So... what does a metadata librarian do?

This is a question that has come across my mind several times as I worked my way through the semester. What does a metadata librarian do, and is this something I would be interested in? After quite a bit of research, I discovered how fascinating this career path could actually be. According to one blog, "One interesting thing about being a metadata librarian: while we are all doing similar things, we approach metadata work and problems differently: different systems, tools, schemas and schema combinations, workflows, etc. There's nothing monolithic about metadata librarianship!"

While the skills and knowledge cited as necessary varies widely throughout the literature, the common themes are technology and knowledge of current and emerging standards. Also appearing frequently in the literature is the need for LIS graduate programs to catch up to evolving demands for skilled metadata specialists and better prepare students for the work they will face upon entering the field.

Sources: 

http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1163&context=slissrj

http://dp.la/info/2015/05/27/a-day-in-the-life-the-metadata-librarian-for-the-mountain-west-digital-library/

https://margaperezblog.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/start-by-doing/

GreenStone Part 2: How to use

Greenstone, however a wonderful program, does have a few temperamental moments. During another class, which worked hand in hand with my metadata I had to learn how to create my own schema and put it to use. This tutorial is a great tool to have in order to understand the basics of this program, which can be used on both pc and macs. 

Metadata Schema: Where to Start

Interesting article posted by niso.org regarding metadata and where to begin in creating your own schema. By definition, a metadata schema are sets of metadata elements designed for a specific purpose, such as describing a particular type of information resource. The definition or meaning of the elements themselves is known as the semantics of the scheme.


Source:

http://www.niso.org/apps/group_public/download.php/5271/N800R1_Where_to_start_advice_on_creating_a_metadata_schema.pdf

Metadata Maps

Metadata in Twitter posts lets readers in on your geographic location, the language you speak, the phone you use, and more. They're also a mapmaker's best friend.Twitter's full data stream, their "fire hose", is a very detailed thing. Access to raw tweet upon raw tweet lets brands know what customers think and allows first responders to instantly tabulate hurricane damage. The fire hose is also full of metadata which discloses personal, geographic, and technological information on Twitter's tens of millions of users.




Sources:

http://www.fastcompany.com/3013208/these-amazing-twitter-metadata-visualizations-will-blow-your-mind

Greenstone Part 1: What is Greenstone?

What is Greenstone? Well, according to their website, Greenstone is a suite of software for building and distributing digital library collections. It provides a way of organizing information and publishing it on the web or on removable media such as DVD and USB flash drives. Greenstone is produced by the New Zealand Digital Library Project at the University of Waikato, and developed and distributed in cooperation with UNESCO and the Human Info NGO. It is open-source, multilingual software, issued under the terms of the GNU General Public License. Read the Greenstone Factsheet for more information.The aim of the Greenstone software is to empower users, particularly in universities, libraries, and other public service institutions, to build their own digital libraries.

This free program is a valuable tool for librarians and students alike to dabble in metadata and digital collection building in order to see the basic construction of metadata in a collection.

Metadata: A Gamers World

So, as most people know, gaming is a topic that is close to my heart. With hours spent everyday by millions of users from a wide variety of demographics, I believe that sometimes libraries can look to games as a way to reach out to their patrons. This is no different when it comes to the topic of metadata, namely a crowd sourcing platform known as "Metadata Games".

Metadata Games (according to the website) is a free and open source crowdsourcing game platform. As players play Metadata Games, images, video, and audio from libraries, archives, and museums gain valuable descriptions, making it easier for the general public and scholars to discover these collections.The current MG build we are hosting contains over 45 Collections from 11 Institutions, containing tens of thousands of media items that have generated over 167,000 tags. Their current collaborations include the British Library, Boston Public Library, The Open Parks Network, Digital Public Library of America, and the American Antiquarian Society, among others.


This game platform is a perfect example of how information and libraries can work hand in hand with other resources to create a personal experience for patrons and potential patrons to interact with the library as well as learn about what metadata means to a librarian.





Sources:

http://www.metadatagames.org/

Introduction to Metadata

met·a·da·ta

ˈmedəˌdādə,ˈmedəˌdadə/

noun

1. a set of data that describes and gives information about other data.

This portion of this blog will document my last semester of graduate school as well as my experience in metadata for library and information science. As someone who is not only in school to become a librarian, but also an individual who has worked as a  paraprofessional in libraries, I realize how important metadata is to the profession.