rather than a single database entry as in the ARC case.
The key items to find the record would be the repository, record group and call number. Under Dutch citation guidelines for publications, we would cite this document as:
- Erfgoedcentrum Achterhoek en Liemers, record group 0105, call number 872. [Yes, I know, we have a lot of catching up to do]
Since the call number is such a key item to access Dutch records, I included it in the EE-style citation as well.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. [And yes, I'm probably overthinking this but this issue comes up so often that I want to choose a consistent style for all such citations.]
Geez, I guess even that long
Geez, I guess even that long URL did not take you to the item level. The correct deeplink is http://www.ecal.nu/archieven?mivast=26&mizig=210&miadt=26&miaet=1&micode=0105&minr=1967800&miview=inv3&milang=nl&mialg=
Yvette, EE offers options
Yvette, EE offers options because some approaches work better in one situation and some work better in another. However, have you seen the examples in chapter 13 (Publications: Legal Works & Government Documents) that treat online archival finding aids of this type?
There's a similar example for a state-level archival guide at
A database such as ARC (now OPA) has many different items inside of it. Typically when we cite one item from it, we have multiple or many different items to cite from it. Focusing on the database allows us to create one master source entry in our own database, call it up whenever needed, and simply add the identification for the specific item. In your example, citing to the specific item first and treating it as a database title does create a cumbersome and not-particularly clear citation.
In short: Your preferred approach is the best one. But the model choice (from the chapter that focuses on original records rather than government publications) doesn't work for the item you have to cite.
Suggestion: After you identify the publication, it would help if the second layer of your citation—the layer that identifies the website where the finding aid can be accessed—were to identify the actual website. Its parts would also be clearer if standard format were used: i.e.
...; html edition, Website Title (URL : date accessed 22 March 2015).
Question: In your first example, why would the name of the website be the title of this one finding aid? Why would it not be Erfgoedcentrum Achterhoek Liemers?
Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
Thank you for the quick reply and references to the relevant sections of chapter 13 and 8 (which I had read before, but not consulted for this citation). Good to hear I'm on the right track. And yes, the Erfgoedcentrum Achterhoek en Liemers would be the name of the website. I was trying to fit the model of the second reference note on page 572, which doesn't give the name of the site.
Actually, my original citation was closer to what you suggest. I had tweaked it before posting to fit more closely to 11.11. My original citation, the way I normally do it, would be:
I guess I really should stop overthinking this :-)
Yvette, that second reference
Yvette, that second reference note on page 572 is NARA's recommended style, not EE's. Note our descriptive line above: NARA Style citation--full citation of original; minimal ID of website.
Ever since imaging began in the form of microfilm (and then on through fiche and digital) the U.S. National Archives has suggested doing a full citation of the original document, file, collection, series, sub-group and record group,—whether the original record set was consulted or not. (Note, however, that NARA's own journal does not follow this style.) With the move to digital documents online, NARA adopted the MLA and CMOS practice of citing the URL but identifying little or nothing about the nature or identity of the website.
Re your own citation: as usual, your instincts are good—before you start overthinking. :)
Thanks for clearing up the
Thanks for clearing up the ideosyncracies of the NARA citation. And for your final conclusion :-) Time to take off the training wheels...
That it is,Yvette. That it is
That it is,Yvette. That it is.