What is metadata and why is it important?

Norm Friesen, CanCore Initiative

normf@athabascau.ca

www.cancore.ca

Introduction

• Purpose– Describe what metadata is– Explain its purpose and importance– Describe the new CanCore Protocol

• Norm Friesen, PhD– Director, CanCore Initiative– Librarian, educator, programmer

Topics of Discussion

• Define metadata– What it was: libraries– What it is: IMS; Dublin Core– What it will be: CanCore

• Role of Metadata in a repository– Relationship to resources– Relationship to users’ needs

Metadata: Introduction

• Definition:– Metadata is “data about data”– Describes and classifies resources that are

usually digital

Metadata: Introduction, con’t

• Enable discoverability: seamless, single-click access– Multimedia resources– Combined resources– Educational purposes and audiences

• Facilitate:– technical interoperability– Administration of materials

Metadata: what it was

Metadata: what it was

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Issues for Educational Objects

• Electronic format needs to be readable by both machines and humans

• Metadata needs to be created by non-librarians

• Need to describe educational aspects of resources

Metadata: What it is

• Dublin Core Metadata Initiative– 15 Elements; all “core”– No confirmed elements for education

• IEEE LOM– 76 Elements– Clear leader in metadata for educational

objects

Problems with the LOM

• Too few core elements

• Too many optional elements

• Ambiguities in definitions

• No guidelines or interpretations available for implementation– be careful if someone says they’re using IMS

for their resources

What it will be; CanCore

• Establishes a core of 43 LOM elements

• CanCore established for the purposes of sharing data between collections

• Will provide guidelines and interpretations that will address ambiguities and facilitate implementation

CanCore Con’t

• Is being used in the architecture of the national EduSource projects

• Funding and support from:– Netera Alliance– TeleCampus.edu– Electronic Text Centre at UNB

• Alberta Learning

CanCore: Benefits

• Architecture: Easy sharing of resources across collections

• User: Seamless, single-click access to wide variety of resources

Metadata and Resources

CanCore, Con’t

• There are degrees of compliance with CanCore (or any metadata standard)

• The more of CanCore (elements and guidelines for their use) that can be utilized, the greater the seamlessness of resource use can be expected & greater discoverability

Next Steps

• Finalize draft of element descriptions and guidelines

• Establish subject vocabularies for K-12, university, and technical institutions in the province

• Establish advisory & maintenance roles for metadata

Athabasca Digital Library In a BoxAthabasca Digital Library In a Box

Norm Friesen

Athabasca University

normf@athabascau.ca

http://adlib.athabascau.ca

Web Server Software:• Web-based; no software to download/install• Portable, self-contained, linked• Create, store and search metadata• Open Source • Open protocols for sharing records• Browser-independent • Based on open source software• Create XML record, submit to a database,

submit to AD LIB

Metadata creation:• Upload or link to resources• Simplified interface based on CanCore

best practice recommendations• Future features:

– multilingual interface– Customizable appearance– Accessibility for those with disabilities

(Section 508, W3C)

Technology:• Front-end: PHP - open source "Hypertext

Processor" programming language• Back-end: Object-relational Postgres database• Simplified interface based on CanCore best

practices recommendations• Object-oriented, modular, extensible, design• Minimal client side functionality required (no

cookies, etc.)

Support:

• CANARIE Inc: Canada's Internet Development Organization

• The NETERA Alliance

• Alberta Learning

• Athabasca University