ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Encoded Archival Description

Okay kiddo, have you ever played hide-and-seek where one person hides something and then gives clues to help the other person find it? Well, a lot of important grown-up stuff also needs to be found and understood, like documents from a long time ago.

Sometimes, grown-ups make lists of what's in a box or a folder so other grown-ups can find what they need. But sometimes, that list can be really long and confusing because there might be a lot of things in that box or folder.

That's where encoded archival description comes in. It's like a really good set of clues to help people find and understand what was written a long time ago.

With encoded archival description, important grown-up information is put into a special code that helps other grown-ups understand what's in that box or folder. It can tell people things like where the document came from, who wrote it, what it's about, and even what type of paper it's on.

That way, people who need to look at those documents can easily find them and know exactly what they are reading. Encoded archival description is like a treasure map that helps grown-ups find hidden treasures of information from long ago!