JENN RILEYMETADATA LIBRARIAN

IU DIGITAL LIBRARY PROGRAM

Introduction to Metadata

Many definitions of metadata

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“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)

…

More definition, in libraries

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StructureControlOrigin

Machine-generated Human-generated

The difference between data, metadata, and meta-metadata is often one of perspective

Some uses of metadata

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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

Metadata and cataloging

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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!

Creating metadata

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HTML <meta> tagsSpreadsheetsDatabasesXMLLibrary catalogsDigital library/content management systems

ContentDM DigiTool DSpace

Types of metadata

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Descriptive metadataAdministrative metadata

Technical metadata Preservation metadata Rights metadata

Structural metadata

How metadata is used

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Descriptive metadata

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Purpose Discovery Description to support use and interpretation

Some common general schemas MARC MARCXML MODS Dublin Core

LOTS of domain-specific schemas

MODS

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“Metadata Object Description Schema”Developed and maintained by the Library of

Congress Network Development and MARC Standards Office

For encoding bibliographic informationInfluenced by MARC, but not equivalentQuickly gaining adoption

Dublin Core (1)

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“Core” across all knowledge domainsNational and international standard

2001: Released as ANSI/NISO Z39.85 2003: Released as ISO 15836

No element requiredAll elements repeatable1:1 principle

Dublin Core (2)

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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

DCMI Abstract Model

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New direction for the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative

An “information model which is independent of any particular encoding syntax”

RDF-inspired, but not RDFDCMI resource modelDCMI description set modelDCMI vocabulary modelFull abstract model recommendationStill too early to really know where this is

going

Comparing descriptive metadata formats

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MARC[example]

MARCXML[example]

MODS[example]

Dublin Core [DC example]

[QDC example]

Record format

Binary

(ISO 2709)XML XML

RDF, XML, HTML, et al.

Field labels

Numeric Numeric Text Text

Reliance on AACR

Strong Strong Implied None

Common method

of creation

By specialists

By derivation

By specialists

and by derivation

By novices and by specialists

Levels of control

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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”

Data content standards

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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 …

Vocabulary encoding schemes

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TGM ITGM IITGNGeoNetAAT

LCSHLCNAFDCMI TypeMIME Types…etc.

aka, controlled vocabularies

Syntax encoding schemes

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ISO8601W3CDTFURI…etc.

Technical metadata

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One type of administrative metadataFor recording technical aspects of digital

objectsOf use for long-term maintenance of dataSome examples:

NISO Z39.87: Data Dictionary – Technical Metadata for Digital Still Images & MIX

Schema for Technical Metadata for Text

Structural metadata

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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 wholeMETS is the current primary schema

How do I pick a metadata format?

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Genre/format of materials being described Nature of holding institutionUse and audience for the metadataWhat others in the community are doingDescribing analog vs. digitized itemRelationships between recordsPlan for interoperability, including repeatability

of elementsMore information on handout

Further information

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jenlrile@indiana.eduThese presentation slides:

<http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/~jenlrile/presentations/slis/09spring/s504/s504.ppt>

Handout: <http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/~jenlrile/presentations/slis/09spring/s504/handout.pdf>

Metadata librarians listserv: <http://metadatalibrarians.monarchos.com>

Priscilla Caplan: Metadata Fundamentals for all Librarians, 2003