Metadata for Web Resources: How Metadata Works on the Web

6 Notes and Sources

6.1 METADATA, the trademark

Thanks to Rick Pearsall, FGDC Metadata Coordinator, I learned that the term "Metadata" was trademarked in 1986 by The Metadata Company (The Metadata Company, http://www.metadata.com). Its invention is credited to Jack E. Myers who is said to have coined the term in early summer of 1969. The trademark should be written with capital letters and should be distinguished from both "meta data" and "meta-data".

6.2 Metadata System Examples

6.2.1 Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM)

http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/contstan.html

An outstanding example of metadata definition is that developed for Geospatial data and mandated by the Federal Government.

The standard was developed from the perspective of defining the information required by a prospective user to determine the availability of a set of geospatial data, to determine the fitness the set of geospatial data for an intended use, to determine the means of accessing the set of geospatial data, and to successfully transfer the set of geospatial data. As such, the standard establishes the names of data elements and compound elements to be used for these purposes, the definitions of these data elements and compound elements, and information about the values that are to be provided for the data elements.

As stated in the documentation for the standard, "The first impression of the CSDGM is its apparent complexity; in printed form it is about 75 pages long. This is necessary to convey the definitions of the 334 different metadata elements and their production rules. Do not let the length dismay you." (http://www.lic.wisc.edu/metadata/metaprim.htm, 'Metadata Primer -- A "How To" Guide on Metadata Implementation') If you are dismayed by its length and complexity, join the crowd!

6.2.2 U.S. Geological Survey. Government Information Locator Service.

URL: http://www.gils.net/

A useful source document is available through the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Guidelines for the Preparation of GILS Core Entries.

URL: http://www.ifla.org/documentslibraries/cataloging/metadata/naragils.txt

6.2.3 The Consortium for Interchange of Museum Information (CIMI)

From the introduction at the site: CIMI (the Consortium for the Computer Interchange of Museum Information) is committed to bringing museum information to the largest possible audience. We are a group of institutions and organizations that encourages an open standards-based approach to the management and delivery of digital museum information.

http://www.cimi.org/

A useful overview is provided in, "The use of XML as a transfer syntax for museum records during the CIMI Dublin Core test bed : some practical experiences."

http://www.cimi.org/documents/XML_for_DC_testbed_rev.doc

6.3 Other Sources

6.3.1 INDECS: interoperability of data in e-commerce systems

An international initiative of rights owners creating metadata standards for e-commerce - "putting metadata to rights" . INDECS provided the metadata model for the DOI. The site has links to background information on the INDECS project and its results.

http://www.indecs.org/index.htm

6.3.2 Digital Library: Metadata Resources -

The single best source for all aspects of resource discovery metadata

http://www.ifla.org/II/metadata.htm

6.3.3 The Resource Description Framework

Dave Beckett's Resource Description Framework (RDF) Resource Guide

http://www.ilrt.bris.ac.uk/discovery/rdf/resources/

The offical source document for RDF defines it as

Resource Description Framework (RDF) is a foundation for processing metadata; it provides interoperability between applications that exchange machine-understandable information on the Web. RDF emphasizes facilities to enable automated processing of Web resources. RDF can be used in a variety of application areas; for example: in resource discovery to provide better search engine capabilities, in cataloging for describing the content and content relationships available at a particular Web site, page, or digital library, by intelligent software agents to facilitate knowledge sharing and exchange, in content rating, in describing collections of pages that represent a single logical "document", for describing intellectual property rights of Web pages, and for expressing the privacy preferences of a user as well as the privacy policies of a Web site. RDF with digital signatures will be key to building the "Web of Trust" for electronic commerce, collaboration, and other applications.

http://www.w3.org/TR/PR-rdf-syntax/