Metadata Architecture for Digital Libraries: Conceptual Framework for Indian Digital Libraries

1. Metadata Architecture for Digital Libraries:Conceptual Framework for Indian Digital Libraries Madhusudana Rao CR C-DAC, Bangalore. Metadata for DL

2. Agenda • Introduction • Metadata • Digital Library Architecture • SODA • STARTS • Indian Digital Library • Background Metadata for DL

3. Agenda • Proposed Architecture • SODA & STARTS • Conclusion Metadata for DL

4. Exclude • Search Engines - General • Digital Library - General Metadata for DL

5. Introduction • Information Processing & Retrieval • Typical Library Environment • Library Automation • Networking of Libraries • Digital Library • Digital Library initiatives Metadata for DL

6. Introduction • Digital Library Scene • Search Engines • Heterogeneous • Vertical Information Retrieval • Unique User Interface • Search engines are different • Protocols are different • Querying & Ranking • Incompatible across the sources Metadata for DL

7. Introduction • Possible solutions • Identifying the User Group • Identifying the Information Sources • Negotiating with different Information Sources • Resource Description Format • Choose best Information Source to evaluate Query • Evaluate the query at these sources • Merge the Query Results from these sources Metadata for DL

8. New Protocol • User • User Query • Information Source • Networked Environment • RDF Metadata • User Interface • Search & Retrieval Metadata for DL

9. Issues.. • Metadata • Network Protocols • Possible Solutions for typical environment Metadata for DL

10. Metadata…definition Structured data about data... Metadata for DL

11. Metadata…definition • Data that helps in design, create, describe, preserve and use of information systems and resources is Metadata. • Metadata can play in the development of effective, authoritative, interoperable, scaleable, and preservable information and record keeping systems. Metadata for DL

12. Metadata…means • Information Resource • Library Catalogue • Index, Abstracts, Catalog Records, etc > MARC, AACR, LCSH etc. • Human Generated Textual description • Machine generated data Metadata for DL

13. Metadata….features • Content • Intrinsic • What it contains? • What is about? • Context • Extrinsic • Who, What, Why, Where, How etc. • Structure • Formal Set Metadata for DL

14. Metadata…Attributes • Intrinsic • Subject, Title, Author, Publisher, Publication place, Other agent, Date, Object type, Form - Identifier, Relation, Source, Language, Coverage, Abstract, Version, Notes, Signature, Classification, keyword Metadata for DL

15. Metadata…Attributes • Extrinsic • System Requirement, Mode of access, Availability, Cost, Control, Extent, Encoding description, Revision description Metadata for DL

16. Metadata…for two communities • Information Generators • Librarians / Cataloguers Metadata for DL

17. Metadata… can be • Information Objects • Physical • Intellectual Form Metadata for DL

18. Metadata…similar • Typical Physical Library: • Catalogue • Book Racks • Books Metadata for DL

19. Metadata…currently • Electronic Information Environment • Users search Metadata • Pointers • Primary Information available on computer display • Distinction • Electronic Environment Metadata for DL

20. Metadata…process Two Communities Libraries & Cataloguers Generators Of information Metadata User’s Metadata for DL

21. Metadata…can be • Need not be Digital • More than description of an object • Come from variety of sources • Continue to accrue • One’s object Metadata can be another information object’s metadata Metadata for DL

22. Metadata…can be • Intermediate steps to retrieve content • Surrogates of objects Metadata for DL

23. Metadata… need • Internet & WWW witnessed exponential growth • Need of the hour in the internet is catalogs of some kind • Internet/WWW is not designed to catalog the contents Metadata for DL

24. Metadata…need • Resource Description is a Challenge • Tools are available • Just directories listing of network resources and search engines • Metadata is one of the solutions • Again Standards are yet to make its impact Metadata for DL

25. Metadata…issues • Increased accessibility • Searching > existence of rich and consistent metadata • search across multiple collections • Distributed across several repositories Metadata for DL

26. Metadata…issues • Retention of Text • Collection of objects • Complex interrelationships with people, places, movements & events • Documenting and maintaining those relationships • authenticity, structural and procedural integrity Metadata for DL

27. Metadata…issues • Expanding use • Disseminating digital versions • Geography • Economics • Infinite ways to search information • Retrieve to wider community Metadata for DL

28. Metadata…issues • Multi-versioning • variant versions • High resolution copy for preservation • Low resolution copy for thumbnail image for quick reference and network transfers Metadata for DL

29. Metadata…issues • Legal Issues • Track many layers of rights and reproduction information • Privacy • Proprietary interests Metadata for DL

30. Metadata…issues • Preservation • Generations - H/W & S/W • Technical, Descriptive and Preservation data • Information objects to remain accessible and intelligible over time Metadata for DL

31. Metadata…issues • System improvement and economics • Benchmarking • Planning new systems Metadata for DL

32. Metadata..life cycle Creation & Multi Versioning Organization Preservation & Disposition Searching & Retrieval Utilization Metadata for DL

33. Metadata…standards • In order Metadata to be useful & cost-effective it is essential • Structure, Semantics and Syntax conforms to standards • Capture essence of sources • Distributed metadata model Metadata for DL

34. Metadata…standards • There is no single international standard for Metadata • Different levels - complexity, richness to simple formats • Several metadata schemes has been proposed for different levels of requirements Metadata for DL

35. IAFA templates WWW semantic header URS (Uniform Resource Citation) OCLC InterCat project TEI (Text Encoding and Interchange) Search engine meta tags Resource Description Framework EAD (Encoding Archival Description) GILS (Govt Information Locator Service) Federal Geographic Data Committee Museum Educational Site Licensing Project Dublin Core Metadata…standards Metadata for DL

36. Dublin Core Because it is simple…….. Yet effective …. Metadata for DL

37. Dublin Core..means • Dublin, Ohio • International consensus meetings, workshops, etc • Emerging Infrastructure for Internet • Support Resource Discovery • Elements represent a broad interdisciplinary consensus • Core set of elements Metadata for DL

38. Dublin Core..standard • Comprises of 15 core elements • Consensus by an International, Cross-disciplinary group representing • Library & Information • Computer Science • Text Encoding • Museum • Related fields of scholarship Metadata for DL

39. Dublin Core..standard • Each 15 elements are optional and repetitive • Each element has a limited set of qualifiers and attributes • Simple DC • Qualified DC Metadata for DL

40. Dublin Core..goals • Simplicity of creation & Maintenance • Non-specialist to create descriptive records for effective retrieval in an networked environment • Commonly understood semantics • Digital tourist for non specialist searcher • Convergence of common, more generic elements • increasing visibility and accessibility Metadata for DL

41. Dublin Core..goals • International scope • 20 languages • Coordinating efforts • RDF - WWW • Technical challenges of Internationalization • Multilingual & Multicultural nature of electronic information universe Metadata for DL

42. Dublin Core..goals • Extensibility • Additional resource discovery needs Metadata for DL

43. Dublin Core..elements • Content • Coverage, Description, type, relation, source, subject and title • Intellectual property • Contributor, Creator, Publisher & Rights • Instantiation • Date, Format, Identifier & Language Metadata for DL

44. Dublin Core..implementation • Dublin Core web site lists 15 North America and Mexico in Europe and 12 Asia and Australia Metadata for DL

45. Digital Library Architecture • SODA (Smart Objects Dumb Archives) • STARTS (Stanford Protocol proposal for Internet Retrieval and Search) Metadata for DL

46. Digital Library • Digital Library Services • User • Functionality & Interface • Searching • Browsing • Archive • Managed sets of objects Metadata for DL

47. Digital Library • Digital Object • Stored and trafficked digital content • Simple files, • Sophisticated objects Metadata for DL

48. Digital Library Library Users Digital Library Services Digital Library Service Providers Digital Objects out of Archives Archive 1 Archive 2 Archive N Publishers Digital Objects in Archives Metadata for DL

49. Digital Library.. builds • Identifying a user group • Identifying archives holding information of interest • Negotiating terms and conditions with publishing • Creating Indices • Services such as Search & Browse Metadata for DL

50. Digital Library.. builds • Creating User interaction services • Terms & Conditions • Authentication • Billing • Display Metadata for DL