Metadata

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What is Metadata?

Metadata at its simplest is data about data. Definition from the National Information Standards Organization (NISO):


"Metadata is structured information that describes, explains, locates, or otherwise makes it easier to retrieve, use, or manage an information resource." Descriptive, technical, administrative and preservation metadata is added to digital objects to enable users to find assets relevant to their research needs. Good metadata promotes the discovery of quality resources in the digital environment.

 

Types of Metadata

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Administrative

Facilitates the management of resources. It can include elements such as preservation and rights management, creation date, copyright permissions, required software, provenance (history), and file integrity checks. 

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Descriptive

Enables discovery, identification, and selection of resources. It can include elements such as title, author, 
and subjects. 

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Preservation

Describes the process and technical aspects of the preservation process for analog and born digital collections. Preservation metadata is a log of the series of actions taken against an object to ensure it longevity and viability. 

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Structural

Used in machine processing, describes relationships among various parts of a resource, including the format, process, and inter-relatedness of objects. It can be used to facilitate navigation or define the format or sequence of 
complex objects. 

Areas of Expertise

What role can metadata play in your digital project? Digital Library Services staff provide consultation on metadata best practices for members of the University of Oregon learning community. 

Metadata Application Profiles 
A metadata application profile is a set of elements or defined data points used to capture information about a resource. Common elements include title, identifier, creator, and date. Selection of appropriate metadata elements makes collections more helpful for users. 
Metadata Standards 
Metadata standards define methods and patterns for recording and encoding metadata so that it can be interpreted and reused appropriately. These standards play an important role in ensuring library users can find, select, and obtain the information resources they need. 
Controlled Vocabularies 
Many diverse user communities create, collect, and manage information resources, and many have created elements for describing information in ways helpful to them. Understanding and implementing controlled vocabularies is an essential part of metadata design. 
Crosswalks and Mappings 
Metadata crosswalks and mappings translate elements and values from one vocabulary or schema to another. They facilitate interoperability between different metadata models and are essential for metadata harvesting and record exchange. 
Linked Open Data 
Linked open data is constructed using global identifiers for information resources, their attributes, and the relationships between them. Creating structured data using global identifiers can make your research more discoverable and useful. 
Cataloging Multimedia 
Digital Library Services staff have expertise describing a broad variety of resources including photographs, manuscripts, rare books, and newspapers. We also create metadata for audiovisual resources and emerging digital formats. 

Resources

Interested in how metadata is being used in Oregon Digital? Take a look at the Oregon Digital Metadata Application Profile. Metadata support for data management is provided by Data Services staff.