1. Overview of Metadata For IRLS 504 Class, Summer II, 2006 Panel Discussion: New Directions in the Organization of Information in Libraries Yu Su 7/26/2006

2. What is metadata? Literally, "data about data”. Functionally, "structured data used to describe other data.” Metadata includes data associated with either an information system or an information object for purposes of description, administration, legal requirements, technical functionality, use and usage, and preservation. Where does metadata live? Embedded within the information object Separate from the information object

3. A sample metadata record File size231 KB FormatJPEG image (image/jpeg) DimensionsScreen: 1083px x 734px Print7.22 x 4.89 inches Resolution150 dpi (mid, presentation quality) DepthFull Color TitleAfrican elephant Alternative Title(none) CreatorStolz, M. Gary SourceWO/81-007 PublisherU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ContributorDIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS LanguageEN - ENGLISH Rights(public domain) Audience(general) SubjectAnimals Tanzania DescriptionNo description information exists for this record Date.AvailableNovember 12 2001 Date.IssuedNovember 07 2001 Date.ModifiedNovember 07 2001 RelationNo relation information exists for this record CoverageNo coverage information exists for this record (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Digital Library Systems)

4. What does metadata do for us? Identify information items Facilitate information retrieval Help manage and administer data/system Help maintain data over time Facilitate data exchange

5. Metadata categorized…  Descriptive metadata  Structural metadata  Administrative metadata  Technical metadata  Preservation metadata There are arbitrary categorization according to the functions each metadata elements serve. Some metadata elements can be classified into more than one category.

6. Dublin Core Metadata Schema A metadata schema: a structured set of metadata elements. A proposed minimal set of data elements for describing network- accessible materials. It was initially proposed at a workshop held in March 1995 at Dublin, Ohio. Title Creator Subject Description Publisher Contributor Date Type Format Identifier Source Language Relation Coverage Rights Dublin Core Metadata Element Set Version 1.1 Date Issued: 2004-12-20

7. Other metadata standards… MARC Dublin Core (DC) Global Information Locator Service (GILS) Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Content Standard Digital GeoSpatial Metadata (CSDGM) IEEE Learning Object Metadata (LOM) Core Categories for Visual Resources (VRA Core) Darwin Core

8. What are metadata crosswalks? A table that maps the relationships and equivalencies between two or more metadata schemes. (Dublin Core Metadata Initiative Glossary) A crosswalk is used for translating between metadata formats. Crosswalks or metadata mapping enables information systems to exchange data that is organized according to different standards. Crosswalks or metadata mapping support the ability of search engines to search effectively across heterogeneous databases.

9. What do crosswalks look like? Semantic Mapping  Usually presented in a table fashion with equivalent elements from different standards listed side by side.  Metadata mapping is subjective. There is no definite right or wrong answers. Technical Mapping  Technical mapping is semantic mapping represented in programming language.  Technical mapping uses various programmatic solutions to transform metadata records computer files.

10. Example of Semantic Mapping Dublin CoreEAD CONTENT Coverage (spatial) (temporal) Description Type ** with LEVEL attribute Relation Source Subject Title INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Creator Contributor Publisher Rights INSTANTIATION Date 0FormatSGML or XML Identifier0 with COUNTRYCODE and REPOSITORYCODE attributes Language with LANGMATERIAL attribute by Tony Gill, Anne Gilliland-Swetland and Murtha Baca, Introduction to Metadata.

11. Example of Technical Mapping Mapping between the ASDM Digital Library metadata schema to Qualified Dublin Core. Created by Travis Bowen on Sep 6, 2005 { mappings.put("identifier", "dc:identifier"); // ASDMCounter, ASDMObject, ASDMObjectHistory, ASDMWorkflow mappings.put("classification", "dcq:ispartof"); // ASDMObject mappings.put("sciname", "dc:title"); // ASDMObject mappings.put("source", "dc:source"); // ASDMObject mappings.put("caption", "dcq:abstract"); // ASDMObjet mappings.put("format", "dc:format"); // ASDMObject mappings.put("date", "dcq:created"); // ASDMObject, ASDMObjectHistory, ASDMWorkflow mappings.put("location", "dcq:spatial"); // ASDMObject mappings.put("type", "dc:type"); // ASDMObject, ASDMObjectHistory, ASDMWorkflow mappings.put("creator", "dc:creator"); // ASDMObject, ASDMObjectHistory mappings.put("creatorurl", "dcq:isreferencedby"); // ASDMObject mappings.put("program", "dcq:references"); // ASDMObject mappings.put("keywords", "dc:subject"); // ASDMObject mappings.put("mined", "dcq:spatial"); // ASDMObject mappings.put("caption", "dc:description"); // ASDMObjectHistory, ASDMWorkflow }

12. What does interoperability mean? The ability of different types of computers, networks, operating systems, and applications to work together effectively, without prior communication, in order to exchange information in a useful and meaningful manner. There are three aspects of interoperability: semantic, structural and syntactical. (Dublin Core Metadata Initiative Glossary)

13. Metadata standards and system interoperability… Metadata standards are one type of many standards that facilitate the dissemination, communication, and use of information by multiple producers and users. Standardized metadata can be easily transferred from one system to another. Metadata organized according to shared standards is more likely to be understood correctly by different systems.

14. New developments in the field… METS: Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standards (Library of Congress) A metadata schema used to coordinate and display metadata elements from other schemas. See http://loc.gov/standards/metshttp://loc.gov/standards/mets PREMIS: PREservation Metadata Implementation Strategies (OCLC) A data dictionary for preservation metadata http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/pmwg/

15. Actions in other worlds… Management Information Systems, Computer Science, search engine industry, publishing industry, bookstores Automatic indexing: automatic metadata generation

16. Questions to consider… Are metadata standards still holding up their value with all the local alternations? Is normalized data good enough? How about user-created metadata? Is search engine the ultimate answer?

17. Recommendations to library science students Pay more attention to the fundamentals of the problems, and solution, worry less about the profession or discipline lines. Be open to contradictory views and try to understand the arguments of both sides. Take responsibility in the evolving field. Make your own contribution.

18. References Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Digital Library Project -Under development by the University of Arizona Libraries and Arizona- Sonora Desert Museum Canadian Heritage Information Network -http://www.chin.gc.ca/English/Standards/index.htmlhttp://www.chin.gc.ca/English/Standards/index.html Dublin Core Metadata Initiative -http://dublincore.org/index.shtmlhttp://dublincore.org/index.shtml Coleman, Anita. 2002. “Metadata: The Theory behind Practice.” 4th State GILS Conference. Scottsdale, AZ. 26 April 2002 -http://dlist.sir.arizona.edu/67/01/4gils02asc.pdfhttp://dlist.sir.arizona.edu/67/01/4gils02asc.pdf U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Digital Library System -http://www.fws.gov/dls/

19. Thank you! Yu Su Information Systems Librarian University of Arizona suy@u.library.arizona.edu (520) 307-2821 Please feel free to contact me if you have any thoughts, questions or ideas. I like to hear from you!