Transcript Metadata and Documentation - The Arts and Humanities Data

Metadata and
Documentation
Iain Wallace
Performing Arts Data Service
Metadata & documentation
• Information which allows the resource to
make sense and gives it context
• An integral part of any successful
digitisation project, not at the end as an
add-on
• Responsibility of the resource creator
Should presuppose no knowledge on the
part of future users
What is Metadata?
• Describes, explains, helps to locate, retrieve &
manage an information resource
• Structured data about an information object
• Consistent information adhering to established
standards
• Can be separate from or embedded in the
object it describes
Why is Metadata Important?
• Enriches the resource by adding
contextual information
• Extends usefulness of resource by
widening access to it
• Facilitates resource discovery &
enhances ability of researchers to make
informed decisions during the research
process
• Allows the resource to be managed
effectively, increasing its long-term
viability
Types of metadata
• Collection level – a description embracing a
number of items
• Item level – a description confined to an
individual item
• Resource discovery metadata - To facilitate
search – primarily related to content
Preservation metadata
• Preservation metadata
– Technical metadata – information related
to the technical management of the
resource – e.g. file format, file size,
associated software, version etc.
– Administrative metadata
Associated with managing the usage of
a resource by answering questions
related to e.g. rights associated with it,
when it was last updated, who was
responsible for it
Metadata Standards
• Impose a consistency in description which
allows users to cross-search effectively by
promoting interoperability
• Accuracy and reliability of information retrieval
• Some standards associated with different
types of materials and levels of aggregation
TEI (Text)
EAD (Finding Aids)
VRA Core Categories (Visual materials)
Spectrum (Museum objects)
RSLP Collection description
• Standards for catalogue entry e.g. MARC &
AACR2
• Mapping between standards - crosswalks
General Metadata Standards:
Dublin Core
Objectives :
• To define a “minimalist” interoperable metadata
schema to describe proliferation of electronic
resources
• To comprise a range of elements broad enough to
accommodate many resource types and disciplines
• To be simple enough to be used by individuals who
are not information professionals
• Schema can be used for broad description within its
core 15 elements
• Qualifiers can refine this description
• All Dublin Core elements are optional and
repeatable
• They can be displayed in any order
Dublin Core Element Set
1. Title
2. Creator
3. Subject
4. Description
5. Publisher
6. Contributor
7. Date
8. Type
9. Format
10. Identifier
11. Source
12. Language
13. Relation
14. Coverage
15. Rights
Dublin Core Example
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Creator:Donald Cooper
• Role=Photographer
Subject: Shakespeare, William,
1564-1616, Antony and
Cleopatra [LC]
Description:Vanessa Redgrave
as Cleopatra
Date: 1973-08-09
Type:Image
Format:JPEG
Identifier:4150 [catalogue no]
Source: negative no 235
Relation: Antony and Cleopatra:
Thompson/73-8
• IsPartOf
Coverage:Bankside Globe
• Role=Spatial
Rights:Donald Cooper
Controlled Vocabularies
& Thesauri
• Not required by DC but recommended
• For use in the Subject, Coverage
elements etc.
• From authoritative lists
• Universal Subject Lists such as LC
Subject Headings
• Controlled vocabularies and thesauri for
particular subject areas
Specialist Thesauri
• Art & Architecture Thesaurus (AAT)
http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/
• National Monuments Record Type
(NMR)
http://www.rchme.gov.uk/thesaurus/frequentuser.ht
m
• Thesaurus of Geographic Names
(TGN)
http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/tgn/
• Humanities & Social Science
Electronic Thesaurus (HASSET)
http://www.data-
archive.ac.uk/search/hassetSearch.asp
Controlled Values in other elements
• Date – ISO 8601 – YYYY-MM-DD
• Names – e.g. Union List of Artists Names (ULAN)
http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/ulan/
• Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions
(MIME) Types
– Image examples = JPEG, GIF, TIFF
– Video examples = MPEG, Quicktime
– Model example = VRML
• Language – ISO 639 Language Codes
Focus on Preservation Metadata
• To inform ongoing preservation of digital objects
• For both “born digital” and “digital surrogate”
resources
• Several initiatives developing a framework for
Preservation Metadata
– OCLC/RLG
http://www.oclc.org/research/pmwg/pm_framework.pdf
– CEDARS (Leeds University)
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/cedars/
– PADI (National Library of Australia)
http://www.nla.gov.au/padi/
– NEDLIB
http://www.kb.nl/coop/nedlib/results/D4.2/D4.2.htm
Preservation Description
Information
• Reference Information
– Unique identifier for the object e.g.
ISBN, URN
• Context Information
– Clarifies relationship of the object to
its environment : why it was
created/how it relates to other objects
Preservation Description
Information
• Provenance Information
– Origin, chain of custody, preservation
actions and effects
• Fixity Information
– Authenticates/validates the object e.g.
digital signature
Preservation Metadata can:
• Store technical information that supports
preservation decisions and action
• Document preservation action taken (e.g.
migration or emulation)
• Record effects of preservation strategies
• Ensure authenticity of digital resources
over time
• Note information on Collection and Rights
Management
Example of
preservation
metadata
Summary
• Metadata an integral part of the
digitisation process – documentation
should be an ongoing part of any project
• Other types of documentation e.g.
metadata relating to audience
• Ensuring that your resource is
meaningful and accessible both now
and in the future