DPC 2002 Retreat Metadata Status Report (2002 Sep. 4)

Metadata Purpose Capture resource information in a structured format for discovery Resources: websites, services annotations, collections, activities, images, news&opps, etc. Services: Capabilities that enhance DLESE functions (e.g. OAI) Annotations: Additional information about a resource that is provided by non-resource creators or users of the resource. Collections: Resources grouped together because they are organized around a theme, organization or some criteria.

Five Facets of Metadata 1. Framework Development: Develop XML structures for capturing resource information 2. Metadata Maintenance: Make structural or semantic changes records 3. Framework Documentation: Interpretation of the framework, vocabularies and cataloging best practices 4. Collection Management: Export or import records in appropriate formats 5. User Support: Tool instructions, cataloging support and collection building

1. Framework Development NSDL: DLESE-IMS records  NSDL compliant Collection-level: Describes a group of item-level metadata records as a whole Item-level: Describes individual resources New & Opportunities: Describes community conferences, workshops, grants, jobs etc. Annotation: Review status of item-level records Services: Describes available services

2. Metadata Maintenance Addition or update of fields: (ESS vocab, standards, more geospatial coverage) DLESE-IMS  ADN: dfsdf

3. Framework Documentation Cataloging best practices: How to complete a field; 1 pt of chg, 6 pts of propagation. Framework interpretations: The definition, occurrences & use of fields; 1 pt of chg & prop. Vocabularies: Defintions; 2 pts of chg, 6 pts of propagation (e.g. NSES implementation) Develop the vocabulary, its definitions and use: 6-12 months or longer depending on the vocabulary. not required here because used National Academy of Science. Vocabulary in the metadata: Aug Vocabulary in the DCS: March 2002 Vocabulary in the discovery system: To be determined

4. Collection Management Incoming DCS collections: Carleton, DWEL, Eval. Toolkit (100+ records) Have DPC support in tool and record maintenance In DLESE-IMS Incoming non-DCS collections: COMET, AVC, JDL, NAP, CRS, JESSE (9000+ records) Not in current DLESE-IMS rather in Dublin Core or native Have little or no DPC support Outgoing collections: DLESE-IMS, Simple Dublin Core, News & Opps, Qualified Dublin Core

5. User Support Cataloger Training/Support: Reached 185 people directly since Jan. 1, 2002 Collection Support: How to map COMET native metadata to DLESE-IMS? Will change dramatically Increase in cataloger training/support with more remote DCS users Increase in collection builder questions about getting to the DLESE-IMS format

Issues: Policy questions Metadata cannot do everything: e.g. including advertising info. is beyond item-level metadata. Establish a framework development process: To create framework versions and a less haphazard method for adding fields & vocabs. Establish a collection approval process: Explain the mechanics of the Collections Accession Policy process of becoming a collection.

Exposures: Priority & Resource Limits ESS vocabulary development: DPC participate Alpha and beta testing: metadata not have Metadata maintenance: shuts down the DCS for the transition to ADN and DCS code upgrades Dramatic increase in collection support: For non-DCS collection builders to get correct metadata format; need framework docs Need ADN now: To enforce required metadata & vocabs for non-DCS’ers; collaboration is slow.