Introduction to Metadata Jenn Riley Metadata Librarian IU Digital Library Program

4/15/08 S504 Spring Many definitions of metadata “Data about data” “Structured information about an information resource of any media type or format.” (Caplan) “Structured information that describes, explains, locates, or otherwise makes it easier to retrieve, use, or manage an information resource.” (NISO) …

4/15/08 S504 Spring More definition, in libraries Structure Control Origin Machine-generated Human-generated The difference between data, metadata, and meta-metadata is often one of perspective

4/15/08 S504 Spring Some uses of metadata By information specialists Describing “non-traditional” materials Cataloging Web sites Navigating within digital objects Managing digital objects over the long term By novices Preparing Web sites for search engines Depositing materials into an institutional repository Managing citation lists iTunes

4/15/08 S504 Spring Metadata and cataloging Depends on what you mean by: metadata, and cataloging! But, in general: Metadata is broader in scope than cataloging Much metadata creation takes place outside of libraries Good metadata practitioners use key cataloging principles in non-MARC environments Metadata created for many different types of materials Metadata is NOT only for Internet resources!

4/15/08 S504 Spring Creating metadata HTML tags Spreadsheets Databases XML Library catalogs Digital library content management systems ContentDM Greenstone

4/15/08 S504 Spring Types of metadata Descriptive metadata Administrative metadata Technical metadata Preservation metadata Rights metadata Structural metadata

4/15/08 S504 Spring How metadata is used

4/15/08 S504 Spring Descriptive metadata Purpose Discovery Description to support use and interpretation Some common general schemas MARC MARCXML MODS Dublin Core LOTS of domain-specific schemas

4/15/08 S504 Spring MODS “Metadata Object Description Schema” Developed and maintained by the Library of Congress Network Development and MARC Standards Office For encoding bibliographic information Influenced by MARC, but not equivalent Quickly gaining adoption

4/15/08 S504 Spring Dublin Core (1) “Core” across all knowledge domains National and international standard 2001: Released as ANSI/NISO Z39.85ANSI/NISO Z : Released as ISO 15836ISO No element required All elements repeatable 1:1 principle

4/15/08 S504 Spring Dublin Core (2) Two “flavors” Unqualified – 15 elements Qualified Additional elements Element refinements Encoding schemes (vocabulary and syntax) All qualifiers must follow “dumb-down” principle Unqualified DC required for sharing metadata via the Open Archives InitiativeOpen Archives Initiative

4/15/08 S504 Spring Comparing descriptive metadata formats MARC [example]example MARCXML [example]example MODS [example]example Dublin Core [DC example]DC example [QDC example]QDC example Record format Binary (ISO 2709) XML RDF, XML, HTML, et al. Field labels Numeric Text Reliance on AACR Strong ImpliedNone Common method of creation By specialists By derivation By specialists and by derivation By novices and by specialists

4/15/08 S504 Spring Levels of control Data structure standards (e.g., MARC) Data content standards (e.g., AACR2r) Controlled vocabularies (e.g., LCSH) Very few metadata standards include a counterpart to the AACR “chief source of information”

Data content standards Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2 nd edition (AACR2)AACR2 Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)DACS Cataloging Cultural Objects (CCO)CCO 4/15/08 S504 Spring

4/15/08 S504 Spring Vocabulary encoding schemes TGM I TGM II TGN GeoNet AAT LCSH LCNAF DCMI Type MIME Types …etc. aka, controlled vocabularies

4/15/08 S504 Spring Syntax encoding schemes ISO8601 W3CDTF URI …etc.

4/15/08 S504 Spring Technical metadata One type of administrative metadata For recording technical aspects of digital objects Of use for long-term maintenance of data Some examples: NISO Z39.87: Data Dictionary – Technical Metadata for Digital Still Images & MIX NISO Z39.87: Data Dictionary – Technical Metadata for Digital Still ImagesMIX Schema for Technical Metadata for Text

4/15/08 S504 Spring Structural metadata For creating a logical structure between digital objects Locating the same intellectual content on multiple representations Noting points of interest within a single resource Grouping and sequencing multiple files that make up a logical whole METS is the current primary schema METS

4/15/08 S504 Spring How do I pick a metadata format? Genre/format of materials being described Nature of holding institution Use and audience for the metadata What others in the community are doing Describing analog vs. digitized item Relationships between records Plan for interoperability, including repeatability of elements More information on handouthandout

4/15/08 S504 Spring Further information Come back next class! These presentation slides: 08spring/s504/s504-1.ppt Metadata librarians listserv: Priscilla Caplan: Metadata Fundamentals for all Librarians, 2003