Introducing metadata Finding stuff and using stuff

1. Introducing metadataFinding stuff and using stuff Gordon Dunsire

2. Overview • What is metadata? • What does it look like? • What is it used for? • How does it work? • Where will it all end?

3. Definition? • “Data about data” • Information about information • Information about an information resource • Useful information about a resource • Useful information about specific aspects of a resource • Whatever, there’s a lot of it about

4. Example: URL http://www.slainte.org.uk/files/pdf/cilips/foisa04.pdf Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002: a guide for the information professional “http” = how to get the document (protocol) “www.slainte.org.uk” = where to find the document in cyberspace (domain) “files/pdf/cilips” = where the document is stored (path) “foisa04” = the name of the document (file name) “pdf” = the type of document (file type) “:”, “/”, “.” = standard punctuation separating each piece of information (element)

5. Example: Catalogue card The adventures of Sherlock Holmes / by A. Conan Doyle ; illustrations by Sidney Paget. - London : G. Newnes, 1895. “The adventures of Sherlock Holms” = title of the book “by A. Conan Doyle; illustrations by Sidney Paget” = who is responsible for the creative content of the book “London” = place of publication, “G. Newnes” = name of publisher “1895” = date of publication “/”, “.”, “-”, “:” = standard punctuation separating each element

6. Example: Accessions/purchase register Date |Title |Date|Sup|Price|Number 10/02/65|Physics is fun |1964|THI| 7/6| 20156 10/02/65|Physics is fun |1964|THI| 7/6| 20157 10/02/65|Berkeley physics v.1 |1964|FAR|3/9/6| 20158 10/02/65|Berkeley physics v.2 |1964|FAR|2/7/0| 20159 10/02/65|Berkeley physics v.3 |1964|FAR|2/7/6| 20160 10/02/65|Berkeley physics v.4 |1964|FAR|3/9/6| 20161 10/02/65|Berkeley physics v.5 |1964|FAR|3/9/6| 20162

7. Some uses of metadata (1) • Information retrieval (finding stuff) • Searching • Lists of metadata elements (title, authors, publisher, etc.) • Words in (digital) metadata (title, notes, etc.) • Identifying • Descriptive metadata (title, notes, edition, date, etc.) • Finding • Item metadata (shelfmark, barcode, etc.)

8. Some uses of metadata (2) • Stock management (managing stuff) • Acquisition • Date, cost, supplier, etc. • Storage • Collection, shelfmark • Circulation • Barcode • Preservation • Format (serial, a-v, digital, etc.), date (age), etc.

9. Some uses of metadata (3) • Automated processing (using stuff) • Information retrieval • OPACs • Access to digital resources • Getting via Web browser, file transfer, etc. • Displaying using browser plug-ins, etc. • Multiple metadata records in multiple electronic locations with different metadata formats

10. Characteristics (1) • A metadata record is (usually) significantly smaller than the stuff it describes • Catalogue card vs book • Metadata is a precis or abstract of those aspects of the data deemed useful for retrieval, management, processing, etc. • Abbreviations and codes are often used • Some exceptions include small manuscripts with a long history …

11. Characteristics (2) • Different types of information resource require different metadata elements • Some elements are common; e.g. title, date • Publication pattern and frequency are specific to serial resources • URLs don’t apply to printed books • Local preservation metadata is not required for remote digital resources • Etc.

12. Characteristics (3) • Many resources are composed of other resources, so metadata can be applied at different levels of “granularity” • In library catalogues, journals usually have metadata about the journal as a whole, and not about individual articles • Articles have metadata in abstract and indexing services • Some libraries catalogue multi-media kits as a whole; others catalogue each component

13. Value of consistency • A benefit of metadata is to provide consistency and coherency in using and processing resources • Resources themselves come with the widest variation in “intrinsic” metadata • Forms of title, etc.; layout; completeness; etc. • Metadata can be created consistently and structured coherently to improve effectiveness and efficiency in its use • Similarities and differences easier to spot

14. Achieving consistency • Ensuring consistent metadata is not simple • Common and format-specific elements as well as creative reaction to “the norm” • “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” • Natural variation in naming and describing things • J. Smith, John Smith, John Smith (Labour), etc. • Requires standards and guidance

15. Metadata standards • Coherent set of elements organised (structured and labelled) in a consistent way – a schema (loosely) • “Title” or “Caption”? Include the subtitle or use a “Subtitle” element? Always include a title? • Guidance on identifying and interpreting elements in the resource • Title on spine, cover or title-page? • Guidance on standardising content • Include “The” at the start of the title?

16. From the local … • Achieving consistency benefits local users of metadata (efficient, effective) • Self-propelled users become non-local, so there are benefits in achieving consistency between libraries • And metadata creation is complex (expensive), so there is value in sharing records

17. … to the global • So national and international standards have been used since the first modern library catalogues (100+ years) • With significant evolution from the 1960s • Computers; “machine-readable cataloguing” • And again from the 1990s • Internet/Web; “common information environment” including archives and museums

18. Some standards (1) • MARC21 (21st century machine-readable cataloguing) • 40 years old; covers wide range of library stuff in depth • Difficult to use - requires professional training • DC (Dublin Core) – Ohio, that is • 10 years old; covers wider range of stuff (archives, museums) at much less depth • Easier to use by a wider range of people • DC/MARC structures can interoperate via element mappings

19. Some standards (2) • AACR (Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules) • Older than MARC; covers wide range of library stuff in depth • Complements MARC; requires professional training • Undergoing radical development as RDA (Resource Description and Access) • Becoming suitable for DC and other formats • Content interoperability

20. Whither metadata? • Many formats in use • Wide variation in coverage and content • No longer created exclusively by trained professionals • Wider “interpretation” of the rules (if any) • Needs to be joined-up so it can be used effectively at a global (non-local) level • Interoperability!

21. Joined-up metadata • Caters to a wider range of users • Public/life-long learners/local business; staff/students; teachers/learners/researchers; archives/libraries/museums • Covers a wider range of resources • Originals/digitised copies; complex websites/blogs/wikis; archives/libraries/museums • Is created by a wider range of people • Acquisitions/cataloguing/serials; webpage writers/online reviewers/wikis/folksonomists

22. Recap • Metadata is useful information about specific aspects of a resource • Specific aspects are structured and labelled as metadata elements • Different types of resource have different sets of elements, with a common core set • Non-local use is increasingly important • Standards are evolving to improve usefulness

23. Thank you My card Dunsire, Gordon Me / My parents. - Kirkcaldy : The parents, 1951. g.dunsire@strath.ac.uk