How do you use metadata to enhance the discoverability and usability of your digital collections?

1 Metadata standards and schemas

Metadata standards and schemas are the rules and structures that define what metadata elements you use, how you name them, what values you assign to them, and how you encode and format them. They ensure consistency, interoperability, and quality of your metadata. There are different types of metadata standards and schemas, such as descriptive, administrative, structural, preservation, and technical metadata. You should choose the metadata standards and schemas that best suit your collection type, content, context, and audience. Some examples of common metadata standards and schemas are Dublin Core, MODS, METS, PREMIS, and LIDO.

3 Metadata storage and management

Metadata storage and management are the activities of storing, organizing, updating, and maintaining your metadata records. You need a system or platform that can store and manage your metadata in a secure, reliable, and accessible way. You also need a strategy and policy for metadata backup, migration, versioning, and preservation. Some options for metadata storage and management are relational databases, XML files, spreadsheets, or dedicated metadata management systems. You should consider the advantages and disadvantages of each option, such as scalability, flexibility, functionality, and compatibility.

4 Metadata harvesting and sharing

Metadata harvesting and sharing are the methods of collecting and distributing your metadata records to other systems or platforms. They enable your digital collections to be discovered and accessed by a wider audience and to be integrated with other digital resources. You can harvest and share your metadata using various protocols and formats, such as OAI-PMH, RSS, JSON, or RDF. You should comply with the standards and requirements of the systems or platforms that you want to harvest or share your metadata with, such as metadata repositories, aggregators, or portals.

5 Metadata evaluation and improvement

Metadata evaluation and improvement are the processes of assessing and enhancing the quality and effectiveness of your metadata records. You need to evaluate and improve your metadata regularly to ensure that it meets the needs and expectations of your users and stakeholders, and that it reflects the changes and updates of your digital collections. You can use different criteria and methods to evaluate and improve your metadata, such as completeness, accuracy, consistency, relevancy, usability, and user feedback. You should also monitor and measure the impact of your metadata on the discoverability and usability of your digital collections.

6 Metadata education and training

Metadata education and training are the ways of learning and teaching about metadata concepts, standards, and practices. They help you and your staff develop the skills and knowledge to create and manage metadata effectively and efficiently. They also help you and your staff keep up with the latest trends and developments in metadata for digital libraries. You can access various resources and opportunities for metadata education and training, such as books, journals, websites, blogs, podcasts, webinars, courses, workshops, or conferences.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?