Pathfinder: 3139 (72)    Created: MIA  2002-02-19   
    Modified:MIA  2002-05-15

Metadata Resources
Metadata Resources
Metadata is used to aid in the identification, description, and location of networked electronic resources. There are many different metadata standards that run the gamut from simple to complex, generalized to community specific. This guide provides links to a select group of metadata resources and related topics.

Table of Contents
General Resources  
Dublin Core Resources  
Encoded Archival Description  
Metadata Standards for Art Objects  
Metadata Standards for Geographic Data  
Text Encoding Initiative  
ONIX  
Open Archives Initiative  
XML Resources  
Resource Description Framework  
Related Topics  

General Resources
Introduction to metadata  (http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/standards/intrometadata)
Metadata, which can be broadly defined as "data about data," refers to the searchable definitions used to locate information. Introduction to Metadata defines this little-understood concept, explains its importance and potential uses in the networked environment, and describes existing metadata standards in the field of cultural heritage information. A glossary of terms and expressions and a bibliography provide useful information for understanding this timely topic.
W3C World Wide Web Consortium  (http://www.w3.org/)
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) develops interoperable technologies (specifications, guidelines, software, and tools) to lead the Web to its full potential as a forum for information, commerce, communication, and collective understanding.

Dublin Core Resources
Dublin Core Metadata Initiative  (http://dublincore.org)
The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative is an open forum engaged in the development of interoperable online metadata standards that support a broad range of purposes and business models. DCMI's activities include consensus-driven working groups, global workshops, conferences, standards liaison, and educational efforts to promote widespread acceptance of metadata standards and practices.
Dublin Core Element Set  (http://dublincore.org/documents/dces)
Version 1.1
Dublin Core Qualifiers  (http://dublincore.org/documents/dcmes-qualifiers/)
This document describes the principles governing Dublin Core qualifiers, the two categories of qualifiers, and lists instances of qualifiers approved by the Dublin Core Usage Committee.
Library Application Profile  (http://dublincore.org/documents/2001/10/12/library-application-profile/)
This document proposes a possible application profile that clarifies the use of the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set in libraries and library-related applications and projects. It was prepared by the DCMI-Libraries Application Profile working group, a subset of the DCMI-Libraries Working Group.
Using Dublin Core  (http://dublincore.org/documents/usageguide/)
This document is intended as an entry point for users of Dublin Core. For non-specialists, it will assist them in creating simple descriptive records for information resources (for example, electronic documents). Specialists may find the document a useful point of reference to the documentation of Dublin Core, as it changes and grows.
Guidelines for Implementing Dublin Core in XML  (http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/metadata/dcmi/dc-xml-guidelines/)
This document provides guidelines for people implementing Dublin Core metadata applications using XML. It considers both simple (unqualified) DC and qualified DC. In each case, the underlying metadata model is described (in a syntax neutral way), followed by some specific guidelines for XML implementations. Guidance on the use of non-DC metadata is also provided. Finally, a mechanism for linking multiple XML metadata records is suggested.

Encoded Archival Description
EAD  (http://www.loc.gov/ead/)
The EAD Document Type Definition (DTD) is a standard for encoding archival finding aids using the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML). This site also provides access to the EAD Tag Library and Application Guidelines.
Encoded Archival Description Finding Aids  (http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/ead/eadhome.html)
Archival finding aids are detailed guides to primary source material which provide fuller information than that normally contained within cataloging records. This page provides links to all the archival finding aids at the Library of Congress which have been encoded in SGML using Encoded Archival Description.
EAD Help Pages  (http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/ead/)
The Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Round Table of American Archivists presents a collection of Internet resources on EAD. The round table is dedicated to the implementation and use of the Encoded Archival Description Document Type Definition (EAD. DTD) for dissemination of archival information.
Encoded Archival Description  (http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/findaids/ead/)
Features a directory of Web sites on Encoded Archival Description, compiled by the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library of Duke University. Highlights projects and resources.

Metadata Standards for Art Objects
VRA Core Categories  (http://www.vraweb.org/vracore3.htm)
The VRA Core Categories, Version 3.0 consist of a single element set that can be applied as many times as necessary to create records to describe works of visual culture as well as the images that document them.
CDWA Categories for the Description of Works of Art  (http://www.getty.edu/research/institute/standards/cdwa/)
The Categories articulate a conceptual framework for describing and accessing information about objects and images. They identify vocabulary resources and descriptive practices that will make information residing in diverse systems both more compatible and more accessible. They also provide a framework to which existing art information systems can be mapped and upon which new systems can be developed.

Metadata Standards for Geographic Data
FGDC Metadata  (http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/metadata.html)
The Federal Geographic Data Committee works towards establishing policies, standards, and procedures for organizations to cooperatively produce and share geographic data. This site contains links to education and training materials, metadata tools, and geospatial metadata standards.
Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata  (http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/contstan.html)
The objectives of the standard are to provide a common set of terminology and definitions for the documentation of digital geospatial data. The standard establishes the names of data elements and compound elements (groups of data elements) to be used for these purposes, the definitions of these compound elements and data elements, and information about the values that are to be provided for the data elements.

Text Encoding Initiative
TEI Website  (http://www.tei-c.org/)
Initially launched in 1987, the TEI is an international and interdisciplinary standard that helps libraries, museums, publishers, and individual scholars represent all kinds of literary and linguistic texts for online research and teaching, using an encoding scheme that is maximally expressive and minimally obsolescent.
Guidelines for Electronic Text Encoding and Interchange  (http://www.tei-c.org/Guidelines/)
These guidelines provide the means of representing those features of a text which need to be identified explicitly in order to facilitate processing of the text by computer programs. In particular, they specify a set of tags which may be inserted in the electronic representation of the text, in order to mark the text structure and other textual features of interest. Without such explicit markers, many important features remain difficult to locate by mechanical means and difficult to process.

ONIX
Editeur : ONIX Product Information Standards  (http://www.editeur.org/onix.html)
ONIX is the international standard for representing and communicating book industry product information in electronic form. Includes Release 2.0 Guidelines and XML DTD.
ONIX Mappings to MARC  (http://www.editeur.org/onixmarc.html)

Open Archives Initiative
OAI : Open Archives Initiative  (http://www.openarchives.org/)
The Open Archives Initiative develops and promotes interoperability standards that aim to facilitate the efficient dissemination of content. This site provides access to related documents, tools, and news.
Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting  (http://www.openarchives.org/OAI_protocol/openarchivesprotocol.html)
The goal of the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting is to supply and promote an application-independent interoperability framework that can be used by a variety of communities who are engaged in publishing content on the Web.

XML Resources
XML : Extensible Markup Language  (http://www.w3.org/XML/)
The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is the universal format for structured documents and data on the Web. It is designed to improve the functionality of the Web by providing more flexible and adaptable information identification. XML is actually a `metalanguage' --a language for describing other languages--which lets you design your own customized markup languages for limitless different types of documents.
Topic List from XML4Lib Discussion List  (http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/~cpgray/xml4lib.html)
This is a compilation of resources mentioned on the XML4Lib Electronic Discussion List. Topics include: introductory information, software, validators, applications, topic maps, and more.
XML Cover Pages  (http://www.oasis-open.org/cover/sgml-xml.html)
The XML Cover Pages is a comprehensive online reference work for the Extensible Markup Language (XML) and its parent, the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML). The reference collection features extensive documentation on the application of the open, interoperable "markup language" standards, including XSL, XSLT, XPath, XQuery, XLink, XPointer, XHTML, HyTime, DSSSL, CSS, SPDL, SVG, CGM, ISO-HTML, and others.
XML Registry and Repository  (http://www.oasis-open.org/cover/xmlRegistry.html)
The development of new vocabularies and the design of "namespace" syntaxes have increased public interest in registration authorities and authentication services which could be set up to manage name conflicts. Facilities are needed for support of globally-unique names, persistent links and resources, name resolution, mapping between public and system identifiers, etc. Several initiatives for registries and repositories have been announced.
XML Registry  (http://www.xml.org/xml/registry.jsp)
Provides a registry of XML schemas/DTDs listed by industry.

Resource Description Framework
RDF : Resource Description Framework  (http://www.w3.org/RDF/)
The Resource Description Framework (RDF) integrates a variety of applications using XML as an interchange syntax. The RDF specifications provide a lightweight ontology system to support the exchange of knowledge on the Web.
What is RDF?  (http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue14/what-is/)
Provides introductory information about the Resource Description Framework. Includes links to further information on RDF.

Related Topics
METS Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard  (http://www.loc.gov/standards/mets/)
The METS schema is a standard for encoding descriptive, administrative, and structural metadata regarding objects within a digital library, expressed using the XML schema language of the World Wide Web Consortium. The standard is maintained in the Network Development and MARC Standards Office of the Library of Congress, and is being developed as an initiative of the Digital Library Federation.
RLG Working Group on Preservation Issues of Metadata, Final Report  (http://www.rlg.org/preserv/presmeta.html)
Discusses the role of metadata in preserving digital information in useful forms. Gives a list of sixteen metadata elements the working group deems crucial to the usefulness and perpetuation of a digital file.
Semantic Web  (http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/)
The Semantic Web is an extension of the current Web in which information is given well-defined meaning, better enabling computers and people to work in cooperation. It is the idea of having data on the Web defined and linked in a way that it can be used for more effective discovery, automation, integration, and reuse across various applications. The Web can reach its full potential if it becomes a place where data can be shared and processed by automated tools as well as by people.
Moving Theory into Practice: Digital Imaging Tutorial  (http://www.library.cornell.edu/preservation/tutorial/contents.html)
This tutorial offers base-level information on the use of digital imaging to convert and make accessible cultural heritage materials. It also introduces some concepts advocated by Cornell University Library, in particular the value of benchmarking requirements before undertaking a digital initiative. You will find here up-to-date technical information, formulas, and reality checks, designed to test your level of understanding.

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