Metadata & controlled vocabulary

Metadata and Controlled Vocabulary

Daryl L. SuperioSr. Information AssistantSEAFDEC Aquaculture Department Library

Presented at the Seminar Workshop

Organize IT Digitally, Open-Source Tools for your Library organized by ASLP/SEAFDEC AQD, May 15-17, 2013, Iloilo, Philippines

Metadata

Definition: structured data about an object that

supports functions associated with the designated object (J. Greenberg, 2003) structured data, implies a systematic ordering of

data according to a metadata schema specification

object is any entity, form, or mode for which contextual data can be recorded

functions associated with the designated object, emphasizes on the ability of metadata to support the activities and behaviors of an object

Metadata Definition:

the sum total of what one can say about any information object at any level of aggregation (A.J. Gilliland, 2008)

all information objects, regardless of the physical or intellectual form they take, have three features Content

relates to what the object contains or is about Context

indicates the who, what, why, where, and how aspects associated with the object’s creation

Structure relates to the formal set of associations within or among

individual information objects

The Catalogs

OPACCatalog Card

Metadata Creation and Cataloging

Similarities (J. Greenberg, 2003)

same goal, to produce a set of structured descriptive data that will facilitate object discovery and other desired functions

web oriented metadata schemas are similar to traditional cataloging and indexing standards

web-oriented metadata schemas have adopted and promote the use of attribute value schemas (e.g., controlled vocabulary, classificatory system, etc.)

Difference (R. Heery, 1996)

metadata contain location information within the record, which to allow direct document delivery from appropriate application software

Different Types of Metadata and their Functions (A.J. Gilliland, 2008)

Administrative Descriptive Preservation Technical Use

Different Types of Metadata and their Functions (A.J. Gilliland, 2008)

Administrative used in managing and administering

collections and information resources Examples. Acquisition information; Rights and

reproduction tracking; Documentation of legal access requirements; Location information; Selection criteria for digitization

Descriptive used to identify and describe collections and

related information resources Examples. Cataloging records; Finding aids;

Differentiations between versions; Annotations by creators and users

Different Types of Metadata and their Functions (A.J. Gilliland, 2008)

Preservation related to the preservation management of

collections and information resources Examples. Documentation of physical condition of

resources; Documentation of actions taken to preserve physical and digital versions of resources, e.g., data refreshing and migration

Technical related to how a system functions or

metadata behaves Examples. Hardware and software documentation; Technical

digitization information, e.g., formats, compression ratios, scaling routines; Authentication and security data, e.g., encryption keys, passwords

Different Types of Metadata and their Functions (A.J. Gilliland, 2008)

Use related to the level and type of use of

collections and information resources Examples. Circulation records; Use and user

tracking; Search logs

Primary Functions of Metadata (A.J. Gilliland, 2008)

Organization and description Validation Searching and retrieval Utilization and preservation Disposition

Increased accessibility Expanding use System development and

enhancement Legal issues Preservation and persistence System improvement and economics

Importance of Metadata (A.J. Gilliland,

2008)

Facts about Metadata (A.J. Gilliland, 2008)

Metadata does not have to be digital Metadata relates to more than the

description of an object Metadata can come from a variety of

sources Metadata continues to accrue during

the life of an information object or system

Metadata Scheme (J. Greenberg, 2005)

a collection of metadata elements gathered to support a function, or a series of functions for an information object

a collection of metadata elements, forming a structured container, to which data values are added

a collection of data elements, with their attributes formalized in a specification (or a data dictionary)

Metadata Schemas Dublin Core

consist of 15 elements that can be used to describe the content on information resource, the information resource itself and to identify the individual responsible for the creation of the resource

The Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) develop guidelines for marking up electronic

texts such as novels, plays, and poetry, primarily to support research in the humanities

Metadata Schemas Metadata Encoding and Transmission

Standard (METS) developed to fill the need for a standard data

structure for describing complex digital library objects

METS is an XML Schema Metadata Object Description Schema

(MODS) is a descriptive metadata schema that is a

derivative of MARC 21 and intended to either carry selected data from existing MARC 21 records or enable the creation of original resource description records

Dublin Core (DC)

a metadata standard consisting of 15 information elements for describing networked resource

includes typical bibliographic elements e.g. title, creator, publisher, etc.

includes elements that are related to networked resources e.g. type and format of resource

Elements of DC Metadata Set

Contributor an entity responsible for making

contributions to the resource Coverage

the spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant

Elements of DC Metadata Set

Creator an entity primarily responsible for

making the resource Date

a point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource

Description an account of the resource

Elements of DC Metadata Set

Format the file format, physical medium, or

dimensions of the resource Identifier

an unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context

Language a language of the resource recommended best practice is to use a

controlled vocabulary

Elements of DC Metadata Set

Publisher an entity responsible for making the

resource available Relation

related resource Rights

information about rights held in and over the resource

Elements of DC Metadata Set

Source related resource from which the

described resource is derived Subject

topic of the resource he subject will be represented using

keywords, key phrases, or classification codes.

recommended best practice is to use a controlled vocabulary

Title a name given to the resource

Type nature or genre of the resource

Elements of DC Metadata Set

Quality Metadata

is a shareable metadata content is optimized for sharing metadata within shared collections

reflects consistent practices coherent context is provided communication between service

providers and data providers must conform with the recognized

standards

Controlled Vocabulary

established list of preferred terms from which a cataloger or indexer must select when assigning subject headings or descriptors in a bibliographic record, to indicate a content of a work in a library catalog, index or bibliographic detabase Examples:

LCSH; Sears List; ASFA Thesaurus; FAO Agrovoc;Art and Architecture Thesaurus

The Importance of Controlled Vocabularies

Consistency Accuracy Interoperability Enhancement of searches and

discovery Efficient use of time

Reference List Gilliland, A.J. (2008). Setting the stage. In Introduction to Metadata (2nd ed.)

(pp. 1-19). Greenberg, J. (2003). Metadata and the World Wide Web. In Encyclopedia of

Library and Information Science (pp. 1876-1888). New York, NY: Marcel Dekker.

Greenberg, J. (2005). Understanding metadata and metadata schemes. Cataloging &Classification Quarterly, 40(3-4), 17-36.

Heery, R. (1996). Review of metadata formats. Program: electronic library and information systems, 30(4), 345-373.

NISO. (2004). Understanding metadata. Bethesda, MD: NISO. Shreeves, S. L., Riley, J., & Milewicz, L. (2006). Moving towards shareable

metadata. First Monday, 11(8). Retrieved 12 May 2013 from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/1386

Taylor, S. (2010). An introduction to Dublin Core . Retrieved 14 May 2013 from http://dublincore.org/resources/training/dc-2011/Tutorial_Taylor.pdf