Metadata for Digital Collections: A How‐to‐do‐it Manual

Citation

Dobreva, M. (2012), "Metadata for Digital Collections: A How‐to‐do‐it Manual", Library Review, Vol. 61 No. 5, pp. 378-379. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242531211280496

Before writing the review, I conducted a quick search on metadata in the books section of Amazon. It returned 1,950 titles, with this one included. One could ask whether we need yet another book on metadata when there are so many books already available, many of which look at metadata from various angles and to different depths. What would make it different from those other publications? Is it possible to have a “how‐to‐do‐it” manual which would be helpful enough to learn about metadata in general, when there are is abundance of schemas and guidelines in this domain? After all, metadata – data about data – is a concept which has led to so many practical developments that a book to help readers understand it and how to apply it in a particular memory institution environment was surely created some time ago. These days it is more likely that guidance on choosing from the multiple possibilities of metadata schemas available is what is really required.

This book from Facet goes some way to covering both the “what” and the “how”. It does not only help the reader to understand what metadata is, by taking into account the recent developments in the domains of linked data and the semantic web, but also provides helpful guidance on practical issues related to designing, documenting and using a metadata schema. Any author of a book about metadata faces a difficult issue – the world of metadata is huge and growing, and it is difficult to strike a balance between an overly detailed explanation reminiscent of a technical manual and a birds‐eye generic overview that will not help in answering the types of questions asked by a professional who works with metadata on a daily basis, or by a student who requires a detailed understanding of it.

Stephen J. Miller, a Senior Lecturer in information studies at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA, successfully manages to find the middle ground – the first five chapters of the book provide an introduction to metadata for digital collections (Chapter 1), to resource description and Dublin Core (Chapter 2), to resource identification and responsibility elements (Chapter 3), resource content (Chapter 4), and controlled vocabularies (Chapter 5). These chapters set a solid basis for understanding the essence of metadata.

Instead of covering dozens of different metadata schemas briefly, the book then looks in more detail into three very popular ones: XML‐encoded metadata (Chapter 6), MODS, the Metadata Object Description Schema (Chapter 7) and VRA Core, the Visual Resources Association Core Categories (Chapter 8). These chapters provide very clear explanation and helpful examples.

Finally, the book contextualises the metadata‐related issues of interoperability, shareability and quality (Chapter 9), designing and documenting a metadata scheme (Chapter 10) and linked data and the semantic web (Chapter 11).

The book offers clear tables and examples which provide an additional means to understand the similarities and differences of analogue objects which cultural collections tend now to present in a digital form. In addition to such examples in the book, there is also an accompanying web site (www.neal‐schuman.com/metadata‐digital‐collections/) which provides further illustrations and well‐designed exercises. Both the book and the web site also provide links to sources for effective further reading which would not overwhelm the readers who would like to explore the area further.

There are some issues which, although relevant, are not addressed in detail in the book – while it helps to understand how metadata can be used in access, the matter of creating metadata for preservation is not covered in depth. Also, besides its thorough coverage of metadata for digital resources, the book does not address in great detail the issue of designing collection‐level descriptions (Heaney, 2000). Having these two areas addressed would strengthen this otherwise excellent book.

The book would be most useful for information professionals across various sectors (libraries, archives, museums and publishing) as well as students. If you have to choose one of those almost 2,000 books to gain a good understanding of metadata and how to work with it… go for this one – it will make a great choice!