LIS-S 634 Metadata
3 credits
- Prerequisite(s): LIS-S 500, LIS-S S503, LIS-S 507
- Delivery: Online
- Semesters offered: Fall (Check the schedule to confirm.)
Description
Metadata is essential in designing and developing effective knowledge systems; it facilitates resource discovery, database documentation, and recording digital documents’ textual and conceptual histories. This course introduces principles supporting the development and implementation of metadata schemes, focusing on issues of interoperability, internal and external standardization, and evaluation. Proper understanding and development of metadata is the responsibility of any librarian or information professional. Cataloging with the MARC standard has been a major task for decades, and you must begin any discussion of metadata with a look at this old but venerable standard. You then move on, however, to an exploration of metadata designed for digital collections. The study of Dublin Core will introduce you to the main concepts of object description and also allow you to acquire some skills in MODS and VRA standards as you also explore METS and PREMIS. You will use a full-featured digital-asset management system (CONTENTdm) to perform some hands-on exercises and development. The course will also cover concepts of bad and/or biased metadata.
Program Learning Goals Supported
Instructors map their courses to specific LIS Program Goals. Mapped program goals drive the design of each course and what students can expect to generally learn.
- Organize and Represent Information
- Innovate Professional Practice with Information Services and Technology
- Examine Systemic Inequalities to Improve Library and Information Practices through Equitable and Socially Just Interventions
Learning Outcomes
Instructors develop learning outcomes for their courses. Students can expect to be able to achieve the learning outcomes for a given course after successfully completing the course.
- Differentiate types of metadata used in any information setting
- Appraise the concepts of metadata theory and metadata standards
- Compare and contrast various metadata practices and their relevance in describing different resources
- Create several types of metadata using common tools to describe both digital and non-digital items
- Develop metadata schemes to meet the requirements of different collections or organizations
- Map metadata schemes
- Use a DAM (Digital Asset Manager) for uploading a digital collection
- Evaluate the social and technical impact of metadata
Course Overview
Instruction is in Canvas. Lessons are organized into Modules whose length may vary.
Module 1: The MARC standard
- Obtain a WorldCat Account for CONTENTdm
- Assess traditional library metadata
Module 2: Introduction to metadata | Metadata basics
- Create a metadata schema for an object of your choice
- Critique another student's schema and react to your comments
Module 3: Introduction to Simple (Unqualified) Dublin Core
- Map to Simple (Unqualified) Dublin Core
- Interpret your Dublin Core mapping issues
Module 4: Introduction to Qualified Dublin Core
- Develop a resource using Dublin Core
- Evaluate a Dublin Core element
Module 5: Review Qualified Dublin Core
- Develop a resource using Dublin Core
- Become acquainted with CONTENTdm
- Upload your resource and metadata to CONTENTdm
Module 6: Improving resource discovery: encoding schemes, controlled vocabularies
- Create a digital collection
- Upload your resource and metadata to CONTENTdm
Module 7: Creating a QDC collection
- Evaluate metadata for all class collections
Module 8: XML-encoded metadata
- Generate tab-delimited text metadata
- Generate XML-encoded metadata
- Evaluate your collection's exports
Module 9: MODS
- Convert MODS to Dublin Core
- Compare/contrast MODS and Dublin Core
Module 10: VRA Core 4.0
- Map VRA Core 4.0 to Qualified Dublin Core
Module 11: Metadata sharing | OAI
- Harvest data via OAI and examine it
Module 12: METS
- Analyze a METS document
Module 13: PREMIS
- Evaluate the role of PREMIS for preservation
Module 14: Metadata misapplications and errors
- Evaluate the impact of metadata quality (accuracy)
Module 15: Interpret biased metadata practices
- Evaluate the impact of biased metadata
Policies and Procedures
Please be aware of the following linked policies and procedures. Note that in individual courses instructors will have stipulations specific to their course.