Jenn Riley Metadata Librarian IU Digital Library Program

What is metadata? “Data about data” “The term 'metadata' commonly refers to any data that aids in the identification, description and location of networked electronic resources.”* *Hudgins, Jean, Grace Agnew, and Elizabeth Brown. 1999. Getting mileage out of metadata: Applications for the library. Chicago: American Library Association. p. 1. 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

More definition Other characteristics Origin Structure Control Origin Machine-generated Human-generated In practice, the term often covers data and meta-metadata Used in many different environments 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

What is a metadata schema? A formally-defined set of data elements 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Some uses of metadata By information specialists By novices Describing non-traditional materials Cataloging Web sites Navigating digital objects Managing digital objects long-term Managing corporate assets By novices Preparing Web sites for search engines Eprints Managing personal CD collections 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

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 fundamental cataloging principles in non-MARC environments Metadata created in many different environments 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Creating metadata HTML <meta> tags Spreadsheets Databases XML Digital library content management systems ContentDM Greenstone 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Levels of control Data structure standards (e.g., MARC) Data content standards (e.g., AACR2r) Very few metadata standards include information analogue to specifying “chief source of information” 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

When there’s no data content standard… 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Types of metadata Descriptive metadata Administrative metadata Technical metadata Preservation metadata Rights metadata Structural metadata 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

How metadata is used 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Descriptive metadata Purpose Some common general schemas Description Discovery Some common general schemas MARC MARCXML MODS Dublin Core LOTS of domain-specific schemas 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Three similar descriptive metadata formats MARC [example] MARCXML MODS Record format Binary XML Field labels Numeric Text Reliance on AACR Strong Implied Common method of creation By specialists By derivation By specialists and by derivation 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Dublin Core (1) 15-element set “Core” across all knowledge domains No element required All elements repeatable Extensible 1:1 principle 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Dublin Core (2) Two “flavors” Unqualified 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 Initiative Sample record 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Vocabulary encoding schemes TGM I TGM II TGN GeoNet AAT LCSH LCNAF DCMI Type MIME Types …etc. 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Syntax encoding schemes AACR2r ISO8601 W3CDTF URI …etc. 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

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 Schema for Technical Metadata for Text 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Structural metadata For creating a logical structure between digital objects Multiple copies of same bibliographic item Multiple pages within item Grouping of pages into sections Multiple sizes of each page METS is the current primary schema 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Crosswalks (1) For transforming between metadata formats Usually refers to transforming between content standards rather than structure standards, but not always Mapping from more robust format to less robust format effective; mapping from simpler format to more robust format less so Good practice to create and store most robust metadata format possible, then create other views for specific needs 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Crosswalks (2) Can be in many formats Cornell working on registry Logical sets of rules [example] Actual code [example] Cornell working on registry See: Kurth, Martin, David Ruddy and Nathan Rupp. (2004) “Repurposing MARC metadata: using digital project experience to develop a metadata management design.” Library Hi Tech 22/2 (2004): 153 - 165 Often need to tweak a generic crosswalk for a specific implementation 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

How do I pick a metadata format? Genre of materials being described Format of materials being described Nature of holding institution Robustness needed for the given materials and users What others in the community are doing Describing original vs. digitized item Relationships between records Plan for interoperability, including repeatability of elements More information on handout 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

So why should I care? Because metadata issues are right now an essential part of librarianship Cataloging librarians – it’s increasingly becoming your job Reference librarians – metadata schema affect search strategies, and you’ll have patrons who want to know about metadata Collection development librarians – we’re increasingly purchasing data rather than physical objects, and this data needs to be managed Administrators – your staff are going to be increasingly interested in metadata issues, and they’ll need training Public librarians – you are very Internet-focused Corporate librarians– you often deal with non-MARC environments School librarians – integration of library materials into instructional environments 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

What does a metadata librarian do? Create metadata (including in MARC) Write procedures, policy, and templates for others creating metadata Develop long-term metadata strategy Write rules/code for mapping between metadata formats Technical support for metadata creation tools Represent metadata issues on group projects/committees Learn more about everything Teach others about metadata Librarian stuff! Professional development Service Faculty governance …etc.! 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Qualifications of a metadata librarian Experience with many different metadata standards Thorough knowledge of cataloging practice, including subject analysis Can use various XML technologies: XSLT, XPath, DTDs, XML Schema Likes to learn on the job Excellent communication skills Good at writing detailed documentation Experience with file formats for still images, audio, and video Familiarity with one or more scripting/programming languages; Perl is useful Subject expertise where required Understanding of RDF (maybe) 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Continuing education Professional literature in many areas Digital libraries Cataloging Subject-specific Mailing lists in these same areas Conferences Digital Library Federation JCDL ALA (LITA, ALCTS) Talk to people! 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004

Further information jenlrile@indiana.edu These presentation slides: http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/~jenlrile/presentations/slis/04fall/l520/l520.ppt Metadata librarians listserv: <http://metadatalibrarians.monarchos.com> Priscilla Caplan: Metadata Fundamentals for all Librarians, 2003 12/16/04-12/17/04 L520 Fall 2004