Meta, What-a?

My last few blogs have dealt with my some type of experience from working at the Undergraduate Library. Today, I’ve decided to venture back into researching topics that are unknown to me. Recently, an email was sent out on the listerv about e-portfolios. Before obtaining their MLIS degree from WSU, students who enrolled in the program by fall 2009 must complete an e-portfolio. Many posts went out about what the e-portfolios should feature, but I found one to be very informative. This email discussed the value of having an e-portfolio and also mentioned metadata, which was a term I didn’t understand. Since I didn’t know what metadata meant, the remainder of this blog will discuss my findings about the term.

First, metadata is structured information that describes, explains, locates, or otherwise makes it easier to retrieve, use, or manage an information resource (NISO, 2004). Metadata is often called data about data or information about information (NISO, 2004). I read at least three confusing definitions of metadata before coming to this definition by NISO. What I appreciated about their definition was that it was written in a very simple and understanding way.

Next, in the library environment, metadata is commonly used for any formal scheme of resource description, applying to any type of object, digital or non-digital (NISO, 2004). Traditional library cataloging is a form of metadata; MARC 21 and the rule sets used with it, such as AACR2, are metadata standards (NISO). Okay, now I understand metadata better because of using MARC. When I use to volunteer at the Charles Wright African American Museum, I would catalog books using Koha thus becoming familiar with creating MARC records.

Also, there are five types of metadata, descriptive, structural, and administrative, rights management, and preservation (NISO, 2004). Descriptive metadata describes a resource for purposes such as discovery and identification. It can include elements such as title, abstract, author, and keywords (NISO, 2004). Structural metadata indicates the how compound objects are put together, for example, how pages are ordered to form chapters (NISO, 2004). Administrative metadata provides information to help manage a resource, such as when and how it was created, file type and other technical information, and who can access it (NISO, 2004). Rights management metadata deals with intellectual property rights (NISO, 2004). Preservation metadata contains information needed to archive and preserve a resource (NISO, 2004). After learning the different types of metadata, I realize that I am most familiar with descriptive metadata, as it most relates to creating MARC records.

In closing, I can honestly say that I am more familiar with metadata. A part of me is somewhat overwhelmed by the many roles metadata plays but at least now I know what it is. It is hoped that my new understanding of metadata will spread into the many other areas where it exists.

References

National Information Standards Organization (2004). Using metadata. Retrieved from http://www.niso.org/publications/press/UnderstandingMetadata.pdf