Online Information and Education Conference 2004, Bangkok Dr. Britta Woldering, German National Library Metadata development in The European Library

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education Metadata serve a function Metadata are not a goal in itself but should serve functionality !

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education Main objective: –Integrated access to inhomogeneous resources (which metadata, how to convert and how to encode ) Approach: –Review of the state of the art –Creation of TEL data model –Define and test conversions –Create metadata handbook Background

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education State of the art review No common terminology for metadata No common bibliographic format No common understanding on metadata standards No standard mechanism to link from descriptions to objects Conclusions from questionnaire on current practices:

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education Metadata group agreed that: Metadata will be encoded in XML. The Library Application Profile (DC-Lib) will be adopted as starting point for TEL data model The metadata working group will map the Library Application Profile against TEL functional requirements When the Library Application Profile is not sufficient TEL will create its own TEL Application Profile

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education Application Profiles Library Application Profile TEL Application Profile Terms from Dublin Core Qualified terms from Dublin Core TEL terms Collection Description terms

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education Concept of Application Profiles Emerged from Dublin Core Metadata Initiative Declaration of which terms from which element sets are used in a particular application area Defined as schemas Specifies characteristics for each term like: –Definition, best practise –Type of obligation –Vocabulary –Originating element set

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education Possible TEL functionalities Automatic translation of data fields Multilingual searching Name authority linking Interlinking European heritage collections Dynamic link creation to objects and services Virtual European collections (history, geography) Collection specific functionality Create TEL metadata infrastructure that makes it easy to add new functionality !

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education Mapping metadata against functions List all metadata elements in DC-Lib List (all) possible functions Check for each combination whether metadata are usable, needed or not relevant Identify metadata elements that are missing or need special attention DC-Lib elements functions

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education Functions and metadata search: most fields contribute record retrieval (harvesting) : record-id identification (retrieve object): identifier description (of object): title, author, subject, description linking (locate services): identifier, relation multilingual service (translation): title, abstract, subject authority service (find main entry): author, subject, type collection handling: descriptive elements, target address, type navigation (journal - article): identifier, relation authorisation (permission criteria): rights administration (trace usage): dates, record-id hard- and software requirements (e.g. preservation): description copy cataloguing: all fields document ordering: identifier, record-id

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education Functions triggered by metadata Examples: Title: new search, translate, display Base-URL: new target for new search Identifier: link to object, link to service, navigate Description: display, translate Date: show time line Subject: display, new (multilingual) search Place: search for co-ordinates and show map Creator: new search, search name authority

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education Conclusions after mapping functions to metadata Dublin Core is accepted in TEL, but not enough Qualified Dublin Core is minimum Library Application Profile should be sufficient for library functionality TEL Application Profile is needed to enable current TEL functionality Need for controlled evolution of the Application Profile –the possibility to add future functionality may depend on additional terms –new sectors/collections may require specific terms A TEL metadata registry for submission of new terms will enable a controlled evolution of the TEL Application Profile!

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education collection object Distributed search Result list Object is target for new search New result list Collection hierarchy Collection descriptions should be discovered like any other object ! When found this should trigger searching within those collections !

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education Characteristics of the Registry On-line XML file containing all the terms in the TEL profiles or under consideration Details of all the characteristics of the terms including: –which Application Profile they are in –what their status is (accepted, proposed) –translations of labels Using XSL style sheets to generate: – a view of each Application Profile –structured information for data entry forms

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education Usage of the registry/profile registry TEL portal Acceptanc e procedure collection element properties collection provider Add element Specify behavior Meta- data Application profile Generate profile(s) Specify conversions Check elements Apply rules The TEL metadata registry will enable sharing of metadata within TEL but also outside of TEL! Acceptanc e procedure

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education TEL Metadata Handbook Need for information and guidance for new participants A mechanism must be available to control the development of the profiles and allow new terms to be proposed Full details of both profiles need to be accessible on line for participants –wanting to submit a collection description –wanting to convert their own records These needs are addressed in the Handbook and the Registry

TEL Metadata Development, Online Information & Education Thank you very much for your attention! Contact: Britta Woldering: Julie Verleyen, European Library Office: