The Value of Preexisting Structures for Digital Access

The Resolutions of the Dutch States General (1576–1796) is an archive covering over two centuries decision making and consists a heterogeneous series handwritten printed documents. archive, which has recently been digitised, rich source for historical research. However, owing to archive’s heterogeneity dispersion information, historians other researchers find it hard use their In this article, we describe how deal with challenges structuring connecting information in archive. We focus on identifying existing structural elements, turn from set pages into meeting dates individual resolutions, metadata each resolution. To language change, spelling variation, text recognition mistakes, exploit repetitive nature resolutions fuzzy string searching identify elements by formulaic expressions that signal boundaries. also discuss provide analysis value extracting different types entities argue choice should be made based they support relevant research questions methods. choose prioritise person qualifications such as profession, legal status, or title, names. Qualifications allow users select certain groups people meaningfully combine layers metadata, whereas names lack contextual disambiguate them, unclear many persons are referred selecting specific name. show our methodology results computational platform allows explore analyse through connected metadata.