Metadata and the description of digital images Michael Day UKOLN, University of Bath International Digital Image Symposium London, June 2002

International Digital Image Symposium, London, June 2002 Presentation outline Definitions The FILTER project context The FILTER report, Metadata for images Some conclusions

International Digital Image Symposium, London, June 2002 What is metadata? Metadata is: –Data about data –About both digital and non-digital objects –Primarily about function, e.g.: –Resource discovery, retrieval and use –Data Management –Preservation and continuing access –etc. –Categorised as: –Descriptive –Administrative –Structural

International Digital Image Symposium, London, June 2002 The FILTER project The FILTER project is: –Focusing Images for Learning and Teaching - an Enriched Resource –Funded as part of the JISC Learning and Teaching Programme –Partners include: –Institute for Learning and Research Technology (ILRT), University of Bristol –Technical Advisory Service for Images (TASI) –Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) Subject Centres

International Digital Image Symposium, London, June 2002 FILTER metadata review Looked at selected metadata initiatives relating to images: General (e.g. DCMES, MPEG-7) Cultural heritage Digitisation Geospatial Educational

International Digital Image Symposium, London, June 2002 Cultural heritage initiatives Initiatives include: –AMICO Data Dictionary –SCRAN Data Standard –SPECTRUM - the UK Museum Documentation Standard –VRA Core Categories Specific focus on: –discovery; rights management; provenance Main characteristics of domain: –not only concerned with images; linked with digitisation initiatives; describes objects as well as the images derived from them; some convergence, e.g. with DCMES

International Digital Image Symposium, London, June 2002 Digitisation initiatives Initiatives include: –NISO Z AIIM : Data Dictionary -- Technical Metadata for Digital Still Images –Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard (METS) Specific focus on: –structure; digitisation processes; rights management; digital preservation; object exchange Main characteristics of domain: –fast developing area; test implementations in XML

International Digital Image Symposium, London, June 2002 Geospatial initiatives Initiatives include: –FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSGDM) –ISO Geographical information -- Metadata Specific focus on: –geographical information; spatial data; GIS Main characteristics of domain: –large schemas; not only concerned with images; convergence of existing standards development on ISO 19115

International Digital Image Symposium, London, June 2002 Educational initiatives Not specifically concerned with images Initiatives include: –IEEE LTSC Draft Standard for Learning Object Metadata (LOM) –IMS Meta-data Specification –DCMI Education Working Group Specific focus on: –granularity; interactivity; pedagogic purpose Main characteristics of domain: –format diversity; links with DCMI; attempts at achieving consensus, e.g. the Metadata for Education Group (MEG) in UK

International Digital Image Symposium, London, June 2002 Some conclusions (1) Format diversity: A healthy sign? –metadata schemas need to be fit for purpose –Images are highly heterogeneous –but... leads to an increased need for the sharing of experiences (and schemas) across domains -- metadata registries? Some convergence within domains Less convergence between domains –role of DCMI?

International Digital Image Symposium, London, June 2002 Some conclusions (2) Interaction with CBIR: –need for closer links between concept- based retrieval (e.g., that based on metadata) and content-based image retrieval (CBIR)? Image subject matter and meaning: –different concepts of what an image represents –there are some image-specific subject schemes (e.g., AAT, TGM, ICONCLASS) but these do not cover all types of image

International Digital Image Symposium, London, June 2002 Acknowledgements UKOLN is funded by Resource: the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries, the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) of the UK higher and further education funding councils, as well as by project funding from the JISC and the European Union. UKOLN also receives support from the University of Bath, where it is based.