1. JENN RILEY METADATA LIBRARIAN IU DIGITAL LIBRARY PROGRAM Introduction to Metadata

2. Many definitions of metadata 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 2 “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) …

3. More definition, in libraries 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 3 Structure Control Origin  Machine-generated  Human-generated The difference between data, metadata, and meta-metadata is often one of perspective

4. Some uses of metadata 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 4 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  Tagging – flickr, del.icio.us, etc.  LibraryThing

5. Metadata and cataloging 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 5 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!

6. Creating metadata 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 6 HTML tags Spreadsheets Databases XML Library catalogs Digital library/content management systems  ContentDM ContentDM  DigiTool DigiTool  DSpace DSpace

7. Types of metadata 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 7 Descriptive metadata Administrative metadata  Technical metadata  Preservation metadata  Rights metadata Structural metadata

8. How metadata is used 4/20/09 8 S504 Spring 2009

9. Descriptive metadata 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 9 Purpose  Discovery  Description to support use and interpretation Some common general schemas  MARC  MARCXML  MODS  Dublin Core LOTS of domain-specific schemas

10. MODS 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 10 “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

11. Dublin Core (1) 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 11 “Core” across all knowledge domains National and international standard  2001: Released as ANSI/NISO Z39.85ANSI/NISO Z39.85  2003: Released as ISO 15836ISO 15836 No element required All elements repeatable 1:1 principle

12. Dublin Core (2) 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 12 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

13. DCMI Abstract Model 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 13 New direction for the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative An “information model which is independent of any particular encoding syntax” RDF-inspired, but not RDF DCMI resource model DCMI description set model DCMI vocabulary model Full abstract model recommendationabstract model recommendation Still too early to really know where this is going

14. Comparing descriptive metadata formats 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 14 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

15. Levels of control 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 15 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”

16. Data content standards 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 16 Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2 nd edition (AACR2)AACR2 Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)DACS Cataloging Cultural Objects (CCO)CCO Also many format-specific guidelines  Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (DCRM) series  Archival Moving Image Materials: A Cataloging Manual  Betz: Graphic Materials  …

17. Vocabulary encoding schemes 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 17 TGM I TGM II TGN GeoNet AAT LCSH LCNAF DCMI Type MIME Types …etc. aka, controlled vocabularies

18. Syntax encoding schemes 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 18 ISO8601 W3CDTF URI …etc.

19. Technical metadata 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 19 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 Schema for Technical Metadata for Text

20. Structural metadata 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 20 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

21. How do I pick a metadata format? 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 21 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

22. Further information 4/20/09 S504 Spring 2009 22 jenlrile@indiana.edu These presentation slides: http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/~jenlrile/presentations/slis/ 09spring/s504/s504.ppt Handout: http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/~jenlrile/presentations/slis/ 09spring/s504/handout.pdf Metadata librarians listserv: http://metadatalibrarians.monarchos.com Priscilla Caplan: Metadata Fundamentals for all Librarians, 2003