Using MARC Repurposing to Initiate a Metadata Management Design Marty Kurth ALA Annual Conference June 27, 2005

This presentation is based on: Martin Kurth, David Ruddy, and Nathan Rupp. "Repurposing MARC Metadata: Using Digital Project Experience to Develop a Metadata Management Design." Library Hi Tech 22:2 (2004):

MARC repurposing is the reuse of MARC metadata in library applications other than the catalog. These Cornell digital collections use repurposed MARC metadata...

Metadata processing involves Mapping - defining relationships between metadata schemes Transformation - moving metadata between schemes Metadata management - coordinating metadata tasks and resources

Metadata management challenges Workflows are not well established Mapping and transformation work is decentralized Documents and files reside throughout the library

Why manage MARC repurposing? We have lots of MARC metadata It always involves mapping and transformation MARC mapping and transformation processes and tools are expensive It involves redundant data, which is messy and expensive to maintain if you’re not careful

Managing mapping

HEARTH May CollectionMARC records MoA First MARC-to-TEI mapping Dates? Edition statements? Collection-specific mapping variations are inevitable

(Inter)national standard mapping scheme General CUL mapping scheme (consensus-based) CUL collection scheme 1 CUL collection scheme 3 CUL collection scheme 2 A MARC mapping model Documenting collection- specific mapping schemes promotes their reuse.

Managing transformations

SE Asia Visions May Collection MARC records MoA First MARC-to-TEI transformation Scripted transformation XML/XSLT transformation Because mappings vary from collection to collection, transformation scripts vary, too!

MARC transformation approaches Scripted transformation processes IT staff extract selected MARC fields and encode them in XML XML/XSLT transformation processes  IT staff extract entire MARC record and convert it to MARCXML  Metadata staff use XSLT to transform MARCXML to collection-specific scheme

Why we like the XML/XSLT approach To keep catalog extracts constant To put transformation tools in the hands of the staff doing the mapping To facilitate tweak-and-test transformations Documenting decentralized transformations is critical.

Developing a metadata management design

Two aspects of metadata management Coordinating metadata creation and manipulation work Managing tools and files resulting from metadata processes

Keys to managing metadata resources Approach metadata processes as a coordinated, purposeful venture Identify the needs of internal users to access and reuse metadata tools and files Treat metadata tools and files as data resources warranting management Develop a metadata management design

Metadata management design strategies Inventory metadata relationships and processes organization-wide Identify data stewards for mapping and transformation resources Promote sharing and reuse of metadata resources to reduce costs and risk Use documented relationships and processes to coordinate metadata activities

MARC repurposing inventory example MARC bibliographic metadata Collection-specific MARC mapping Extract script Extract file XML storage scheme MARC-to-XML-storage transformation script XML storage file XML delivery DTD XML storage-to-delivery transformation script XML delivery file

Next steps Continue to build library consensus about metadata element sets and mappings Develop reusable transformation tools Meet with stakeholders to discuss creating a MARC repurposing design Extend stakeholder discussions to a library- wide metadata management design Investigate creating a repository of metadata schemes, tools, and files