XML finding aids are delivered to XML capable browsers (IE5) using an XSL style sheet to control display. For non-XML capable browsers, the server converts XML and delivers a HTML version on the fly. Access to online Manuscript Finding Aids is through the Internet. Information on all of the manuscript collections is also available through the Denver Public Library Catalog.
The Denver Public Library received partial funding from the National Endowment of the Humanities for encoding the legacy finding aids. Legacy formats are Microsoft Word with a standard structure and content. Encoding is done in-house, using XMetal in conjunction with a template created using a XSLT style sheet (to give a basic encoding structure) to guide staff in the markup of finding aids using XMetal. Legacy finding aids are converted and/or cut/pasted into the template. New finding aids authored directly into XMetal. XMetal validates the finding aids against the EAD DTD each time it is saved. Additional options for indexing and searching are currently being explored.
The encoded finding aids are being publishing on the web using PLEADE enabling users to browse and then read the finding aids online. PLEADE is a highly configurable Web publication framework, including a search engine, for Encoded Archival Description documents. The appearance of the online finding aids is similar to the model provided by SGML and XML implementations, with a navigator that shows the structure of the document and functions as a hypertext table of contents to the file and a search engine.