LIFECYCLE METADATA FOR DIGITAL OBJECTS Danielle Cunniff Plumer School of Information The University of Texas at Austin Summer 2014

Class Introductions Identify Yourself Types of digital projects you have worked on or are interested in Your role in these digital projects Your experience with metadata

Metadata “Metadata is structured information that describes, explains, locates, or otherwise makes it easier to retrieve, use, or manage an information resource.” Key Concepts: Structured information Ease of use Formal standards Source: NISO. (2004) Understanding Metadata. Bethesda, MD: NISO Press, p.1Understanding Metadata

Functions of Metadata List:

Metadata A good object has associated metadata. A good object will have descriptive and administrative metadata, and compound objects will have structural metadata to document the relationships between components of the object and ensure proper presentation and use of the components. Source: NISO. (2007). “ Objects Principle 6 ” in A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections. Bethesda, MD: NISO Press. A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections

Types of Metadata Descriptive Structural Administrative Technical Rights Management Preservation Source: NISO. (2004) Understanding Metadata. Bethesda, MD: NISO Press, p.1Understanding Metadata

Metadata Standards Interoperability and object exchange require the use of established standards Semantic:Content Standards Syntactic:Metadata Schemas Format:Machine encoding Exchange:Interface protocols XML is a common method for exchanging metadata descriptions on the Internet Others include: JSON, RDF

Metadata Components Content Standard Syntax/Schema Data Format Data Exchange Human Machine

"Fortunately, the charging one has been solved now that we've all standardized on mini-USB. Or is it micro-USB? Shit." Insert Joke about Standards

Plan of Course: Schedule WeekTopicLab 1IntroductionCommand Line Tools (1) 2Metadata in Digital ObjectsCommand Line Tools (2) 3Metadata and MarkupXML and RDF 4Content StandardsDescriptive Metadata (ASpace) 5Authority RecordsEAC-CPF (ASpace) 6Controlled vocabulariesControlled vocabularies (ASpace) 7Ontologies and Linked DataLinked Data 8Digital ForensicsBitCurator 9Student Presentations 10Student Presentations

Plan of Course: Readings Required: Baca, Murtha, ed Introduction to Metadata (Online Edition, Version 3.0). Los Angeles: Getty Publications. Retrieved from a/setting.html a/setting.html Society of American Archivists Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS). Second Edition. Chicago: Society of American Archivists. Retrieved from Optional: Dow, Elizabeth Creating EAD-Compatible Finding Guides on Paper. Scarecrow Press. Roe, Kathleen Arranging and Describing Archives and Manuscripts (Archival Fundamentals Series II). Chicago: Society of American Archivists. Additional readings will be assigned for specific topics.

Plan of Course: Assignments AssignmentDue DatePercent of Grade Class participation25% Lab workOngoing Markup Assignment25% Authorities (EAC-CPF)July 9 Finding Aid (EAD)July 21 Tutorial (ArchivesSpace)July 28 Seminar Paper25% PresentationAugust 4-11 PaperAugust 4 Exams MidtermJuly 1610% FinalAugust 1315%

Questions?

Using Metadata Description To (more or less) uniquely identify an item To identify the parts of an item and their relationship to the whole AuthorDavis, Ellis A. TitleThe encyclopedia of Texas, compiled and edited by Ellis A. Davis and Edwin H. Grobe. ImprintDallas, Texas Development Bureau [1922?]

Using Metadata Location To show where to find the item Call number Archival container Storage unit Uniform Resource Indicator Library:UNT Libraries Location:WILLIS 4FL TEXANA COLL Identifier:976.4 D292t V. 1

Using Metadata Condition To document the condition of an item at a given time To record any actions taken with respect to the item’s condition Binding:Full-Leather Book Condition:Fair Jacket Condition:No Jacket

Using Metadata Use To explain conditions of use for an item Based on condition Based on rights Status: LIB USE ONLY Rights: Public Domain based on publication date of 1922.

Digital is Different Does the metadata describe the physical item or the digital item, or both? Physical item Metadata as “surrogate” for the physical item Metadata for inventory of and access to the physical item Metadata aggregated for use in “union catalogs” Digital item Metadata as a component of the digital object itself Metadata used as a way of pointing to the digital object from metadata aggregations

Metadata and Digital Objects Metadata can be: In the digital object File headers, e.g., TIFF, EXIF; EAD, TEI headers Near the digital object Same directory, hard drive, network Thousands of miles from the digital object On another network, in another state, in another country

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Metadata (3 of 3) Sender: Received: by with HTTP; Mon, 9 Jun :46: (PDT) From: danielle plumer Date: Mon, 9 Jun :46: X-Google-Sender-Auth: 5r4G-BoZO-kUgBWPn7LKoFFOomo Message-ID: Subject: Test message To: Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=089e013cb7cea45fbb04fb6accb e013cb7cea45fbb04fb6accb2 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 This is a test message to see what kinds of metadata are embedded in an e013cb7cea45fbb04fb6accb2 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 This is a test message to see what kinds of metadata are embedded in an e013cb7cea45fbb04fb6accb2--

Twitter Metadata

Identifiers as Metadata A good object will be named with a persistent, globally unique identifier that can be resolved to the current address of the object. Good identifiers will at minimum be locally unique, so that resources within the digital collection or repository can be unambiguously distinguished from each other. Global uniqueness can then be achieved through the addition of a globally unique prefix element, such as a code representing the organization. Source: NISO. (2007). “ Objects Principle 4 ” in A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections. Bethesda, MD: NISO Press. A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections

Identifiers in Metadata The description of a digital object must be specific enough to distinguish it from similar objects Unique identifiers make this easier The link between a digital object and its metadata must exist and be maintained over the entire lifespan of the object Persistent identifiers are essential

Exercise: Physical & Digital Break into groups Choose one of the objects listed (view online) For each object, create two records: Surrogate record for the physical object in a library, museum, or archives. Metadata record for the digitized object available online. Describe the differences between the two records

Plan for Thursday Read: Stephenson, Neal. (1999). In the beginning was the command line. Available from