Do you need to make any updates to your finding aids, such as replacements, additions, or URL changes? Here are some guidelines to help maintain stable URLs, so that users are able to continue to discover your resources as your collections evolve.

Edit, Update, or Replace Published Finding Aids

EAD and PDF collection guides should always be edited via a replacement process, using the same procedures for submitting new files. Your collection guide's file name serves as a unique identifier in our publication system: do not rename files when submitting replacements. Please also note that the filename is case-sensitive. 

To replace a file: ensure that the file name for the updated collection guide exactly matches the file name for the one to be replaced; new/different XML file names will result in a duplicate finding aid, with a different finding aid URL. This will also ensure the the finding aid URL stays persistent and continues to resolve, even as your finding aid evolves.

See the EAD filenaming specifications.

Renaming EAD Files in the "Submission" Directory

If you need to change the file names for collection guides that you've already submitted, contact us -- we will need to make the changes for you. We’d like to ensure that the finding aid URL (ARK) continues to stay persistent.

Before uploading and submitting the renamed EAD files, please contact us. Please include the following details:

  • A list of the finding aids you will be replacing, including the URLs.
  • The new filename(s) you will be using for the new EAD records.

Some other tips:

  • If you are using ArchivesSpace: Open up the resource record in ArchivesSpace, and insert the ARK in the “EAD Location” field. See example:

Replacing RecordEXPRESS Finding Aids with EAD Files

If you would like to replace a RecordEXPRESS finding aid with a new EAD record, please review these recommendations.

Removing Finding Aids from Publication

To remove an EAD or PDF file from the publication queue once successfully submitted, contact us and supply the file name for the collection guide. If at any point you would like to publish the file again, please let us know.