Lifecycle Metadata for Digital Objects November 6, 2002 Usage Metadata

What is Usage Metadata? Internal users (with respect to the creator External users (with respect to the creator) Internal users (with respect to the repository) External users (with respect to the repository

Creator Usage The creator’s actual use of the object Version control The creator’s colleagues’ use of the object Object function Object used for reference, model The creator’s customers’ use of the object Object function: mediates relationship

Repository Usage Management usage Designated user community Object maintenance and preservation Object analysis Designated user community Object viewing Object acquisition

Why and whether track usage I (external) Observe what individuals use Library/archives ethics The law (FBI access—but thwarted by mere IP addresses in logs) Serve users better Who Designated user community Everyone How Give ‘em what they want Adjustments to acquisition policies, schedules Adjustments to preservation policies, schedules

Why and whether II (internal) Manage the repository Expansion of capacity More efficient use of capacity Protect the repository Detect malicious intrusions Detect suspicious activity Manage dissemination better Manage objects better in the repository Monitor user trends for storage management Monitor user trends for preservation management

So is this metadata? Some of this log material is metadata with respect to the objects being managed Popular objects will get fat Popularity and selection may define new classes of “archival bond” and hence new metadata for objects Some of it is data with respect to the management task

How to track usage The system can do it for you OPACs Web server logs Firewall logs Depends on what the logs track and how deeply they identify individual resources