What is metadata and why is it important?
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Transcript of What is metadata and why is it important?
What is metadata and why is it important?
Norm Friesen, CanCore Initiative
www.cancore.ca
Introduction
• Purpose– Describe what metadata is– Explain its purpose and importance– Describe the new CanCore Protocol
• Norm Friesen, PhD– Director, CanCore Initiative– Librarian, educator, programmer
Topics of Discussion
• Define metadata– What it was: libraries– What it is: IMS; Dublin Core– What it will be: CanCore
• Role of Metadata in a repository– Relationship to resources– Relationship to users’ needs
Metadata: Introduction
• Definition:– Metadata is “data about data”– Describes and classifies resources that are
usually digital
Metadata: Introduction, con’t
• Enable discoverability: seamless, single-click access– Multimedia resources– Combined resources– Educational purposes and audiences
• Facilitate:– technical interoperability– Administration of materials
Metadata: what it was
Metadata: what it was
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Issues for Educational Objects
• Electronic format needs to be readable by both machines and humans
• Metadata needs to be created by non-librarians
• Need to describe educational aspects of resources
Metadata: What it is
• Dublin Core Metadata Initiative– 15 Elements; all “core”– No confirmed elements for education
• IEEE LOM– 76 Elements– Clear leader in metadata for educational
objects
Problems with the LOM
• Too few core elements
• Too many optional elements
• Ambiguities in definitions
• No guidelines or interpretations available for implementation– be careful if someone says they’re using IMS
for their resources
What it will be; CanCore
• Establishes a core of 43 LOM elements
• CanCore established for the purposes of sharing data between collections
• Will provide guidelines and interpretations that will address ambiguities and facilitate implementation
CanCore Con’t
• Is being used in the architecture of the national EduSource projects
• Funding and support from:– Netera Alliance– TeleCampus.edu– Electronic Text Centre at UNB
• Alberta Learning
CanCore: Benefits
• Architecture: Easy sharing of resources across collections
• User: Seamless, single-click access to wide variety of resources
Metadata and Resources
CanCore, Con’t
• There are degrees of compliance with CanCore (or any metadata standard)
• The more of CanCore (elements and guidelines for their use) that can be utilized, the greater the seamlessness of resource use can be expected & greater discoverability
Next Steps
• Finalize draft of element descriptions and guidelines
• Establish subject vocabularies for K-12, university, and technical institutions in the province
• Establish advisory & maintenance roles for metadata
Athabasca Digital Library In a BoxAthabasca Digital Library In a Box
Norm Friesen
Athabasca University
http://adlib.athabascau.ca
Web Server Software:• Web-based; no software to download/install• Portable, self-contained, linked• Create, store and search metadata• Open Source • Open protocols for sharing records• Browser-independent • Based on open source software• Create XML record, submit to a database,
submit to AD LIB
Metadata creation:• Upload or link to resources• Simplified interface based on CanCore
best practice recommendations• Future features:
– multilingual interface– Customizable appearance– Accessibility for those with disabilities
(Section 508, W3C)
Technology:• Front-end: PHP - open source "Hypertext
Processor" programming language• Back-end: Object-relational Postgres database• Simplified interface based on CanCore best
practices recommendations• Object-oriented, modular, extensible, design• Minimal client side functionality required (no
cookies, etc.)
Support:
• CANARIE Inc: Canada's Internet Development Organization
• The NETERA Alliance
• Alberta Learning
• Athabasca University