Introduction to Using Open Refine in ArchivesSpace

Date: August 13, 2025

Time: 1:00pm-2:30pm EST (find your local time)

Recording: the recording to this training is available to ArchivesSpace members in the Help Center.

Join Megan Brett (Jefferson Foundation) and Courtney Rookard (Xavier University of Louisiana) for this virtual session on the basics of using OpenRefine with ArchivesSpace. While knowledge of OpenRefine is not required for this session, working knowledge of the ArchivesSpace application is required for participation in this session.

Using OpenRefine for complex data cleanup in ArchivesSpace

Date: August 14, 2025

Time: 1:00pm-2:30pm EST (find your local time)

Recording: the recording to this training is available to ArchivesSpace members in the Help Center.

Join Megan Brett (Jefferson Foundation) and Courtney Rookard (Xavier University of Louisiana) for this virtual session on using OpenRefine for data cleanup, specifically normalizing dates for ingest into ArchivesSpace. Working knowledge of ArchivesSpace and knowledge of OpenRefine or attendance at the August 13th OpenRefine Basics session is required to attend this workshop.

Sunday, August 24, 2025

9:00am - 12:30pm PT

Instructions for accessing the meeting room:

• Members of the ArchivesSpace Program Team will be stationed at the registration table outside of the designated meeting space. Please check-in at the registration table prior to entering the forum.

9:00-9:15

Registration Open

The registration table will be open and light breakfast will be available

9:15-10:00

Plugging into the WikiVerse: A Plug for a Wikidata Plug-in for ArchivesSpace
Presenters: Regina Carra and Natalie Milbrodt, City University of New York (CUNY)

Presentation recording

Wikidata is the structured metadata authority database that powers Wikipedia. It is a highly accessible, low barrier way for GLAM professionals to create and contribute to authoritative agent and subject headings, which can then be used in catalogs to provide an access point to the wider information network of Wikipedia (and vice versa). In early 2025, archivists and Wikipedia experts from CUNY, New York Public Library, the Smithsonian, University of Virginia and Ohio University coalesced to form a working group to discuss how to help archivists better leverage the power of Wikidata in an open-source application like ArchivesSpace.  

This discussion session will begin with an overview and update on the development of a new Wikidata plug-in for ArchivesSpace. It will share some of the issues that brought stakeholders to the table and how they collaborated to create the vision for the plug-in. Audience members will learn about this exciting new possibility for ArchivesSpace and will have the opportunity to discuss together how they could utilize wikidata and a wikidata plug-in at their repositories. Additionally, presenters hope to receive feedback and guidance from colleagues on sustainable next steps and plug-in features they would like to see

10:00-10:15

Break

10:15-11:00

Custom AI Agents for ArchivesSpace Metadata
Presenter: Jennifer Brcka, University of Notre Dame

Presentation recording | Part 1

Presentation recording | Part 2

This presentation will discuss experiments with custom AI agents designed to expedite archival processing by facilitating production of ArchivesSpace-ready metadata from a range of structured and unstructured data sources. The first agent, an archival metadata parser, was trained on ArchivesSpace procedures, as well as national and local standards, in order to generate Archival Object bulk loader metadata from scanned paper inventories. The second agent, a resource description generator, supplies a resource-level description based on a collection inventory. A third agent encodes resource EAD from collection documentation. The presenter will include discussion of the training data selected, experimentation and feedback related to prompt and agent engineering, quality analysis of the resulting metadata, and future directions for the project.

11:00-11:15

Break

11:15-12:15

Delivering Archives and Digital Objects: a Conceptual Model (DadoCM): From Concept to Implementation
Presenter: Gregory Wiedeman, University at Albany, SUNY

Presentation recording | Part 1

Presentation recording | Part 2

Archivists are under pressure to provide access to digital materials efficiently—but many existing systems demand item-level metadata and workflows that aren't sustainable at scale. This session introduces Delivering Archives and Digital Objects: a Conceptual Model (DadoCM), a minimal, system-agnostic framework that aligns digital delivery with archival principles. Designed for institutions of all sizes, DadoCM emphasizes aggregate description, integration with existing systems, and delivery tools from IIIF to PDFs and ZIP files. Following an introduction to DadoCM, participants will participate in a collaborative peer-support exercise to encourage sharing of local experiences and solutions. This interactive session focuses on aligning local archival practices and organizational needs with the ideals and requirements of DadoCM. Through peer consultations, attendees will explore practical steps to adapt and implement the model within their unique local contexts. Whether you’re managing digitized content on a shared drive or building out IIIF delivery pipelines, this session offers a pragmatic, community-driven path toward cohesive, meaningful access.

12:15-12:30

Wrap up