What is metadata and why is it important? Norm Friesen, CanCore Initiative

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

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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 Box Norm Friesen Athabasca University

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