Full Text Markup
The Library is converting a wide array of documents to searchable
form, including books, pamphlets, broadsides,
legal materials, serial articles, and manuscripts. The American Memory Document Type Definition
(AMMEM.DTD) was developed to accommodate this broad range of materials by
conceptualizing a generalized humanities text, rather than seeking to describe specific document
types and subtypes, or text genres. Simple, streamlined models and flexible structure are
characteristic of AMMEM.DTD.
Text Encoding Initiative
The American Memory DTD is conformant with the Text
Encoding Initiative (TEI), which has established a set of models and guidelines for encoding
texts in the humanities. Because the TEI was incomplete at the time AMMEM.DTD was
developed and implemented, the Library created its own simple models for some elements.
Work in Progress
Like most DTDs in active use, the American Memory DTD continues
to undergo reevaluation and refinement. In the near future, the Library will provide full TEI-conformance documentation.
Additional minor modifications are being made to facilitate the chunking of texts for online display and navigation. The Library also anticipates making future revisions to the American Memory DTD to accommodate the emerging Extensible Markup Language (XML) specification. The Library welcomes comments and questions about this work; interested parties should contact LeeEllen Friedland: lfri@loc.gov
AMMEM.DTD Files
The American Memory DTD and related files and support
documents, including the Tag Library and Instructions for Keying and Encoding, are all available via FTP (File Transfer Protocol) from the anonymous file server at the
Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The host domain of LC's FTP server is: ftp.loc.gov.