Metadata Corner, Naming names: metadata registries

Rachael Heery

Ariadne 1997
(ReLIS:doi:doiari:y:1997:i:11:p:16)

Abstract:

To-day's information user may well have access to a range of resources, and these resources will be described in more diverse resource description formats than traditional MARC. During the search process a user will encounter systems based on several different resource description formats, for example, their local OPAC, an internet subject gateway, an electronic text archive, each of which will manipulate a different variety of metadata. Although the promise of an increase in 'seamless searching' across interoperable systems will mean the end user will not themselves be aware of these diverse formats, there are other people, and indeed software, that will need to understand and manage these formats. Creators of resource descriptions, those who are implementing new search services, designers of interoperable systems all need to be aware of the authoritative versions of a particular resource description format and the precise data element definitions. Those who recall updating loose leaf manuals (UKMARC, USMARC etc.) will realise this is not a scaleable option. The information needs to be made accessible quickly and accurately over the network.

Keywords: From each article, you can move back and forth between articles written for the same column in other issues of Ariadne.
Note: Rachael Heery with this issues look at metadata issues. This article appears in the Web, and not the print, version of Ariadne.
Month: September 1997
Year: 1997

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