About the Talk
A talk was given by Michael Day, UKOLN at the Running A Public
Library Website workshop held at the University of Bath on 15-16th November 1999.
- Title
- A Quick Introduction to Metadata
- Abstract
- The presentation covered the basics of metadata.
Michael started by defining metadata as "structured data about data that imposes
order on a disordered information universe" and suggested that it can be thought of
as the missing architectural component from the initial implementation of the web. The
presentation focused on the use of metadata in resource discovery, and in particular the
Dublin Core Metadata Initiative - which was described as "an initiative to define a
core set of metadata elements for resource discovery on the Internet". Some of these
elements such as title, creator/author and publisher are familiar from traditional
cataloguing requirements, whilst others such as format and rights extend the description.
Michael discussed tools, such as DC-dot developed by UKOLN, that can be used to
create metadata in web pages. The importance of metadata was illustrated with a look at
some services such as information gateways, which create simple resource descriptions that
can be both searched and browsed and the Resource Discovery Network, which will allow
cross searching of information gateways.
Web Sites Mentioned In Presentation
Presentation
- Slides
- [HTML
Format] - [Powerpoint
97]
Biographical Details
Michael Day works at
UKOLN on a variety of metadata-based projects. He writes and speaks widely about the
issues involved with metadata and digital preservation.
A Quick Introduction to Metadate