1. “Metadata is cataloguing” ?????????? Pat Bell HM Customs and Excise

2. What I’m going to say Librarians and the rise of metadata Librarians and the rise of metadata Cataloguing and metadata compared Cataloguing and metadata compared Practical implications Practical implications

3. Librarians and the rise of metadata A personal view

4. Early 1990s- rise of online databases Expensive- needed intermediaries Expensive- needed intermediaries Search techniques Search techniques Less emphasis on cataloguing / indexing / abstracting Less emphasis on cataloguing / indexing / abstracting

5. The rise of the web Expert searching Expert searching Training in search techniques Training in search techniques Lists of useful sites Lists of useful sites Full text searching- and anyone can do it The librarians’ response

6. The web reveals its limitations Poor search results Poor search results Semantic web Semantic web XML XML Metadata Metadata

7. The web reveals its limitations Poor search results Poor search results Semantic web Semantic web XML XML Metadata Metadata The librarians’ response: “That’s my line” “We told you so”

8. A new role for librarians Increasing prominence in government intranets, web sites Increasing prominence in government intranets, web sites Influence on Metadata Working Group Influence on Metadata Working Group Freedom of information Freedom of information Publication schemes Publication schemes EDRM EDRM

9. Cataloguing and metadata compared

10. Cataloguing Until 1980s- big, quiet department producing cards with five or six elements Until 1980s- big, quiet department producing cards with five or six elements The rise of MARC and the online catalogue- huge expansion in potential The rise of MARC and the online catalogue- huge expansion in potential

11. Cataloguing is not the norm Not just a library specialism- a specialism within librarianship Not just a library specialism- a specialism within librarianship Detailed rules Detailed rules Thick MARC manual Thick MARC manual 4 volumes of Dewey 4 volumes of Dewey 600+ pages of AACR 600+ pages of AACR

12. CataloguingMetatagging Specialist indexer Subject or IT specialist No previous knowledge of work Author (or proxy) or publisher Detailed manuals ? Purpose?Purpose?

13. Other people have their own sensibilities Librarians Librarians Web publishing Web publishing Information technologists Information technologists Records managers Records managers

14. Cataloguing is metadata Cataloguing Cataloguing Filing Filing Tagging Tagging Indexing Indexing Resource description Resource description Metadata as Esperanto?

15. Managing the document life cycle In search of metadata that works

16. Separating baby and bath water Baby Importance of indexing Bathwater Specialist indexers Detailed rules

17. Dressing the baby Context Context Subject expertise Subject expertise

18. Using the context Automatic entry Automatic entry Folder structure Folder structure Document templates Document templates User profiles User profiles Content management systems EDRM

19. Metadata and the document lifecycle Commissioning Commissioning Drafting Drafting Publication Publication Review Review Revision Revision Storage Storage Disposal Disposal

20. Finally… Metadata could work, but not necessarily on the WWW Metadata could work, but not necessarily on the WWW Big cultural, organisational and technical issues to overcome Big cultural, organisational and technical issues to overcome The word “metadata” may not be the best way to overcome The word “metadata” may not be the best way to overcome And a huge standard may not be the best way to manage it And a huge standard may not be the best way to manage it pat.bell@hmce.gsi.gov.uk