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Contents 1 Metadata Content Issues 1.1 Goals for the Shareable Metadata Best Practices 1.2 Shareable Metadata Best Practices 1.3 Tools Needed 1.4 Open Questions 1.5 Useful Sources, Guidelines, and Standards

[edit] Metadata Content Issues

[edit] Goals for the Shareable Metadata Best Practices

• Stress that metadata quality drives services
• Data Providers should provide the richest metadata format available
• We want to raise the bar from simple Dublin Core and try to get the best metadata we can get.
• Link to CharacterEncoding and other MetadataTechnical issues when appropriate
• Organize content according to data provider workflow needed to produce OAI records
• Whenever possible also give examples of "worst" practices
  • Missing and inconsistent data [Ann]
  • Inconsistent element use
  • Incorrect or useless data (e.g. <dc:creator>unknown</dc:creator>
  • Confusing data (e.g. repeating values)
  • Insufficient data (e.g. missing scope in broader context ("on the horse"))
  • Element "packing" (i.e., placing multiple values in one element: <subject>History; Economics</subject> instead of multiple elements)
  • Errors (e.g., hanging parentheses)

[edit] Shareable Metadata Best Practices

• Introduction [Jenn, Ann] - Complete

• General recommendations
  • Metadata needs to be appropriate to the content - Complete
  • Reiterate that multiple formats are encouraged [Arwen, Jenn, Clay, Ann]
  • Describing Versions and Reproductions (Formerly: Describing digital or tactile resource) - Complete
  • Describing wrapper/container/portal interface vs. describing ultimate object - Complete
  • Granularity (does the record describe a thing, a part of a thing, or lots of things) [Muriel, Bill, Ann]
  • Indication of source of metadata [Diane, Bill]

• Give list of recommended formats (such as schemas with xsd's available) [Tom, Clay, Ann]
  • Qualified DC, MODS, MARC, METS (give specific profile)
  • Smaller subsets of schemas (e.g. small number of "most useful" fields)

• Recommendations for classes of data elements [Arwen, Jenn]
  • Titles
  • Names
  • Dates
  • Subjects / Topics
  • Language
  • Geographic Places
  • Identifiers
  • Rights for resources
  • Bibliographic Citation [Diane]

• Crosswalking logic - Complete

• Other issues
  • Rights for metadata [see RightsContainer]

• Final preparations [Sarah]

[edit] Tools Needed

• Better crosswalks (and good crosswalking strategies)
• Recommended format schemas
• Date normalization tool or Web Service

[edit] Open Questions

• Should we be talking about elements or about records? Start with a schema that allows us to express provenance at element level (NSDL working on this).
• Integrity, trust, evaluation issues - whose metadata is best, and how do we support assertions of quality?

[edit] Useful Sources, Guidelines, and Standards

• NSDL Metadata Primer
• NSDL Metadata Resources Page
• RLG Description Guidelines for Cultural Materials
• Experimental OAI Registry at UIUC

See also MetadataTechnical Issues
See also Public View of Shareable Metadata