Transcript The Metadata Landscape: Cataloging Cultural Objects, the VRA Core, and Our Visual Collections Margaret N.

The Metadata Landscape:
Cataloging Cultural Objects, the VRA Core, and
Our Visual Collections
Margaret N. Webster
Knight Visual Resources Facility
December 14, 2007
Why the fuss about Metadata?
• Access: find more stuff
• Meaning: what is it? distinguish
one thing from another
• Context: where does it fit?, where
will it lead?
• Uses: who can use it and how they
use it
• Preserve: helps save stuff
In the age of Google, why
bother?
• Speed up cataloging
• Promote consistency of recording
and retrieving data
• Reduce user confusion
• Facilitate migration fielded data can
be recombined mechanically for a
variety of outputs and uses
• Useful in sharing initiatives
• Improve user access
Many Systems/Many Purposes
• Content Management Systems
–Image Collections
–Libraries
–Museums
• DAMS
• Digital Repositories
• Course Management
• Presentation/Discovery tools
A digital object gathers
metadata
• Administrative
• Technical
• Preservation
• Structural
• Descriptive
• Use plus user generated
metadata!
Descriptive Metadata
A Brief Typology

Data structure standards (metadata element sets)
VRA Core, CDWA, Dublin Core, MARC

Data value standards (vocabularies/taxonomies)
LCSH, LCNAF, TGM, AAT, ULAN

Data content/syntax standards (cataloging rules)
CCO, AACR (RDA), DACS

Data format/technical interchange standards
(expressed in machine-readable form)
VRA Core XML schema, CDWA-Lite, Dublin Core, DC Qualified
XML schema, MARC, MARCXML
Cataloging Cultural Objects:
Issues Covered
Managing objects/images vs.
describing them
 Work Type, Classification, Naming
works
 Whole/part relationships
 Controlled terminology
 Contextual materials and relationships
 Various audiences and display
demands

This simplified diagram illustrates how
works may be related to other works,
and how works may be related to
images, sources, and authorities.
CCO Ten Key Principles:
Illustrated Examples
1. Establish
logical focus of
each work
record…
8. Be consistent
in establishing
relationships…
Both are portraits of the same person, but are different
work types
photograph
painting
Example of 2
image records
linked to 1
work record
Example of
records for
related works
2. Include all of the
CCO required elements.
3. Follow the CCO
rules. Make & enforce
additional local rules to
allow effective retrieval,
repurposing and the
exchange of
information.
CCO
Recommended
elements *
4. Use published controlled
vocabularies such as the
Getty vocabularies & the
Library of Congress
Authorities.
5. Create local authorities
that are populated with
terminology as well as with
local terms. Structure as
thesauri whenever
possible.
Subject field using terms from
various authorities

Class: Architecture

Work Type: memorial
Title: Lincoln Memorial

Concept Authority Record:
Terms:
memorial (preferred)
 Creator Display: architect Henry Bacon (American,
 memorials
1866-1924) and sculptor Daniel Chester French
 commemoration building
(American, 1850-1931)
Note:
 Creation Date: designed 1911-1912; constructed
1914-built to preserve the memory of
o Structures
1922
beings or events. For other objects created,
 Subject: commemoration, honor, Abraham Lincoln
issued, or worn to commemorate persons or
 Location: Washington, DC
events, use "commemoratives."
 Materials and Technique: Exterior: Colorado
Yule
Hierarchical
position:
marble; Tripods: Pink Tennessee marble; Interior
walls
Objects Facet
and columns: Indiana limestone; Ceiling: Alabama
....Built Environment
•
Links
to
authorities
marble saturated with paraffin for translucency;........Single
Floor
Built Works
and wallare
base:
Pink Tennessee marble; Pedestal
and
recommended
...........<single
built works by function>
platform for statue: Tennessee marble; Statue: ...............<ceremonial
White
structures>
• Authorities
are
Georgia
marble
...................memorials
 Description:
Design wasininfluenced
GreekAAT
Source:
discussed
detail by the
Parthenon. Built into the design are symbols of Union
of columns
CCO representing the 36
like the in
36 Part
exteriorIII
Doric
states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death…
6. Use
established
metadata
structure
standards, such
as the VRA Core
Categories,
CDWA….
7. Understand that
cataloging,
classification,
indexing and display
are different, but
related things
Display
Cataloging
Classification
Creation
Cluster
9. Be consistent regarding
capitalization, punctuation
and syntax, but when
necessary use standard
codes and lists for
abbreviations…
10. For English-language
information systems and
users, use EnglishLanguage data values
whenever possible.
Metadata on the move: mapping
Bibliographic
(MARC)
VR
(VRA Core)
Museum
(CDWA)
1xx Main Entry
7xx Added
Entry
24Xa Title and
Title related
information
340a Physical
Medium
Material
Agent
Maker
Title
Title
Materials
Materials
Metadata Practice
 Tools for capturing
 Community standards for sharing
and reuse
 Portable and Preserved
 Workflow, when, who
 Where to store?
 Where and how to display