METADATA STANDARDS

Andrew WilsonProject Manager

Digital Preservation Project

"The nice thing about standards is that you have so many to choose from. Furthermore, if you do not like any of them, you can just wait for next year's model."

Andrew Tanenbaum, Computer Networks, 2nd edn., p. 254

Too many standards?

Metadata Uses

• Database management

• Privacy

• Intellectual Property Rights

• Content rating

• Recordkeeping

• Resource Discovery

• Preservation

Australian Experience

• Australia has spent most of its time and energy developing metadata standards in two areas:

– resource discovery; and

– recordkeeping/records management

Resource Discovery – Dublin Core

• Dublin Core was an emerging international standard for Web-based resource description

• Need for interoperability between Australian metadata standard & Dublin Core

• Dublin Core designed to be extensible• AGLS is an extension of Dublin Core & therefore fits within the Warwick Framework

AGLS

• Dublin Core + 4 elements, so 19 elements in total

• 5/6 mandatory elements

• Implemented across Federal government 2000-2002

• Australian Standard AS5044

• Adopted by New Zealand

• Key enabler for the Commonwealth e-Government Strategy

• Crucial for visibility of and access to government information and services

– GOVERNET

• Need for alternative access points

– portals framework

Importance of AGLS

Recordkeeping

• An Australian Standard for Records Management AS 4390, 1996(basis for ISO 15489)

• Monash University SPIRT project for recordkeeping metadata

SPIRT

• Provides a framework for standardising sets of recordkeeping metadata, it:– codifies full range of metadata needed for

management of records in electronic environment

– classifies metadata elements according to their role

– supports interoperability with other standards

NAA Recordkeeping Metadata Standard

• http://www.naa.gov.au/recordkeeping/control/rkms/summary.htm

• 20 elements and associated sub-elements (qualifiers)

• interoperable with AGLS, & SPIRT

• ensures core recordkeeping requirements met

NSW State Records Recordkeeping Metadata

• Another metadata standard for recordkeeping, similar to NAA set

• Complies with ISO 15489

• Complies with SPIRT

Preservation Metadata• Most work done by National

Library of Australia

• Based on CEDARS

• Uses OAIS reference model

• UNESCO Draft Guidelines on the Preservation of Digital Heritage

• http://www.nla.gov.au/preserve/pmeta.html#ref

NLA Preservation Metadata (sample 1)

NLA Preservation Metadata (sample 2)

NAA AtoR Project

• Application to control workflow & create audit trail

• Audit trail = preservation metadata

• Metadata requirements not yet decided

But…

• No specific metadata standard for preservation metadata adopted

• Adopted OAIS reference model

• Metadata needed for authenticity, integrity, reliability

• Automatic creation and capture as much as possible

How to proceed

• Document data needed

• Investigate existing standards

• Develop application profile

• Develop schema(s) as necessary

Application Profiles:

• Formalize adapting of standards• Leverage use of existing standards• Allow you to enforce specific elements

via XML schema• Allow Interoperability• Profiles are shareable

– Through metadata registries

• http://www.schemas-forum.org/registry/desire/index.php3

Any Questions?