1. Using Metadata Standards in Digital Libraries: Implementing METS, MODS, PREMIS and MIX: Introduction
Rebecca Guenther Library of Congress
LITA Standards IG Program, ALA Annual 2007

2. Program overview Introduction To METS, MODS, PREMIS and MIX (Guenther)
Using METS and MODS for presentations of LC content (Cundiff, Trail)
Using METS in special collections at CDL (Tingle)
Creating rich shareable metadata: the DLF Aquifer MODS implementation guidelines (Shreeves)
METS, MODS and PREMIS, Oh My!: Integrating digital library standards for interoperability and preservation (Habing)
MODS as metadata Hub (Olson)

3. Metadata standards in digital libraries
XML is the de-facto standard for metadata descriptions on the Internet
Interoperability and object exchange requires the use of established standards
Many digital objects are complex and are comprised of multiple files
Complex digital objects require many more forms of metadata than analog for their management and use
Descriptive
Technical
Digital provenance/events
Structural
Rights/Terms and conditions

4. Descriptive metadata: MARCXML
Millions of rich descriptive records in MARC systems: can be reused in an XML environment using MARCXML
MARCXML uses the MARC data element set in an XML syntax
Allows interoperability with other XML schemes by taking advantage of free XML tools
Allows for collaborative use of metadata for access (e.g. OAI)
Provides continuity with current data and flexible transition options

5. MARC 21 evolution to XML

6. MARCXML Music record in MARCXML MARCXML record
XML exact equivalent of MARC (2709) record
Lossless/roundtrip conversion to/from MARC 21 record
Simple flexible XML schema, no need to change when MARC 21 changes
Presentations using XML stylesheets
LC provides converters (open source)
Music record in MARCXML

7. What is MODS? Metadata Object Description Schema
An XML descriptive metadata standard
A derivative of MARC
Uses language based tags
Contains a subset of MARC data elements
Repackages elements to eliminate redundancies
MODS does not assume the use of any specific rules for description
Element set is particularly applicable to digital resources

8. Uses of MODS Extension schema to METS
Rich description works well with hierarchical METS objects
To represent metadata for harvesting (OAI)
Language based tags are more user friendly
As a specified XML format for SRU
As a core element set for convergence between MARC and non-MARC XML descriptions
For original resource description in XML syntax that is simpler than full MARC

9. MODS high-level elements
Title Info
Name
Type of resource
Genre
Origin Info
Language
Physical description
Abstract
Table of contents
Target audience
Note
Subject
Classification
Related item
Identifier
Location
Access conditions
Part
Extension
Record Info
Music record in MODS

10. MODS Development
Developed through open listserv discussion of possible implementers (LC coordinated)
Version 1 in late 2002; now in version 3.2 with 3.3 almost complete
Companion for authority metadata (MADS) in version 1.0 (2005)
Endorsed as METS extension schema for descriptive metadata section
Registered with NISO
Widely used in digital library projects
MODS Implementation registry:

11. What is METS?
METS records the (possibly hierarchical) structure of digital objects, the names and locations of the files that comprise those objects, and the associated metadata
A container for metadata and file pointers
A METS document may be a unit of storage or a transmission format
METS is extensible and modular, using “wrappers” or “sockets” where elements from other schemas can be plugged in
METS uses the XML Schema facility for combining vocabularies from different Namespaces

12. What is PREMIS?
A data dictionary for metadata to support the long-term preservation of digital objects
A piece of the necessary infrastructure for implementing reliable, sustainable preservation programs
A supporting set of XML schema for implementation in a variety of contexts
A maintenance activity hosted at LC including an Implementers’ Group and Editorial Committee

13. What is preservation metadata?
Provenance:
Who has had custody/ownership of the digital object?
Authenticity:
Is the digital object what it purports to be?
Preservation Activity:
What has been done to preserve the digital object?
Technical Environment:
What is needed to render and use the digital object?
Rights Management:
What IPR must be observed?
Makes digital objects self-documenting across time
Content
10 years on
50 years on
Forever!

14. Guiding principles and assumptions …
“Implementable, core, preservation metadata”:
“Preservation metadata”: maintain viability, renderability, understandability, authenticity, identity in a preservation context
“Core”: What most preservation repositories need to know to preserve digital materials over the long-term
“Implementable”: rigorously defined; supported by usage guidelines/recommendations; emphasis on automated workflows
Implementation neutral:
No assumptions on specific implementation
Promote flexibility/interoperability
Focus on semantic units: what you need to know (implementation-neutral) vs. metadata elements: how you record it (implementation-specific)
Information that needs to be “recoverable” from the digital archiving system, independent of local implementation

15. Scope
What PREMIS is:
Common data model for organizing/thinking about preservation metadata
Guidance for local implementations
Standard for exchanging information packages between repositories
What PREMIS is not:
Out-of-the-box solution: need to instantiate as metadata elements in repository system
All needed metadata: excludes business rules, format-specific technical metadata, descriptive metadata for access, non-core preservation metadata
Lifecycle management of objects outside repository
Rights management: limited to permissions regarding actions taken within repository

16. PREMIS data model
Intellectual
Entities
Rights
Objects
Agents
Events

17. Semantic units pertaining to objects: technical metadata
objectIdentifier
preservationLevel
objectCategory
objectCharacteristics
creatingApplication
originalName
storage
environment
signatureInformation
relationship
linkingEventIdentifier
linkingIntellectual Entity Identifier
linkingPermission StatementIdentifier

18. Semantic units pertaining to Events: provenance and preservation activity
eventIdentifier
eventType
eventDateTime
eventDetail
eventOutcome
eventOutcomeDetail
linkingAgentIdentifier
linkingObjectIdentifier

19. Semantic units pertaining to Rights: terms and conditions
permissionStatement
permissionStatementIdentifier
relatedObject
grantingAgent
grantingAgreement
permissionGranted
act
restriction
termOfGrant
permissionNote

20. Semantic units pertaining to Agents
agentIdentifier
agentName
agentType

21. PREMIS maintenance activities
First revision of Data Dictionary (PREMIS 2.0)
Documenting errata and proposed revisions to Data Dictionary (feedback through PIG list)
PREMIS Implementers’ Registry
Consultancies (funded by Library of Congress):
Rights issues for digital preservation (Karen Coyle)
PREMIS implementation guidelines and recommendations (Deborah Woodyard-Robinson)
PREMIS Tutorials:
Glasgow, Boston, Stockholm, Albuquerque, Washington

22. What is MIX? Metadata For Images in XML
An XML Schema designed for expressing technical metadata for digital still images
Based on the NISO Z39.87 Data Dictionary – Technical Metadata for Digitial Still Images
Used to express attributes of digital images such as file format, file size, dimensions, resolution, compression, etc.
Version 1.0 (recently released) includes support for GIS images and JPEG 2000 images; data element names harmonized with PREMIS
Can be used standalone or as an extension schema with METS

23. How do these standards work together for digital libraries?
A container format such as METS allows for packaging together forms of metadata with objects or pointers to objects
There are about 5 years of experimentation experience using METS in combination with other standards for managing and using digital objects in digital libraries
These standards are all freely available
METS profiles detail how METS is used for particular object types or applications
Best practices are needed (and being developed) for use of PREMIS with METS and MIX
Using METS, MODS, PREMIS and MIX: