Metadata Initiatives

This unit currently focuses on metadata creation and remediation for the Digital Collections (DC) platform.

The unit is comprised of:

• Annamarie Klose (klose.16 AT osu.edu), Metadata Initiatives Librarian

• Metadata Specialist (vacant)

• student employees

DC is built on Samvera Hyrax (https://hyrax.samvera.org/), an open-source digital repository framework, and locally customized and managed by The Ohio State University Libraries.

Documentation:

• MI Project Intake Form - Form for gathering details for a DC project.

• DC Data Dictionary - A concise view of the metadata fields that in DC.

• Metadata Application Profile - A detailed view of the metadata fields in DC.

• Metadata Requirements - This page provides a list of minimum metadata fields required for ingest to DC for digital preservation. Requirements are also noted in the MAP in each metadata field's table.

• Embedded Metadata - Section of wiki explaining embedded metadata reviewed and edited by Metadata Initiatives.
  
  

• Extended Date Time Format (EDTF) - An explanation of the EDTF date for DC records.

• MetadataInitiatives_DC-IngestTemplate_rev_2023-06-30.xlsx - A customizable spreadsheet template for creating and ingesting records in DC.

• MetadataInitiatives_DC-IngestTemplate_Minimum_rev_2023-06-30.xlsx - This is a version of the ingest template where only the required and required as available fields are visible to support minimal ingest for digital preservation. Recommended and optional fields are hidden.

• Visibility Settings in DC - An explanation of the different access settings for records and files in DC records.
  
  

• IIIF Manifest - An explanation of the IIIF Viewer options in Digital Collections.

• File Manager Settings in DC - An explanation of the different file settings in DC that affect the display of records.

• Digital Collections to ODN/DPLA Crosswalk - This explains which metadata fields will be shared with the Digital Public Library of America for harvested records.

Workflow: - Obsolete

Ideally, projects intended for DC should be planned from start to finish in collaboration with Metadata Initiatives, IT, Preservation & Digitization, and Copyright Services to ensure the quality and completeness of DC records. It is more efficient to handle the workflow holistically as opposed to correcting records after they are ingested. A typical workflow for optimal collaboration could follow this structure:

1. Initial project consultation - This consultation with the Metadata Initiatives will tentatively help identify the project's specific metadata, technical, and copyright issues. As a result of this consultation, preliminary metadata will be created and custom documentation may be provided. Typical consultation questions include:
   
   

   1. What kinds of objects are included? → Resource Type (dc:type), Genre (vra:workType), and Format (dc:format)

   2. Who created and/or published the objects? Is it the same individual or group for all records in the collection? → Creator (dc:creator) and/or Publisher (dc:publisher)

   3. When were the objects created, published, and or copyrighted? → Date Created (dcterms:created), Date Issued (dcterms:issued), and/or Date Copyrighted (dcterms:dateCopyrighted)

   4. How should the objects be represented in DC, e.g. complex objects?

   5. Is there a deadline for the project, e.g. donor request or corresponding event? Note: Units should plan in advance for event-based digital projects in DC.

   6. Is digitization being done by Preservation & Digitization or elsewhere?

   7. Should records be public, restricted by IP range, or private?

2. Contact with other units - Project manager should initiate contact, as necessary, with Copyright Services, IT, and Preservation & Digitization regarding preliminary project specifications.

3. Digitization - As works are digitized, technical metadata is embedded, e.g. EXIF for image files, or supplied by vendor, e.g. audio and video files. Any technical metadata created in spreadsheets by Preservation & Digitization will get transferred to Metadata Initiatives. Note: PREMIS metadata may be generated at this stage which should be ingested with the applicable work. However, preservation metadata and other technical metadata should be restricted to logged in users.
   
   

4. Metadata creation - As the unit creates metadata for the collection, the Metadata Initiatives will provide feedback.

5. Rights review - requires collaboration between the unit, Copyright Services, and the Metadata Initiatives to ensure the correct rights information is applied. The criteria for rights review is:

   • Who created the work and in what capacity (e.g. individual v. employee)?

   • What type of work are we evaluating?

   • Where was the work created/published?

   • When was the work created/published?

   • Why was the work created (to be used for a private/internal purpose or to be distributed to the public)?

6. Metadata review & augmentation - After the metadata is prepared, the unit will send it to the Metadata Initiatives for review and augmentation. Typical work is:

   • Review records for completeness and accuracy.

   • Correct typographical errors.

   • Ensure that values, when applicable, conform to a controlled vocabulary.

   • For complex objects, ensure the parent and child identifiers match and are not repeated.

   • Make sure filenames are listed correctly and in desired order in the appropriate rows.

   • For Rights and License fields, replace text placeholder values with appropriate URIs.

   • For some file types, minimal descriptive metadata will be embedded, e.g. IPTC for image files.

   • Metadata added, when applicable: Source, Archival Context, Related Finding Aid

7. Batch ingest - Records are imported into DC

8. Quality review - After ingest, Metadata Initiatives will complete a quality review to verify that records and their applicable files have ingested correctly and access settings are correct.