Introduction to Metadata

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) • “Metadata is constructed, constructive, and actionable.” (Coyle) • … S504 Spring 2010

3. 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 Spring 2010

4. Some types of metadata S504 Spring 2010

5. How metadata is used S504 Spring 2010

6. Creating descriptive metadata • Digital library content management systems • CONTENTdm • ExLibris Digitool • Greenstone • DSpace • Library catalogs • Spreadsheets & databases • Directly in XML (generally not recommended) S504 Spring 2010

7. Creating other types of metadata • Technical • Generated by and stored in content management system • Stored in separate Excel spreadsheet • Structural • Created and stored in content management system • METS XML • GIS • Using specialized software • Content markup • In XML S504 Spring 2010

8. Levels of control • Data structure standards (e.g., MARC, MODS) • Data content standards (e.g., AACR2r, RDA) • Encoding schemes • Vocabulary (a.k.a. controlled vocabularies) • Syntax • High-level models (e.g., FRBR, DCAM) S504 Spring 2010

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 Spring 2010

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 Spring 2010

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 Spring 2010

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 Protocol for Metadata Harvesting S504 Spring 2010

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 Spring 2010

14. Comparing descriptive metadata formats S504 Spring 2010

15. Data content standards • Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2nd edition (AACR2) • Resource Description and Access (RDA) • Actually in some sense also a set of “properties” (which are not quite elements) • Intention is “principles” rather than “rules” • 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 Spring 2010

16. Vocabulary encoding schemes • TGM I • TGM II • TGN • GeoNet • AAT • LCSH • LCNAF • DCMI Type • MIME Types • …etc. aka, controlled vocabularies S504 Spring 2010

17. Syntax encoding schemes • Essentially, “data types” • ISO8601 • W3CDTF • URI • …etc. S504 Spring 2010

18. Technical 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 Spring 2010

19. 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 Spring 2010

20. What is FRBR? • Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records • 1998 report from IFLA • Conceptual model describing the entities and relationships underlying bibliographic information • Not a data model • Not an element set • Not a record format • The basis of concepts and terminology for RDA S504 Spring 2010

21. FRBR user tasks • Bibliographic records exist to help users: • Find • Identify • Select • Obtain • …various entities S504 Spring 2010

22. The core of FRBR: Group 1 Entities WORK “the intellectual or artistic realization of a work” “a distinct intellectual or artistic creation” “the physical embodiment of an expression of a work” “a single exemplar of a manifestation” EXPRESSION is realized through is embodied in w1 Franz Schubert's Trout quintet -e1 the composer's score -e2 a performance by the Amadeus Quartet and Hephzibah Menuhin on piano -e3 a performance by the Cleveland Quartet and Yo-Yo Ma on the cello -. . . . • w1 Ronald Hayman's Playback • -e1 the author's text edited for publication • -m1 the book published in 1973 by Davis-Poynter • -i1 copy autographed by the author MANIFESTATION • w1 Harry Lindgren's Geometric dissections • -e1 original text entitled Geometric dissections • -m1 the book published in 1964 by Van Nostrand • -e2 revised text entitled Recreational problems in geometric dissections .... • -m1 the book published in 1972 by Dover ITEM is exemplified by S504 Spring 2010

23. Group 2 (those responsible for Group 1 entities) Person Corporate body Group 3 (subjects of Works) Concept Object Event Place Other FRBR entities S504 Spring 2010

24. WorldCat’sFRBRization – it’s a start. S504 Spring 2010

25. But that’s not all! • Functional Requirements for Authority Data (FRAD) • Published in 2009 • Adds some new attributes to existing FRBR entities • Adds Group 2 entity Family • Adds entities Name and Identifier • Adds entities Controlled Access Point, Agency, and Rules • Functional Requirements for Subject Authority Data (FRSAD) • Draft issued in 2009 • Gets rid of Concept/Object/Event/Place • In favor of Thema and Nomen • Unclear if these will have the same status as the first FRBR report S504 Spring 2010

26. FRBR in RDA • Uses FRBR entities strictly but not relationships and attributes • Fairly loose interpretation of many features of FRBR • Structured according to FRBR principles • e.g., “Section 1 - Recording attributes of manifestation and item” • RDA “elements” for each of the FRBR entities being registered as RDF properties • Entirely new purpose for RDA, separate from its role as cataloging rules • Idea is to promote re-use of RDA metadata outside of libraries • Especially in Semantic Web applications • If it works, might show if FRBR principles are useful to non-library communities • We have no idea yet if this is going to work S504 Spring 2010

27. Further information • jenlrile@indiana.edu • These presentation slides: <http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/~jenlrile/presentations/slis/10spring/s504/s504.ppt> • Metadata librarians listserv: <http://metadatalibrarians.monarchos.com> S504 Spring 2010