Together we make it work! – Metadata Collaboration in UIC Libraries Jane Darcovich Kate Flynn Mingyan Li

Outline Where we were What we did to solve it Future steps

Where we were In 2009, version 1 of the UIC Data Dictionary was released But… Data dictionary lived in our wiki. Having a data dictionary should have meant that we had relatively consistent metadata right? But…

Segregated Collections Couldn’t see how metadata worked together Led to inconsistencies in how fields were used across collections Legacy collections weren’t brought into compliance with data dictionary The great type/form/genre/medium/physical description debate. Also because legacy collections weren’t brought into compliance, new collections may have used those as an example, perpetuating past mistakes.

Communication Issues Documentation was scattered or didn’t exist Staff turnover By 2017, only one person who created original data dictionary still worked at UIC Includes Metadata Librarian, who was the single point of contact for creating new metadata templates/metadata qc. Fannie Brice choosing the winner for the title Miss Chicago. http://collections.carli.illinois.edu/cdm/ref/collection/uic_cop/id/775

Time Collections needed to be made available within a specific time frame No one template existed Grants! And as noted, staff turnover made it so that metadata was created and disseminated on the fly. Derby Car Race, Off-The-Street Club. http://collections.carli.illinois.edu/cdm/ref/collection/uic_7sh/id/3826

What we did to solve it Reactivate Metadata Working Group Collaboration Among Multiple Departments Pilot Project Enhance Metadata Guidelines Metadata Review and Cleanup Appendices

Metadata Working Group Background Collaboration Among Multiple Departments New Metadata Working Group Standup Meetings Documentations Pilot Project -- Richard J. Daley Digital Image Collection

Metadata Review and Cleanup Inconsistent Data and Data Formats Lack of Standardization Lack of Controlled Vocabularies Review Elements Unused Elements Added and Revised Elements

Metadata Review and Cleanup Type-Form-Medium

Appendices Compound Object Born Digital Oral Histories Form List

Metadata CREATION WORKFLOW

COMMUNICATION Google Sheet comments Face-to-face meetings Emails Faculty Dining Room, University of Illinois Chicago Undergraduate Division. http://collections.carli.illinois.edu/cdm/ref/collection/uic_npc/id/214

Future Steps – MIGRATION to DAMS Our new DAMS will allow cross-searching of all our digital collections Test XTF repository helps us pinpoint metadata changes that still need to be made to ensure consistency across all collections Create a metadata template for use in the DAMS that includes all fields across all our digital collections

Thank you to our UIC Library colleagues Valerie Harris Megan Keller-Young Tracy Seneca For their participation and input on our Metadata Guidelines View our Guidelines at: dlfmetadataassessment.github.io/MetadataSpecsClearinghouse/uic/

Thank you for attending! Jane Darcovich, Digital Services Librarian and Liaison for Architecture and Art, darcovic@uic.edu Kate Flynn, Digital Programs & Metadata Project Librarian, and Portal Manager for the Chicago Collections Consortium, kef@uic.edu Mingyan Li, Metadata Librarian and Clinical Assistant Professor, mli5@uic.edu QUESTIONS?