Lesson 2 - Metadata Standards
Metadata - Introduction
Here are a couple of definitions:
Techterms.com
"Metadata describes other data. It provides information about a certain item's content. For example, an image may include metadata that describes how large the picture is, the color depth, the image resolution, when the image was created, and other data. A text document's metadata may contain information about how long the document is, who the author is, when the document was written, and a short summary of the document.Web pages often include metadata in the form of meta tags. Description and keywords meta tags are commonly used to describe the Web page's content. Most search engines use this data when adding pages to their search index."
https://techterms.com/definition/metadata
Metadata summarizes basic information about data, which can make finding and working with particular instances of data easier. For example, author, date created and date modified and file size are examples of very basic document metadata. Having the ability to filter through that metadata makes it much easier for someone to locate a specific document.
Record keeping A-Z from PROV https://prov.vic.gov.au/recordkeeping-government/a-z-topics/
Validator http://www.agls.gov.au/validator
Who should use it?
Why do we need standards?
Whatis
Metadata is data that describes other data. Meta is a prefix that in most information technology usages means "an underlying definition or description."Metadata summarizes basic information about data, which can make finding and working with particular instances of data easier. For example, author, date created and date modified and file size are examples of very basic document metadata. Having the ability to filter through that metadata makes it much easier for someone to locate a specific document.
This is a useful article that defines Metadata and the different types of Metadata:
https://www.lifewire.com/metadata-definition-and-examples-1019177
NAA
Read about Metadata and its importance at the National Archives of Australia websiteClass Activity 1
Why do we need Metadata? How does it relate to a digital repository?
Have a look at this example from the State Library of Victoria image collection
Class Activity 2 - Descriptive Metadata
You are to describe a photo that you have taken - this could be on your computer hard drive or your phone, but make sure that it is something that would be Ok to share with the class!
Provide Metadata about that image that includes:
- Title - Give the image a title
- Location
- Date it was taken
- Who took the photo
- What device it was taken on
- A summary description of the photo (think about someone deciding whether they want to view the image based on your description in 100 years from now)
What metadata does an image have that is "born digital"?
Some interesting articles about our own Metadata!
What about our own metadata?Here are a few articles that outline the facts about our own personal metadata and who can access it.
https://www.smh.com.au/technology/what-is-metadata-and-should-you-worry-if-yours-is-stored-by-law-20140806-100zae.html
https://www.smh.com.au/technology/what-is-metadata-and-should-you-worry-if-yours-is-stored-by-law-20140806-100zae.html
And information about a review that has recommended some changes to the mandatory data retention regime (known as the ‘metadata law’)
Metadata Standards
There are a number of different metadata standards that can be used with digital repositories. The standard that you use will depend on the purpose of your repository and country.This describes the Information Management standards for Australian Government Agencies
https://www.naa.gov.au/information-management/information-management-standards
The documents are large and wordy, but worthwhile to skim through. Here is the highlight!
5.2. Obligation
5.2.1 Obligation categories
AGLS metadata properties fall into four obligation categories—
(a) mandatory: these properties must be present in all metadata records;
(b) conditional: these properties must be present under certain circumstances;
(c) recommended: there may be valid reasons in particular circumstances not to include
these properties, but the full implications must be understood and carefully weighed; and
(d) optional: these properties are truly optional.
Implementations that use Recommended or Optional properties must be fully interoperable
with those that do not.
5.2.2 Mandatory properties
Three AGLS properties must be present in a metadata record for compliance with this
Standard. The mandatory properties are—
(a) creator;
(b) title; and
(c) date (or a related property).
In the case of date, this Standard specifies that the date property or at least one of the related
available, created, dateCopyrighted, dateLicensed, issued, modified or valid properties must
appear in a metadata description to be a valid instance of date.
5.2.3 Conditional properties
Three AGLS properties are conditional and must be present under certain circumstances. The
conditional properties are—
(a) availability (mandatory for offline resources);
(b) identifier (mandatory for online resources); and
(c) publisher (mandatory for information resources)
In the case of identifier and availability, at least one of those two properties must appear in a
metadata description depending on the nature of the resource. If the resource is only
available online, the identifier property must be used. If the resource is only available offline,
the availability property must be used. If the resource is available both online and offline,
both properties may be used.
The publisher property must be used for descriptions of information resources (it is optional
for descriptions of services).
5.2.4 Recommended properties
Five AGLS properties are recommended. There may be valid reasons in particular
circumstances not to include these properties, but the full implications must be understood
and carefully weighed. The recommended properties are—
(a) description;
(b) function (if subject is not used);
(c) language (where the language of the resource is not English);
(d) subject (if function is not used); and
(e) type
In the case of subject and function, this Standard recommends that at least one of those two
properties should appear in a metadata description.
The language property should be used where the described resource is in a language other
than English.
The use of Recommended properties should be consistent when describing collections of
similar or related resources.
5.2.5 Optional properties
All other properties are optional.
AGLS metadata standard
This AGLS Metadata Standard (Australian Government Locator Service) provides a set of metadata properties and associated usage guidelines to improve the visibility, manageability and interoperability of online information and services. http://www.agls.gov.au/The documents are large and wordy, but worthwhile to skim through. Here is the highlight!
5.2. Obligation
5.2.1 Obligation categories
AGLS metadata properties fall into four obligation categories—
(a) mandatory: these properties must be present in all metadata records;
(b) conditional: these properties must be present under certain circumstances;
(c) recommended: there may be valid reasons in particular circumstances not to include
these properties, but the full implications must be understood and carefully weighed; and
(d) optional: these properties are truly optional.
Implementations that use Recommended or Optional properties must be fully interoperable
with those that do not.
5.2.2 Mandatory properties
Three AGLS properties must be present in a metadata record for compliance with this
Standard. The mandatory properties are—
(a) creator;
(b) title; and
(c) date (or a related property).
In the case of date, this Standard specifies that the date property or at least one of the related
available, created, dateCopyrighted, dateLicensed, issued, modified or valid properties must
appear in a metadata description to be a valid instance of date.
5.2.3 Conditional properties
Three AGLS properties are conditional and must be present under certain circumstances. The
conditional properties are—
(a) availability (mandatory for offline resources);
(b) identifier (mandatory for online resources); and
(c) publisher (mandatory for information resources)
In the case of identifier and availability, at least one of those two properties must appear in a
metadata description depending on the nature of the resource. If the resource is only
available online, the identifier property must be used. If the resource is only available offline,
the availability property must be used. If the resource is available both online and offline,
both properties may be used.
The publisher property must be used for descriptions of information resources (it is optional
for descriptions of services).
5.2.4 Recommended properties
Five AGLS properties are recommended. There may be valid reasons in particular
circumstances not to include these properties, but the full implications must be understood
and carefully weighed. The recommended properties are—
(a) description;
(b) function (if subject is not used);
(c) language (where the language of the resource is not English);
(d) subject (if function is not used); and
(e) type
In the case of subject and function, this Standard recommends that at least one of those two
properties should appear in a metadata description.
The language property should be used where the described resource is in a language other
than English.
The use of Recommended properties should be consistent when describing collections of
similar or related resources.
5.2.5 Optional properties
All other properties are optional.
Obligation
http://www.agls.gov.au/documents/obligation/Victorian Information
Victorian Implementation Manual https://www.vic.gov.au/agls-metadata-victorian-government-implementation-guideRecord keeping A-Z from PROV https://prov.vic.gov.au/recordkeeping-government/a-z-topics/
Tools
Generator http://www.agls.gov.au/generatorValidator http://www.agls.gov.au/validator
Class Activity 3
What is AGLS?Who should use it?
Why do we need standards?
Australian Government Recordkeeping Metadata Standard
The Australian Government Recordkeeping Metadata Standard (AGRkMS) Version 2.2 describes information about records and the context in which they are captured and used in Australian Government agencies.
The standard is designed to be used as a tool by personnel involved in information and records management, data management and information and communication
https://www.naa.gov.au/information-management/information-management-standards/australian-government-recordkeeping-metadata-standard
Is it the same as AGLS?
https://www.librarianshipstudies.com/2018/12/anglo-american-cataloguing-rules-aacr.html
https://www2.archivists.org/groups/standards-committee/anglo-american-cataloging-rules-2nd-edition-revised-aacr2
http://aacr28.blogspot.com.au/
What is MARC/MARC21?
What are the 8 Principles behind the standard?
Dublin Core
Dublin Core is an initiative to create a digital "library card catalogue" for the Web. Dublin Core is made up of 15 metadata (data that describes data) elements that offer expanded cataloguing information and improved document indexing for search engine programs.
The 15 metadata elements used by Dublin Core are: title (the name given the resource), creator (the person or organization responsible for the content), subject (the topic covered), description (a textual outline of the content), publisher (those responsible for making the resource available), contributor (those who added to the content), date (when the resource was made available), type (a category for the content), format (how the resource is presented), identifier (numerical identifier for the content such as a URL), source (where the content originally derived from), language (in what language the content is written), relation (how the content relates to other resources, for instance, if it is a chapter in a book), coverage (where the resource is physically located), and rights (a link to a copyright notice).
Two forms of Dublin Core exist: Simple Dublin Core and Qualified Dublin Core. Simple Dublin Core expresses elements as attribute-value pairs using just the 15 metadata elements from the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set. Qualified Dublin Core increases the specificity of metadata by adding information about encoding schemes, enumerated lists of values, or other processing clues. While enabling searches to be more specific, qualifiers are also more complex and can pose challenges to interoperability.
Each method of recording or transferring Dublin Core metadata has its plusses and minuses. HTML, XML, RDF, and relational databases are among the more common methods.
The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative began in 1995, taking its name from the location of the original workshop, Dublin, Ohio. It has since become international in scope and has representatives from more than 20 countries now contributing. Dublin Core has always held that resource discovery should be independent from the medium of the resource. So, while Dublin Core targets electronic resources, it aims to be flexible enough to help in searches for more traditional formats of data too. Web sites, though, are the most common users of Dublin Core.
More information on Dublin Core Metadata Initiative:
Class Activity 4
What is Dublin Core?Is it the same as AGLS?
AACR / AACR2
AACR stands for Anglo-American Cataloging Rules. AACR2 is no longer being maintained and is being replaced with RDA (Resource Description and Access). Here are a couple of definitions and explanations:https://www.librarianshipstudies.com/2018/12/anglo-american-cataloguing-rules-aacr.html
https://www2.archivists.org/groups/standards-committee/anglo-american-cataloging-rules-2nd-edition-revised-aacr2
http://aacr28.blogspot.com.au/
MARC / MARC21
More information on AACR and MARC
Class Activity 5
What is MARC/MARC21?
Information Management Standard
https://www.naa.gov.au/information-management/information-management-standardsClass Activity 6
What is the Information Management Standard?What are the 8 Principles behind the standard?
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