Showing papers in "Journal of Library Metadata in 2009"
TL;DR: The Dryad repository's metadata best practice balancing of these two needs is presented, and the conclusion summarizes limitations and advantages of the two prongs underlying Dryad's metadata effort.
Abstract: Digital data repositories ought to support immediate operational needs and long-term project goals. This paper presents the Dryad repository's metadata best practice balancing of these two needs. The paper reviews background work exploring the meaning of science, characterizing data, and highlighting data curation metadata challenges. The Dryad repository is introduced, and the initiative's metadata best practice and underlying rationales are described. Dryad's metadata approach includes two prongs: one addressing the long-term goal to align with the Semantic Web via a metadata application profile; and another addressing the immediate need to make content available in DSpace via an extensible markup language (XML) schema. The conclusion summarizes limitations and advantages of the two prongs underlying Dryad's metadata effort.
73 citations
TL;DR: It is found that the free-text Description field often provides more accurate and complete representation of subjects and object types than the specified fields; it consistently represents properties such as uniqueness, importance, comprehensiveness, provenance, and creator of items in digital collection.
Abstract: When many collections are 1 brought together in a federation or aggregation, the attributes of the original collections can become difficult to discern Collection-level 2 metadata has the potential to provide important context about the purpose and features of individual collections, but the qualitative aspects of collections are difficult to describe in a systematic way This article reports on a content analysis of collection records in the Digital Collections and Content (DCC) aggregation, conducted to analyze the kinds of substantive and purposeful information represented across 202 cultural heritage collections We found that the free-text Description field often provides more accurate and complete representation of subjects and object types than the specified fields; it consistently represents properties such as uniqueness, importance, comprehensiveness, provenance, and creator of items in digital collection, and other vital contextual information about the intentions of collectors and the
29 citations
TL;DR: This article proposes a crosswalk between EAD and MODS consisting of three basic components: a semantic mapping from EAD elements/attributes to MODS elements/ attributes, techniques to map the hierarchical structure of the EAD document toMODS, and techniques to retain in MODS the information related to the archival components that is inherited from the descriptions of components of higher hierarchy in the Ead document.
Abstract: In this article we investigate the problem of semantic interoperability between archival and bibliographic metadata used in digital libraries and repositories. We investigate the semantic relationships between two metadata standards, namely the Encoded Archival Description (EAD) and the Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS). We propose a crosswalk between EAD and MODS consisting of three basic components: (a) a semantic mapping from EAD elements/attributes to MODS elements/attributes, (b) techniques to map the hierarchical structure of the EAD document to MODS, and (c) techniques to retain in MODS the information related to the archival components that is inherited from the descriptions of components of higher hierarchy in the EAD document.
27 citations
TL;DR: This article reviews practices for thesis and dissertation metadata creation with a focus on DSpace instances, best practice recommendations for author-submitted metadata, recommendations for subject analysis, and training for metadata practitioners.
Abstract: The University of New Mexico will mandate in 2009 that theses and dissertations be submitted in electronic form as the copy of record. These documents will reside in the university's digital repository, operated on a DSpace platform. This article reviews practices for thesis and dissertation metadata creation with a focus on DSpace instances, best practice recommendations for author-submitted metadata, recommendations for subject analysis, and training for metadata practitioners. The article recommends processes for author submission, metadata quality control and enhancement, and crosswalking of the metadata to the library's catalog to maximize discovery.
19 citations
TL;DR: This paper researched 21 digital collections hosted in CONTENTdm to explore the use and issues of unique fields in local context and recommend best practices that will increase the interoperability of metadata for special collections.
Abstract: Collection curators develop locally defined unique fields to support local requirements. As per the guidelines of the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH), Simple Dublin Core is the minimum requirement for exposing metadata to aggregators. Oftentimes the level of specificity of unique local fields is not translated well to Dublin Core, which may hinder the interoperability of the item metadata record. This paper researched 21 digital collections that were hosted in CONTENTdm. The objective was to explore the use and issues of unique fields in local context and recommend best practices that will increase the interoperability of metadata for special collections.
17 citations
TL;DR: The author assesses the changing context of metadata creation and management and the evolution of metadata workflow and best practices in libraries, and discusses the roles and responsibilities of metadata professionals and the implications of metadata practices for the library and information community.
Abstract: This study assesses the current metadata practices and trends in Association of Research Libraries (ARL) libraries, based on the survey Metadata conducted in spring 2007 (SPEC Kit 298: Metadata), a collaborative effort with the staff at the ARL. The survey investigates how metadata has been implemented in ARL member libraries: what kinds of projects or initiatives have been undertaken, what types of digital objects are associated with metadata, who are creating metadata, what schemas and tools are used to create and manage metadata, and the organizational changes and challenges resulting from the adoption of metadata in the libraries. The author summarizes her observations of the findings and the main themes that emerged from the metadata practices in libraries. She assesses the changing context of metadata creation and management and the evolution of metadata workflow and best practices in libraries. The author also discusses the roles and responsibilities of metadata professionals and the implications o...
15 citations
TL;DR: A survey on metadata conducted at the end of 2007 received over 400 answers and helped the authors to identify major issues and concerns regarding metadata that should be addressed in the IFLA Guidelines for Digital Libraries.
Abstract: A survey on metadata conducted at the end of 2007 received over 400 answers from 49 countries all over the world. It helped the authors to identify major issues and concerns regarding metadata that should be addressed in the IFLA Guidelines for Digital Libraries. The questionnaire included a question of the roles respondents may have, and five questions of the major concerns in any project that relates to metadata, regarding design and planning of digital projects, element set standards, data contents in a record, authority files and controlled vocabularies, and metadata encoding. Findings from the survey are reported and a workflow chart is included in this paper.
14 citations
TL;DR: The rationale for the Metadata Best Practices Task Force and the process used for its work are described following a look at the background of digitization and past metadata practices at CSU.
Abstract: The Metadata Best Practices Task Force (MBPTF) at the Colorado State University (CSU) Libraries developed a core set of metadata elements and an accompanying data dictionary to facilitate a coordinated metadata management approach for a central digital repository of diverse digital objects. This article describes the rationale for the Task Force and the process used for its work following a look at the background of digitization and past metadata practices at CSU. The article includes a literature review on institutional metadata projects and examples, and it ends with a description of the Task Force's ongoing work and plans for future assessment.
12 citations
TL;DR: This article will focus on how two different metadata harvesters—OAIster and the Online Computer Library Center's (OCLC) WorldCat—transform and present Dublin Core metadata extracted from CONTENTdm.
Abstract: This article will focus on how two different metadata harvesters—OAIster and the Online Computer Library Center's (OCLC) WorldCat—transform and present Dublin Core metadata extracted from CONTENTdm. It offers an examination, in plain language, of what two service providers do to metadata once they are harvested, and, in a case study, shows examples of how specific records display in both the local and aggregated interfaces. By helping metadata creators understand what happens to their metadata as it is harvested and transformed, this article aims to assist them in designing their metadata to be intelligible and useful to end-users across platforms.
12 citations
TL;DR: The history of the project, the mission, collections policies, and technical specifications including metadata best practices to ensure the interoperability and facilitate searching of the repository, and the process of collaborating on metadata standards are outlined.
Abstract: Institutional repositories are an exciting innovation in scholarly communication. Liberal arts institutions have a specific mission and a unique opportunity to create a repository collection that reflects this tradition. However, the challenges of cost, staffing, infrastructure, standardized metadata, and content recruitment that are part and parcel of developing institutional repositories may be daunting to individual liberal arts institutions. The idea that multiple, like-minded institutions could join forces to share their efforts, unique challenges, and maximize their efficiencies grew into the Liberal Arts Scholarly Repository (LASR). In order for the group to form, we first agreed upon a mission, collections policies, and technical specifications including metadata best practices to ensure the interoperability and facilitate searching of the repository. This article outlines the history of the project and the process of collaborating on metadata standards.
8 citations
TL;DR: The University of Colorado at Boulder recently engaged in a grant-funded pilot project to use Metadata Encoding & Transmission Standard (METS), Metadata Object Description Standard (MODS), and NISO Metadata for Images in XML Schema (MIX) for a collection of digitized Sanborn fire insurance maps of the state.
Abstract: The University of Colorado at Boulder recently engaged in a grant-funded pilot project to use Metadata Encoding & Transmission Standard (METS), Metadata Object Description Standard (MODS), and NISO Metadata for Images in XML Schema (MIX) for a collection of digitized Sanborn fire insurance maps of the state. This article will draw on this experience to outline the processes and decision making required to implement new metadata structures, and will offer some insights on planning strategically for an institution's first use of these increasingly important metadata standards.
TL;DR: This article argues for implementing such projects and their feasibility for small institutions, using Case Western Reserve University's text encoding project as a model, and includes the rationale for TEI versus sole reliance on page images or PDFs and for digitization and text mark-up workflow.
Abstract: Electronic text encoding marks up documents, most often those in the humanities and social sciences, in XML to capture various metadata and represent textual features important for research and analysis. It typically follows the Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) scheme. Implementing TEI projects can be particularly challenging for small institutions with limited staff and budgets, given the detail and attention to textual nuances text encoding requires. This article argues for implementing such projects and their feasibility for small institutions, using Case Western Reserve University's text encoding project as a model. It includes the rationale for TEI versus sole reliance on page images or PDFs and for digitization and text mark-up workflow.
TL;DR: Comparisons of commonly used fields and subfields with the elements prescribed in PCC BIBCO, CONSER, and National and Minimal Level Record Requirements provide standards designers and the cataloging community at large with information to facilitate development of cataloging recommendations and guidelines and inform practice.
Abstract: Commonly used fields and subfields in 56 million Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) WorldCat bibliographic records are identified based on the analysis of format-specific record sets and the calculation of utilization thresholds, with the purpose of comparing these elements with existing recommendations by Library of Congress (LC) agencies for national, core, and minimal level records. The background and purposes of the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) BIBCO, CONSER, and National and Minimal Level Record Requirements are reviewed. Methodology for conducting the analyses, as well as factors affecting and influencing the analysis methodology, is explained. Results of the comparison of commonly used fields and subfields with the elements prescribed in PCC BIBCO, CONSER, and National and Minimal Level Record Requirements are presented. Results provide standards designers and the cataloging community at large with information to facilitate development of cataloging recommendations and guidelines and...
TL;DR: Public elementary and secondary school teachers are now teaching a standards-based curriculum using state or district standards to direct their teaching, which has implications for the way teachers are searching for information in libraries.
Abstract: Public elementary and secondary school teachers are now teaching a standards-based curriculum using state or district standards to direct their teaching. Standards-based education has implications for the way teachers are searching for information in libraries. Ideally teachers should be able to use educational standards in their searches to find relevant resources for use in their classrooms. So-called standards-based searching cannot take place without educational standards information in the resource metadata, which brings about interesting issues and challenges.
TL;DR: Analysis focuses on patterns of usage of certain aspects of EAD metadata within each repository as well as comparison across all 6 repositories, which identifies EADmetadata elements that evince the most frequent inconsistent and incomplete usage.
Abstract: An exploratory study was designed to gain a perspective on the current state of Encoded Archival Description (EAD) metadata use and quality. This article examines the implementation of EAD metadata at 6 digital archival repositories. It identifies EAD metadata elements that evince the most frequent inconsistent and incomplete usage. For this, the header areas of a collection of 150 randomly collected EAD metadata records were analyzed in terms of frequency, completeness, and consistency. In addition to these criteria, 3 best practices guidelines for EAD were consulted to determine how EAD metadata tags are used in local repositories vis-a-vis the guidelines. Analysis focuses on patterns of usage of certain aspects of EAD metadata within each repository as well as comparison across all 6 repositories. Implications and issues drawn from the evaluation are also discussed in relation to the issue of semantic interoperability across EAD digital repositories.
TL;DR: During the digitization of the Eugene V. Debs correspondence collection at Indiana State University, project staff developed new procedures for assigning and tracking responsibilities as part of an overall initiative to document local practices and create a more complete workflow process for projects undertaken through the Wabash Valley Visions & Voices Digital Memory Project.
Abstract: During the digitization of the Eugene V. Debs correspondence collection, known as the Dear Comrade project, at Indiana State University, project staff developed new procedures for assigning and tracking responsibilities. This development was part of an overall initiative to document local practices and create a more complete workflow process for projects undertaken through the Wabash Valley Visions & Voices Digital Memory Project (WV3) located at http://visions.indstate.edu. Consisting of approximately 6,000 pieces of correspondence written to and from Eugene Victor Debs, the Debs Collection is housed in Special Collections at Cunningham Memorial Library. The new work plan enabled multiple people with varying levels of expertise from different library departments to check the quality of scans and to catalog and upload items to WV3 using the digital collection management software CONTENTdm.
TL;DR: The purpose is to offer an example of how one institution grappled with the challenge of developing an easy-to-use rights metadata dictionary and the solution it adopted and to provide a tool that can be used by libraries facing similar questions.
Abstract: Rights metadata provide users with intellectual property information about a work including information about copyright, trademarks, and privacy and publicity rights. Models for rights metadata developed to date generally recommend the capture of the same basic rights information; however, confusion as to specific terminology and definitions for both the names of the fields and the data values used to complete them still abounds. This article presents a model for a rights metadata dictionary including recommendations and the rationales for data content and data values. Its purpose is to offer an example of how one institution grappled with the challenge of developing an easy-to-use rights metadata dictionary and the solution it adopted. The goal is to provide a tool that can be used by libraries facing similar questions.
TL;DR: Against a backdrop of increasing access to full text and the perceived success of Web search engines, academic disciplines with highly specialized, if not esoteric, nomenclature remain in need of specially crafted metadata.
Abstract: Against a backdrop of increasing access to full text and the perceived success of Web search engines, academic disciplines with highly specialized, if not esoteric, nomenclature remain in need of specially crafted metadata. Art history and the study of architecture represent two such disciplines. Historically, field-specific research databases have maintained canons of citations complemented with descriptive abstracting and precise indexing. Surveys of art and architectural historians identify the value of abstracting and indexing to scholarly research. The perceived importance indicates a need to integrate discipline-specific abstracts and vocabularies into the evolving Web-based infrastructure for searching of scholarly literature and to enable the continued production of such metadata.