Metadata Applications and Management

Citation

Currier, S. (2005), "Metadata Applications and Management", Library Review, Vol. 54 No. 1, pp. 72-73. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530510574219

Research and practice in metadata technologies, standards, vocabularies and implementation have expanded exponentially in recent years. Because of the rapid evolution involved, it has been difficult for interested professionals and students to find an up‐to‐date overview conveniently packaged in one place. Before reading this yearbook I doubted the wisdom and suitability of trying to create a textbook or similar resource surveying metadata issues, but I am pleased to note that in the main the editors have done a wonderful job of gathering and structuring well‐written, accurate, in‐depth articles by acknowledged metadata experts.

They note themselves in the introduction that a major omission is metadata in the sciences. However, what they do cover is substantial, and includes metadata in music, the arts, and spatial data; metadata in government; archival metadata; educational metadata; bibliographic metadata; professional education in metadata and cataloguing (to my mind an area of vital importance for the future); preservation metadata; metadata standards; and metadata in developing countries, focused on China.

The first section sets the scene with two introductory chapters, both readable and comprehensive, covering complementary areas. Paul Miller gives an overview of what metadata is and what the general questions and issues are, based on examples from “memory institutions”, i.e. libraries, museums and archives, with their long history of practice and research into metadata‐related problems and solutions. Anne Gilliland‐Swetland brings the topic up‐to‐date with an overview of current concerns, such as issues of granularity and plurality, the politics of metadata, and an overview of emergent issues such as digital rights management and metadata for e‐learning. Just reading these two introductions would provide an excellent overview for a manager or student seeking to understand metadata.

As someone who has worked in e‐learning for several years, and prior to this in arts librarianship, naturally I went straight to my own areas to see how well they were covered. I was slightly disappointed that educational metadata was mainly presented by writers from within the libraries/Dublin Core domain. However, Anne Gilliland‐Swetland and Stuart Sutton are true experts; they certainly do not omit much in the factual sense. This yearbook is, after all, aimed at librarians and information managers. The third “educational” contributor, Jon Mason is based more centrally within the e‐learning metadata domain, but his chapter focuses heavily on the Australian experience, which means that much key work is omitted. The problem with this coverage is that readers will not get a clear enough view of the vast non‐library‐based metadata world that exists in e‐learning, nor of what the tensions are between the two areas. Because librarians will be called on more in the future to support e‐learning developments, this is important.

On the subject of metadata and the arts, I could have devoted an entire review to Simon Pockley's chapter alone. It stands out from the rest in style and intention; it is provocative and entertaining, and perhaps the most suitable to experienced readers. Its great value is in the way it explores the metadata problem space as a fulcrum point between a number of disparate cultures: what he terms “Creatives”, “Metaphiles”, “Educators” and so forth. If I could pick one piece of writing on metadata to be required reading for anyone working in the area this would be it.

Overall, a brilliant job carried out by true “Metaphiles”. If you need a complete overview to hand and have time to read in‐depth material, this is the one.