Heretical Metadata: Abandoning Perfection in the Digital Age

Shana L. McDanold

October 15, 2014

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Heretical (adj.): 1.1 Holding an opinion at

odds with what is generally accepted

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The GOAL: Make resources uniquely identifiable

Key points in my philosophy: Perfection is overrated Standards are important Bend the “rules” to meet user needs

The user is your guide, not the “rules” or instructions DOCUMENT DOCUMENT DOCUMENT

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Why are we collecting this?

What is the collection goal?How does it fit into the mission/goal of the collection? Of the library/institution?

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Who are the users?

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What do the users need? PAST

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What do the users need? NOW

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What do the users need? FUTURE

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FRBR User Tasks FIND

to locate either a single entity or a set of entities as the result of a search using an attribute or relationship of the entity

IDENTIFY To confirm that the entity described corresponds to the

entity sought, or to distinguish between two or more entities with similar characteristics

SELECT To choose an entity that meets the user’s requirements with

respect to content, physical format, etc., or to reject an entity as being inappropriate to the user’s needs

OBTAIN To acquire an entity through purchase, loan, etc., or to

access an entity electronically through an online connection

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Searching? Accessing?

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Searching? Accessing?

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Focus on the GOAL CONTENT: Let the user choose how they

access it

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Focus on the GOAL ACCESS POINTS:

Key element of discovery Identity management Controlled vocabulary

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Focus on the GOAL DESCRIPTION: Start with the citation elements

Different level of detail is needed for different things

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Focus on the GOAL FLEXIBILITY: Bend as necessary

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Challenges Digital doesn’t meet all needs

Accessibility challenges Preservation Maintenance

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Where do we go next? Step into the rabbit hole…

LINKED DATA BIBFRAME

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Change the focus to leverage the metadata…

Ask questions…Experiment…

Be heretical!