Practical Metadata: Where do I start for a digital project?

Jill Strass

Digital Humanities WorkshopCarleton College

September 22, 2012

Metadata is information about Data

“Descriptive metadata helps users find and obtain objects, distinguish one object or group of objects from one another, and discover the subject or contents.” – NISO Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections

If you do your own collection, this is the primary type of metadata you’ll create.

http://www.niso.org/publications/rp/framework3.pdf

Wha

t’s

in th

ere?

I see metadata everywhere…

Bibliographic citation example for an electronic book from a library database:

Kornblum, William. At Sea in the City. Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books,

2002. NetLibrary. Web. 23 June 2006.

Author Title Year of Pub.

Note that metadata is implied by your data.

Bibliographic Citation Example

Author

Title

Publication Place

Publisher

Year Of Publication

Source - NetLibrary

Where found - Web

When accessed – 23 June 2006

MLA

Now we’ll do a “crosswalk”

• A crosswalk is a matrix that allows you to look at the data fields you have and match them as best you can to an existing standard.

• We are going to see how MLA fits into the Dublin Core of 15 basic terms.

MLA vs Dublin Core

Inventing Metadata Fields

• Metadata concepts for a project rarely match perfectly to a standard.

• Some standards allow you to combine concepts – a metadata mashup.

• Sometimes you need to add special fields that are

outside the standard.

• User need is more important than a standard.

What is a Data Dictionary?

• A Data Dictionary lists terms used, reasons for use, samples and context for use.

• Shared document that shows all involved parties the data fields.

• Reminds project participants of decisions made.

• Makes consistency in data entry possible.

Manitou Messenger Data Dictionary

Selecting Metadata Concepts Summary

• Find a role model• Construct a Crosswalk from the role model to the data in

use• Add in a few field concepts that the model doesn’t have• The resulting list of terms is the data dictionary.

Metadata role model: Claremont College

Note differences between our model and our collection

Common Metadata Standards in the Humanities

• Dublin Core (Libraries and Museums)– http://www.bridges.state.mn.us/dcore.html

• Visual Resources Association (VRA and Museums)– http://www.vraweb.org/projects/vracore4/

• EAD aka Encoded Archival Description (Archives and Museums)

• MODS aka Metadata Object Description Schema (Library of Congress)

Tracking Rights in Metadata

• Consider your copyright message to users• Consider what permissions you’ve obtained and

how/if you wish to share them with your users• Consider where this information fits in with your

metadata scheme• Note that in Dublin Core, there is a Rights

concept

Next Steps

• Consider your audience• Find where you fit with other

collections• Find a role-model collection• Talk to your campus resources

about metadata

Data Curation and Content Selection

• Data Curation is in its infancy: processes and standards are being formed now

• Your campus may have a digital policy already in place, like the University of Utah– http://www.lib.utah.edu/collections/digital/

digital-preservation.php• For more info on Digital Curation

– http://digital-scholarship.org/dcrg/dcrg.htm

Project Afterlife

• Exit Strategy– Do you want your collection to live on?– Migration– Control over your content

• Creative Commons License– Define how you want others to use or re-use your

work– http://creativecommons.org/choose/

Digital Daze

We’ve thrown a lot of info at you; this presentation is available at Slideshare.com for future reference….

Jill Strass strass@stolaf.edu