Ready for Change?

The Getty Research Institute. Introduction to Metadata, 2nd ed. Edited by Murtha Baca. J. Paul Getty Trust, 2008.
http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/standards/intrometadata/

I loved this textbook. It does a great job giving a general history of metadata, and describing various types of metadata standards and their development for use with particular formats, in specific contexts.

In the final section, “Practical Principles for Metadata Creation and Maintenance” the editor confirms that metadata creation continues to be a core activity. Metadata creation is increasingly shared among many units and departments in an institution, and a metadata record can be enriched throughout its lifespan. User-created metadata has its place, especially when created by subject specialists, and can enhance discovery and access. The Catalog Department no longer has sole dominion over bibliographic control. For catalog librarians working with mainstream trade publishing resources for general collections, the traditional 20th century format MARC21 cataloging tasks are increasingly performed by others. For all formats in the mainstream publishing industry, metadata for 20th and 21st century formats are increasingly provided by book publishers and vendors, even for humanities topics in the area studies. As a greater percentage of material becomes available in digital format, our database providers and library systems developers are refining database structures and interfaces to make their products easier for library users to search and access information resources. Digital publications are already part of the mainstream publishing industry. As the library becomes an increasingly disintermediated environment, we refine and develop our metadata standards and best practices. Everyone’s looking for other ways to catalog their resources. Everyone’s looking for more convenient ways to find and access information. Modern libraries have more than a century of experience organizing information and providing access to knowledge. We need to be active participants in the development and use of a wide array of metadata standards and database infrastructures, by being actively supportive of work in other industries, and ready for change.