Permanence Ratings and the NLM Archives

1. Permanence Ratings and the NLM Archives CENDI Workshop Sept. 15, 2004 Diane Boehr Cataloging Section, National Library of Medicine

2. NLM Archives • A site to store material of permanent value that has been published on the NLM Web site, but is now outdated or superseded • Searchable, yet clearly distinguished from current material

3. What do we mean by permanent? • Three aspects to permanence were identified: • 1) Identifier validity: The extent to which the given name or identifier will always provide access to the same resource • 2) Resource availability: The extent to which a given resource is guaranteed to remain available in electronic form • 3) Content invariability: The extent to which the content of the resource could change

4. NLM Permanence Ratings • Four categories of permanence have been defined: • 1) Permanent, unchanging content: NLM has made a commitment to keep this resource permanently available. Its identifier will always provide access to the resource. Its content will not change.

6. NLM Permanence Ratings • 2) Permanent, stable content: NLM has made a commitment to keep this resource permanently available. Its identifier will always provide access to the resource. Its content is subject only to minor corrections or additions.

8. NLM Permanence Ratings • 3) Permanent, dynamic content: NLM has made a commitment to keep this resource permanently available. Its identifier will always provide access to the resource. Its content could be revised, replaced.

10. NLM Permanence Ratings • 4) Permanence not guaranteed: NLM has made no commitment to retain this resource. It could become unavailable at any time. Its identifier could be changed.

12. Workflows • Permanence ratings are assigned when a resource is promoted to the NLM Web site • Default permanence ratings are generated based on the category to which the resource belongs • Resource creators use a template which adds basic metadata, in addition to the category and permanence rating

13. Templates • Metadata input template is a feature of TeamSite, our Web content management software • No knowledge of HTML is needed to use these templates • Minimal set of required fields, with default values or drop-down menus supplied wherever possible

14. Required metadata

16. The NLM metadata set is based on Dublin Core, with some local adaptations • The full scheme may be seen at • http://www.nlm.nih.gov/tsd/cataloging/metafilenew.html

17. Workflows • Every resource has the minimal metadata assigned by the resource creator • Permanent resources are routed to the Cataloging Section • Complete MARC bibliographic records are created • Includes standardized access points, including MeSH and an NLM classification number • Accessible in LocatorPlus • Distributed to the utilities and other NLM licensees.

18. Workflows • The enhanced metadata created in Cataloging is then added back to the header information of the online resource • Preliminary metadata and the enhanced versions can be seen by clicking on "View source"

21. Basic metadata

24. Enhanced metadata

25. Archive Design • Separate, distinct, but integral part of the NLM Web site • Searchable with standard NLM search software: Mindserver from Recommind

26. Archive contents • Out-of-date resources--older material that was once up on the site, but is no longer of current interest • Earlier versions of current documents that have undergone major revisions

27. Still to come • Archiving non-HTML files, such as PDF, video and audio clips, etc. • Archiving resources from areas in the library which do not get promoted through TeamSite