Metadata and Controlled Vocabulary

Daryl L. Superio
Sr. Information Assistant SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department Library

Metadata
Objectives:
At the end of the session you will:
1. understand metadata and its purpose 2. know some metadata schemes 3. familiarize yourselves with Dublin Core metadata elements 4. know the value of controlled vocabulary in digital repositories

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 which can and should be reflected through metadata Content relates to what the object contains or is about Context indicates the who, what, why, where, and how aspects associated with the objects creation Structure
relates to the formal set of associations within or among individual information objects

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

Importance of Metadata

(A.J. Gilliland, 2008)

Increased accessibility Expanding use System development and enhancement Legal issues Preservation and persistence System improvement and economics

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 physical or digital manifestation 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
a reference to a 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 the subject will be represented using keywords, key phrases, or classification codes. recommended best practice is to use a controlled vocabulary

Elements of DC Metadata Set

Title
a name given to the resource

Type
nature or genre of the resource

Quality Metadata
is a shareable metadata
content is optimized for sharing metadata within shared collections reflects consistent practices coherent context is provided 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: Baca M. (Ed.). 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