Richard Sapon-WhiteMarch 11, 2013

Scheme:

A set of metadata elements and the rules for their use that have been defined for a particular purpose

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Dublin Core Metadata Element Set (DC)

Visual Resources Association Core Categories (VRA)

Encoded Archival Description (EAD)

Data Documentation Initiative

Government Information Locator Service Profile

GEM (Gateway to Educational Materials)

ONIX Content Standard

for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM)

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Semantics – meanings of metadata elements

Content rules – selection and representation of metadata element content

Syntax – encoding of elements

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AACR2 specifies element names and definitions (e.g., author, other title information, publisher) [semantics]

AACR2 also specifies content rules (e.g., selection and representation of author names)

ISBD and MARC specify syntax◦ 245 $a Title : $b other title information / $c

author.

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Some schemes can accommodate multiple content standardsExamples:

DC + DACS + LCSHDC + AACR2 + LCSHMARC + AACR2 + MeSH

Documenting the creation, version, and reuse of information resources

Organization and description Validation – documenting the

authoritativeness or trustworthiness of the information resource

Search and retrieval Utilization and preservation Accessioning and deaccessioning

Is metadata always digital?◦ No. Metadata can also exists in paper form.

Is metadata always descriptive?◦ No. Metadata can also record the creation,

management, preservation, and history of an information resource.

True or False: Metadata for a given information resource can come from many sources.◦ True.

True or False: Metadata accrues during the life of a digital object.◦ True.

True or False: Metadata is not data and data is not metadata.◦ False. “The distinctions between what constitutes data

and what constitutes metadata can often be very fluid.”

Increased accessibility Retention of context Expanding use Learning metadata System development and enhancement Multiversioning Legal issues Preservation and persistence

High quality descriptive metadata…◦ Enhances retrieval◦ Enables searching across multiple collections◦ Enables creation of virtual collections

Especially possible when common elements are present in different metadata schemes

Example: OSU’s conversion of EAD/DACS-based finding aids to MARC bibliographic records (M. Elwood Smith papers) http://oasis.oregonstate.edu/

Metadata can document the relationships that an information resource has with people, places, and things, including other information resources

Example: Archival finding aids can indicate other related collections as well as the structure of within a collection, providing context for users

Provides access to the entire universe of users, wherever they are

Enables the manipulation of the information resource for users with special needs, different language skills, etc.

Specialized forms of metadata can be used to promote learning by students of all ages.

Example: http://www.thegateway.org/browse/20651

Metadata can document changing uses of systems and content

In turn, can use this feedback to make systems development decisions

Examples: search log data, download counts, etc.

A digital object may exist in several forms within a resource, such a images in thumbnail and full-size

Metadata enables users and machines to distinguish between the multiple versions of a resource

Metadata documents:◦ Licensing◦ Legal rights ◦ Reproductions◦ Restrictions on access or use◦ Privacy concerns

Technical, descriptive, and preservation metadata ◦ Document how an information resource was:

created, maintained, how it relates to other information objects