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Observations on the Catalogers' Role in Descriptive Metadata Creation In Collections and Technical Services Publications and Collections and Technical Services Papers 2006 Observations on the Catalogers’ Role in Descriptive Metadata Creation in Academic Libraries Jeanne M.K. Boydston Iowa State University, [email protected] Joan M. Leysen Iowa State University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/libcat_pubs Part of the Library and Information Science Commons The ompc lete bibliographic information for this item can be found at http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ libcat_pubs/54. For information on how to cite this item, please visit http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ howtocite.html. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Collections and Technical Services at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Collections and Technical Services Publications and Papers by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Observations on the Catalogers’ Role in Descriptive Metadata Creation in Academic Libraries Abstract This article examines the case for the participation of catalogers in the creation of descriptive metadata. Metadata creation is an extension of the catalogers’ existing skills, abilities and knowledge. As such, it should be encouraged and supported. However, issues in this process, such as cost, supply of catalogers and the need for further training will also be examined. The uthora s use examples from the literature and their own experiences in descriptive metadata creation. Suggestions for future research on the topic are included. Keywords metadata, cataloging, digitization, cataloger’s role Disciplines Library and Information Science Comments This is a post-print of an article from Cataloging & Classification Quarterly 45, no. 2 (2006): 3–17. This article is available at Iowa State University Digital Repository: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/libcat_pubs/54 Observations on the Catalogers’ Role in Descriptive Metadata Creation in Academic Libraries By Jeanne M. K. Boydston and Joan M. Leysen This article examines the case for the participation of catalogers in the creation of descriptive metadata. Metadata creation is an extension of the catalogers’ existing skills, abilities and knowledge. As such, it should be encouraged and supported. However, issues in this process, such as cost, supply of catalogers and the need for further training will also be examined. The authors use examples from the literature and their own experiences in descriptive metadata creation. Suggestions for future research on the topic are included. Keywords: metadata, cataloging, digitization, cataloger’s role Jeanne M.K. Boydston ([email protected]) is the Humanities Monographs Cataloger and Serials Cataloger, Iowa State University Library, Ames, Iowa. Joan M. Leysen ([email protected]) is the Social Sciences Monographs Cataloger and Electronic Resources Coordinator, Iowa State University Library, Ames. Iowa. Both authors are involved in descriptive metadata creation at Iowa State University Library. Catalogers’ Role in Descriptive Metadata Creation Pg 1 of 24 OBSERVATIONS ON THE CATALOGERS’ ROLE IN DESCRIPTIVE METADATA CREATION IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES INTRODUCTION Advances in digital technology have created new opportunities for libraries to maximize access to their collections of texts and objects such as exhibitions, photographs, musical scores, slides and maps. A 1998 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) survey found that 66 percent of its member libraries were conducting digital projects in special collections and 25 percent were planning projects. 1 Another study, conducted in 2004, reported that 80.2 percent of ARL libraries were engaged in digital projects and the average number of projects in these libraries was 12.6.2 However, in Hill’s opinion, most libraries that have started digitization have done so with a small number of projects and may continue to do so into the immediate future. 3 All digitization projects, regardless of their size, involve a variety of staff. Individuals are needed to manage the projects, select, digitize and preserve the resources, and provide access to them. In addition, each resource requires a description of its content, one that places the resource into a context that then can be used for searching in a database. In other words, the resources need to be cataloged or metadata need to be created for them. “Metadata are structured, encoded data that describe characteristics of information-bearing entities to aid in the identification, discovery, assessment, and management of the described entities.” 4 The term has also been used when describing the cataloging of electronic resources or when referring to nontraditional metadata schemes. Metadata creation is a natural extension of the catalogers’ existing skills, abilities and knowledge. Catalogers’ Role in Descriptive Metadata Creation Pg 2 of 24 The purpose of this article is to examine cataloger participation in the creation of descriptive metadata, that metadata which most closely resembles traditional cataloging and are used for the discovery, identification, and selection of a digital resource. Although the focus of this article is primarily descriptive metadata creation for digital objects, the observations can apply to other digital resources. Examples from the literature and the authors’ own experiences are used to determine the nature and extent of cataloger participation in metadata creation for these resources. 5 From this study the authors hope to gain further insights into how their role as catalogers might be changing in the future. Cataloger skills for this expanded role, costs, staffing and training issues also will be discussed. This analysis should be of interest to those planning metadata projects, those preparing future catalogers, and to catalogers themselves. BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW In order to gather more information on the nature of cataloger involvement in metadata projects beyond their own experiences, the authors asked readers of Autocat and Serialst if catalogers are involved in digitization projects and to describe what role or function catalogers provide in these projects. 6 The small number of replies (twenty one) provided mixed results from which statistical inferences could not be drawn, but they further illustrate the ambiguity of the cataloger's role in metadata creation. The majority of respondents requested a summation of the information rather than contributing to the discussion. Nine respondents indicated that the catalogers were involved in co-operative projects. The roles of catalogers varied among institutions and included metadata description, creating documentation and templates, determining standards, consulting, revising the work of others, training and creating crosswalks. Three respondents indicated Catalogers’ Role in Descriptive Metadata Creation Pg 3 of 24 that catalogers are not involved in metadata description, and one library is trying to empower staff to become involved. One respondent also noted that catalogers are left out of the metadata creation loop due to a lack of time to devote to this new format. Three respondents reported the hiring of new staff or the creation of a new position. Two commented that experienced cataloging staff are able to make the transition easily from traditional cataloging to metadata creation. Further training in metadata schemes and software programs was, however, necessary. This additional training was obtained from metadata workshops, professional reading and consulting with others. The role of the cataloger in the creation of metadata has been discussed among cataloging professionals in recent years. An American Library Association (ALA) 2003 Task Force survey reported that catalogers were the staff most often responsible for ‘defining and/or applying the metadata standards.’ 7 Heads of cataloging departments reported that digital initiatives are impacting both staff and priorities in libraries. 8 Additionally, at the June 2005 ALA annual conference both the Association of Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) Heads of Technical Services of Medium- Sized Libraries and the Technical Services Directors of Large Research Libraries discussion groups included metadata topics as part of their agendas. 9 Cataloging educators are also discussing the addition of metadata education into the curriculum. 10 Some library schools are creating programs to address future needs in the area of digitization. For example, Indiana University and the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign are partnering to create a master’s program and post-master’s certificate program for training information specialists in digital library development. 11 Despite these on-going discussions and interest, the scope and nature of current and future Catalogers’ Role in Descriptive Metadata Creation Pg 4 of 24 cataloger involvement in metadata creation in academic libraries is not clear. Relevant literature is difficult to identify due to the broad interpretation of the term “metadata”. A review of cataloger position descriptions in job announcements is one way of determining if metadata activities are appearing in cataloging positions. Ellero examined the roles and responsibilities of catalogers outlined in cataloger job descriptions posted on selected listservs from late 1997 through May 2003. She found only 8 percent of the descriptions listed ‘Digitization Projects/Digital
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