WG3.1 Object Model and Metadata

Work Group Session 1, 2 April 2009

Types of objects

• Real-world physical objects that need to be taken into account include:

• 3D, printed music, streams, changing objects• What about events? Opinions differ

• NUMERIC project has defined useful list of object types

• Surrogates for both physical and digital objects (either born-digital or representations of physical objects)

• in this phase only physical objects that have digital representation• in future also physical objects that are not/cannot be digitised• but: no library catalogues without links to full text!

• EAD finding aids may be considered digital objects

Granularity, complex objects

• Statement “Whatever the provider considers appropriate” is not enough for description level

• Content providers could use guidelines to make overall service more consistent from user perspective

• But: may be domain-specific and depend on available budget so provider decides in the end; role for domain aggregators?

• Europeana needs to be flexible in what it accepts

• Possible approach (DRIVER):• Basic level: complex object handled as a single entity• Handling as compound entity only if provider provides description

according to specific guidelines• To be further investigated for specific cases