1 / 22

Introduction to Metadata

Introduction to Metadata. Jenn Riley Metadata Librarian IU Digital Library Program. Many definitions of metadata. “Data about data” “Structured information about an information resource of any media type or format.” (Caplan)

josephmeade
Download Presentation

Introduction to Metadata

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Introduction to Metadata Jenn Riley Metadata Librarian IU Digital Library Program

  2. Many definitions of metadata • “Data about data” • “Structured information about an information resource of any media type or format.” (Caplan) • “Structured information that describes, explains, locates, or otherwise makes it easier to retrieve, use, or manage an information resource.” (NISO) • … S504 Summer 2008

  3. More definition, in libraries • Structure • Control • Origin • Machine-generated • Human-generated • The difference between data, metadata, and meta-metadata is often one of perspective S504 Summer 2008

  4. Some uses of metadata • By information specialists • Describing “non-traditional” materials • Cataloging Web sites • Navigating within digital objects • Managing digital objects over the long term • By novices • Preparing Web sites for search engines • Depositing materials into an institutional repository • Managing citation lists • iTunes • Tagging – flickr, del.icio.us, etc. • LibraryThing S504 Summer 2008

  5. Metadata and cataloging • Depends on what you mean by: • metadata, and • cataloging! • But, in general: • Metadata is broader in scope than cataloging • Much metadata creation takes place outside of libraries • Good metadata practitioners use key cataloging principles in non-MARC environments • Metadata created for many different types of materials • Metadata is NOT only for Internet resources! S504 Summer 2008

  6. Creating metadata • HTML <meta> tags • Spreadsheets • Databases • XML • Library catalogs • Digital library/content management systems • ContentDM • DigiTool • DSpace S504 Summer 2008

  7. Types of metadata • Descriptive metadata • Administrative metadata • Technical metadata • Preservation metadata • Rights metadata • Structural metadata S504 Summer 2008

  8. How metadata is used S504 Summer 2008

  9. Descriptive metadata • Purpose • Discovery • Description to support use and interpretation • Some common general schemas • MARC • MARCXML • MODS • Dublin Core • LOTS of domain-specific schemas S504 Summer 2008

  10. MODS • “Metadata Object Description Schema” • Developed and maintained by the Library of Congress Network Development and MARC Standards Office • For encoding bibliographic information • Influenced by MARC, but not equivalent • Quickly gaining adoption S504 Summer 2008

  11. Dublin Core (1) • “Core” across all knowledge domains • National and international standard • 2001: Released as ANSI/NISO Z39.85 • 2003: Released as ISO 15836 • No element required • All elements repeatable • 1:1 principle S504 Summer 2008

  12. Dublin Core (2) • Two “flavors” • Unqualified – 15 elements • Qualified • Additional elements • Element refinements • Encoding schemes (vocabulary and syntax) • All qualifiers must follow “dumb-down” principle • Unqualified DC required for sharing metadata via the Open Archives Initiative S504 Summer 2008

  13. DCMI Abstract Model • New direction for the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative • An “information model which is independent of any particular encoding syntax” • RDF-inspired, but not RDF • DCMI resource model • DCMI description set model • DCMI vocabulary model • Full abstract model recommendation • Still too early to really know where this is going S504 Summer 2008

  14. Comparing descriptive metadata formats S504 Summer 2008

  15. Levels of control • Data structure standards (e.g., MARC) • Data content standards (e.g., AACR2r) • Controlled vocabularies (e.g., LCSH) • Very few metadata standards include a counterpart to the AACR “chief source of information” S504 Summer 2008

  16. Data content standards • Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2nd edition (AACR2) • Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) • Cataloging Cultural Objects (CCO) • Also many format-specific guidelines • Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (DCRM) series • Archival Moving Image Materials: A Cataloging Manual • Betz: Graphic Materials • … S504 Summer 2008

  17. TGM I TGM II TGN GeoNet AAT LCSH LCNAF DCMI Type MIME Types …etc. Vocabulary encoding schemes aka, controlled vocabularies S504 Summer 2008

  18. Syntax encoding schemes • ISO8601 • W3CDTF • URI • …etc. S504 Summer 2008

  19. Technical metadata • One type of administrative metadata • For recording technical aspects of digital objects • Of use for long-term maintenance of data • Some examples: • NISO Z39.87: Data Dictionary – Technical Metadata for Digital Still Images & MIX • Schema for Technical Metadata for Text S504 Summer 2008

  20. Structural metadata • For creating a logical structure between digital objects • Locating the same intellectual content on multiple representations • Noting points of interest within a single resource • Grouping and sequencing multiple files that make up a logical whole • METS is the current primary schema S504 Summer 2008

  21. How do I pick a metadata format? • Genre/format of materials being described • Nature of holding institution • Use and audience for the metadata • What others in the community are doing • Describing analog vs. digitized item • Relationships between records • Plan for interoperability, including repeatability of elements • More information on handout S504 Summer 2008

  22. Further information • jenlrile@indiana.edu • These presentation slides: <http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/~jenlrile/presentations/slis/08summer/s504/s504.ppt> • Metadata librarians listserv: <http://metadatalibrarians.monarchos.com> • Priscilla Caplan: Metadata Fundamentals for all Librarians, 2003 S504 Summer 2008

More Related