Module 4b: Description and Access

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Module 4b Description and Access

• IMT530 Organization of Information Resources
• Winter 2008
• Michael Crandall

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Recap

• Metadata schemas are used to present a consistent
  view of an information object (content) to users
  and administrators
• Schemas are built to satisfy particular aspects
  of object management and description
• Administrative, structural and descriptive
• The model has to be instantiated in syntax before
  it can be used, and the semantics have to be
  defined for use
• Mixing metadata elements is the norm rather than
  the exception
• Whats important is documenting and managing your
  schema so your assumptions are visible

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http//www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/im-gi/index_e.asp
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Module 4b Outline

• Description
• Description vs. Access
• Why is Access Important?
• Some Assumptions
• Decisions
• Examples

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Description

• Metadata is used to describe information objects
  for use
• May be for end users or administrators
• As weve seen, its important to think about that
  use prior to building your metadata schema
• The metadata elements you decide upon will
  provide the system and users view of your
  information objects
• Its important to get these elements right, so
  that users can find what they need

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What are you Describing?

• The question of what it is that you describe is a
  difficult one, and has impact on your metadata
  choice
• We mentioned FRBR in the first class-
  distinguishes four levels of abstraction
  surrounding an information object
• The work exists in the mind of the creator
• The expression a physical realization of the
  idea, may be multiple versions
• The manifestation a particular version of the
  expression in a physical format
• The item a specific instance of the
  manifestation
• Each of these levels can be described, and may
  have value for a user
• In practice, usually deal with the item (e.g., a
  web page or a part of a web page, a particular
  copy of an edition of a book)

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More Questions

• Is an object a single event or a series?
• Important in the library world because of
  monographs and serials
• In other environments may have continuous
  publication (blogs, wikis)
• Describing these for use (through RSS or other
  services) depends on clear description and access
  points
• Does an object have multiple parts?
• Do you describe the container or the items inside
  it?
• Periodicals (academic journals, newspapers, etc.)
  are a good example in the library world
• A web page (or a web site) is another example
• Each of these questions requires decisions about
  the metadata used for description and access
• Need to make these decisions before designing
  your schema

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Description vs. Access

• As weve seen, virtually any metadata element may
  hold descriptive data about an information object
• Generally, metadata elements used for description
  derive their values from the object itself
  (intrinsic metadata)
• Some elements provide a unique description of the
  object, so it is important to make sure that
  those values are distinctive and clear
• In library catalogs, these descriptive elements
  are called out for special treatment as access
  points
• Important because a user needs to have some entry
  into the domain being managed
• Facilitates retrieval or collocation of documents
• Other descriptive elements give information about
  items after retrieval and aid user selection or
  choice
• Can be equally important in non-library
  environments as well

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Why is Access Important?

• Users dont know whats in your information
  system unless you make it explicit
• Information objects may have many manifestations
  (PDF file, Word doc, video, sound file) or
  components (multi-part web pages) of interest to
  a user
• Without a way to bring similar objects together
  under a single access point, its difficult for a
  user to know when theyve gotten what they need
• For the most part, these access points are
  through names and subjects
• Enabled through establishing rules for form and
  creating relationships between values in metadata
  elements

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Libraries vs. the Wild Web

• In a library catalog, the access points are
  chosen to get users to the items they are looking
  for- Cutters Objects of the Catalog
• To enable a person to find a book where the
  author, title or subject is known
• To show what the library has by a given author on
  a given subject in a given kind of literature
• To assist in the choice of a book as to its
  edition or its character
• On the web (used broadly as an interface to
  non-library information), these same objects
  still apply
• But there are generally not consistent name or
  subject authorities to guide users
• In fact, there may be no control over these
  values at all
• So satisfying the objects becomes difficult
  without some form of controlled metadata in areas
  where this is important

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Some Assumptions

• Users will look for objects based on information
  they have available
• May not match what is in the system
• May be starting with partial information
• Users will want to see all the information
  objects that relate to their search grouped
  together
• They may not know that more is available
• The item they are looking for may not be the most
  appropriate for their needs

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Decisions to Make

• What are the most important access points for the
  user?
• This will determine where you put your efforts
• For these access points, what do you know about
  the objects youre managing?
• This determines how you will build your control
  for the access point
• What do you know about user needs related to
  these access points?
• This determines the relationships you will have
  to establish to meet the users needs for
  retrieval and collocation of objects

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Some Examples in Practice

• Information Management Resource Center
• http//www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/im-gi/index_e.asp
• WebJunction
• http//webjunction.org
• Monash University Library Web Content Management
  System
• http//www.lib.monash.edu/metadata/cms-metadata.ht
  ml
• National Library of Australia
• http//www.nla.gov.au/metadata.html

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Questions?

• Take a break and spend a few minutes looking at
  the examples in the last slide, thinking about
  how the sites use metadata to facilitate access
  and management of the site content
• Well discuss your observations before launching
  into the exercise for today

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Exercise 4

• Purpose is to examine differences between library
  authority control and that used in other systems
• Spend the next 30 minutes exploring the examples
  in Exercise 4
• Ask questions and talk!!!
• Be sure to hand in completed work at the end of
  class for credit

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Next Week

• More on authority control and encoding schemes
• A start on subject analysis
• Remember to read assignments BEFORE class
• Next steps in building out your MSIM schemas