Significance of Metadata

Abstract

Metadata is structured data that describes the characteristics of a resource. It shares many similar characteristics to the cataloguing that takes place in libraries, museums, and archives. The term “meta” derives from the Greek word denoting a nature of a higher order or more fundamental kind. A metadata record consists of a number of predefined elements representing specific attributes of a resource, and each element can have one or more values. The emerging trend of ICT has actively engaged the metadata harvesting protocol of the open archives initiative. The metadata harvesting initiative targets information generally inaccessible through standard browser searches, such as information stored in databases or within library online public access catalogs. The authors present this topic as an information technology-based initiative with the potential to provide information about the usefulness of metadata: in particular the Dublin Core metadata standard, but also other metadata standards, as the protocol design supports community-specific schemas as well. This represents the developers, commercial information providers, funders, and members of the scholarly publishing community. Along with the interests and concerns of each of these stakeholders and about specific applications of the protocol, the authors identify potential questions that will ultimately need to be addressed.