Toward an Emerging Principle of Linking Socially-Constructed Metadata (original) (raw)
Related papers
Journal of Library Metadata, 2012
With the aim of developing a conceptual metadata framework that takes into account user-driven metadata, this paper presents the perspectives of library and information science (LIS) academics and postgraduates on optimality of standards-based versus socially-constructed metadata approaches. Based on analysis of data collected through eleven in-depth interviews, three broad metadata approaches are identified: standardsbased, socially-constructed and mixed-metadata approaches. In relation to standardsbased approaches, the paper discusses the obsolescence of the OPAC in comparison to contemporary web search engines and the limitations of standards in addressing the changing user needs, expectations and evolving vocabularies. The paper also discusses the roles ascribed to Web 2.0 and Linked Data technologies in libraries, and the importance of enriching information objects with metadata that better conveys the various perspectives of users. The paper suggests a mixed-metadata approach that includes the strengths of the standards-based metadata approaches and the social space of metadata that comes from socially-constructed metadata approaches.
2017
Purpose –This paper provides rationale for using a constructivist grounded theory method for PhD research in Library and Information Research, entitled “Towards a Theory of Digital Library Metadata: The emergence of Enriching and Filtering”. It highlights on the processes of data collection using intensive interviewing and three stages of data analysis, namely: open coding, focused coding andtheoretical coding. In addition, the processes of constructivist grounded theory conceptualisation using memo writing and theoretical saturation are highlighted. Design/methodology/approach –While the actual results of the PhD study will be presented separately, this paper mainly focuses on the best practises and lessons learnt from the adoption of the method. The paper highlights on how the method enabled the researcher to conduct iterative scrutiny of the concepts and categories through the method‟s memo writing and conceptualisation processes four core categories have emerged. It is argued th...
Semantic metadata interoperability in digital libraries: a constructivist grounded theory approach
2012
This paper highlights problems of semantic metadata interoperability in digital libraries. The prevalence of a plethora of standards and a lack of semantic interoperability can partly be attributed to the absence of theoretical foundations to underpin current metadata approaches and solutions. Contemporary metadata standards and interoperability approaches are mainly top-down and hierarchical, and, hence, fail to take into account the diversity of cultural, linguistic and local perspectives that abound. To overcome this, it is proposed that a social constructivist approach should be adopted by libraries and other cultural heritage institutions when archiving information objects that need to be enriched with metadata, thereby reflecting the diversity of views and perspectives that can be held by their users. Following on Charmaz [1], a constructivist grounded theory method is employed to investigate how library professionals and library users view metadata standards, collaborative me...
New Library World, 2012
Contemporary metadata principles and standards tended to result in document-centric rather than data-centric; human-readable rather than machine-processable metadata. In order for libraries to create and harness shareable, mashable and re-usable metadata, a conceptual shift can be achieved by adjusting current library models such as Resource Description and Access (RDA) and Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) to models based on Linked Data principles. In relation to technical formats, libraries can leapfrog to Linked Data technical formats such as the Resource Description Framework (RDF), without disrupting current library metadata operations. This paper provides six key recommendations for libraries and standards agencies. These include rising to the challenges and embracing the opportunities presented by current technological trends, adopting minimal requirements of Linked Data principles, developing ontologies, deciding on what needs to be retained from current library models, becoming part of the Linked Data cloud, and developing mixed-metadata (standards-based and socially-constructed) approaches. Finally, the paper concludes by identifying and discussing five major benefits of such metadata re-conceptualisation. The benefits include metadata openness and sharing, serendipitous discovery of information resources, identification of zeitgeist and emergent metadata, facet-based navigation and metadata enriched with links.
New Library World, 2012
PurposeWith the aim of developing a conceptual framework which aims to facilitate semantic metadata interoperability, this paper explores overarching conceptual issues on how traditional library information organisation schemes such as online public access catalogues (OPACs), taxonomies, thesauri, and ontologies on the one hand versus Web 2.0 technologies such as social tagging (folksonomies) can be harnessed to provide users with satisfying experiences.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reviews works in relation to current metadata creation, utilisation and interoperability approaches, focusing on how a social constructivist philosophical perspective can be employed to underpin metadata decisions in digital libraries. Articles are retrieved from databases such as EBSCO host and Emerald and online magazines such as D‐Lib and Ariadne. Books, news articles and blog posts that are deemed relevant are also used to support the arguments put forward in this paper.FindingsCurrent metada...
2011
This paper highlights the problems of semantic metadata interoperability in digital libraries. It argues that the prevalence of the plethora of standards and the lack of semantic interoperability is partly attributed to the absence of theoretical foundations to underpin current metadata approaches and solutions. The absence of such theories is a general problem in the library and information domain (Andersen & Skouvig, 2006; Floridi, 2000; Hjorland, 2000; Lehmann, 2010). The paper emphasises that present metadata interoperability approaches are mainly top-down and hierarchical which fail to take into account the diversity of cultural, linguistic and local perspectives. In this regard, the paper argues that a social constructivist approach should be adopted as libraries and cultural heritage institutions house information objects which need to be enriched with metadata that reflects diversity of views and perspectives of their users. In this paper, following on Charmaz (2006), a cons...
The growing amount of digital resources on the web and in libraries have been rapidly changing the ways data is organized, shared and discovered, and the Metadata Librarians’ roles and practices have been constantly reshaped under this larger environment. In light of related literature and the author’s experiences in web archiving and working with several digital repositories including CONTENTdm, Islandora, Digital Commons, DSpace and Omeka, this presentation will discuss the ongoing changes in metadata practices in various areas, such as identity management, authority control, repository design and capability, metadata, its presentation and discovery, and linked data. It will also reflect on the metadata practices in the library community and the web practices in classifying and discovering data, and explore the web’s impact on library cataloging and the metadata profession. The changing environment and practices call for the Metadata Librarian’s flexibility in working with different digital library systems and personnel from other departments, an open mindset, and new understandings and skill sets related to vocabulary management, document encoding, data processing, and innovative ways of or semi-auto cataloging and classification.
2017
Historically catalogs of library resources have taken different forms, the bibliographic data included in a library catalog entry has increasingly been enhanced, and the way a user is interacting with the catalog and its bibliographic data has also changed, especially since the end of the last century. Bibliographic data include information that describes and represents a resource. Throughout their history, library catalogs have served a variety of purposes. The majority of the literature on the purposes of the catalog focuses on the finding and selecting functions. Cutter, in his Rules for a Dictionary Catalog , identifies three catalog objectives: to find a resource, to show (collocate) what resources a library has, and to assist in the choice of a resource (Cutter, 1876). Theories of bibliographic control identify five main catalog functions, find, collocate, identify, select, and obtain, with the additional function of navigation included in fewer works (Svenonius, 2000). More ...
JCDL '18: Proceedings of the 18th ACM/IEEE on Joint Conference on Digital Libraries, 2018
e aim of this study was to explore the bene ts and challenges to using Linked Data (LD) in the Libraries, Archives and Museums (LAMs) as perceived by Information Professionals (IPs). e study also aimed to gain an insight into potential solutions for overcoming these challenges, with a particular focus on the idea of LD tooling for IPs as a means of doing so. Data was collected via a questionnaire which was completed by 185 Information Professionals (IPs) from a range of LAM institutions. Results indicated that there are many challenges relating to the usability and utility of LD tooling that create barriers to IPs engaging with LD. e study shows that LD tools designed with the work ows and expertise of IPs in mind could help break down these barriers.
New Library World, 2012
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide recommendations for making a conceptual shift from current document‐centric to data‐centric metadata. The importance of adjusting current library models such as Resource Description and Access (RDA) and Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) to models based on Linked Data principles is discussed. In relation to technical formats, the paper suggests the need to leapfrog from machine readable cataloguing (MARC) to Resource Description Framework (RDF), without disrupting current library metadata operations.Design/methodology/approachThis paper identified and reviewed relevant works on overarching topics that include standards‐based metadata, Web 2.0 and Linked Data. The review of these works is contextualised to inform the recommendations identified in this paper. Articles were retrieved from databases such as Emerald and D‐Lib Magazine. Books, electronic articles and relevant blog posts were also used to support the argu...