1 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes Quality Assurance For Metadata Brian Kelly and Amanda Closier UKOLN Gareth Knight AHDS This session addresses the importance of quality assurance for metadata and describes the QA methodology developed by JISC-funded QA Focus project.

2 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes Draft Timetable About QA Focus15:00 About You Simple QA for metadata 15:10 (group exercise) QA Focus Methodology15:30 QA For Metadata15:45 (group exercise) Discussion & Conclusions16:15 Finish16:30

3 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes An Introduction to QA Why Is QA Needed Now? In the past JISC had standards-based philosophy but: Approach of "let a 1,000 flowers bloom" Diversification as no killer application then (it could have been Gopher!) Things are different now: The Web is the killer application There is now a need for interoperability (not just self- contained independent Web sites) JISC Programmes increasingly intended as service development and not 'speculative' research There is a need for publicly-funded services to be seen to provide value for money Introduction

4 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes About QA Focus QA Focus: Funded to support JISC's digital library programme Covers technical interoperability (digitisation, Web, metadata, software development & service deployment) Has developed: A QA methodology Range of support materials Has taken a developmental approach to QA Provided by UKOLN and AHDS: Brian Kelly and Amanda Closier, UKOLN Hamish James and Gareth Knight, AHDS

5 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes About You Briefly say: Who you are The project you are involved in Your knowledge and experience of QA (if any) Your knowledge and experience of metadata (if any)

6 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes QA For Metadata Exercise 1 - In small groups: Attempt exercise 1a (Exercise 1b will be discussed but need not be attempted in the workshop) Spend about minutes on the exercise