RLG Programs Metadata Tools Forum
May 8, 2008 Boston Public Library
As a follow-up to the successful 2006 RLG Forum on the economics of description, the RLG Programs Metadata Tools Forum showcased some tools for creating "more, better, faster, cheaper" metadata. We brought together developers and implementers, allowing tool developers to showcase their tools and implementers a chance to consider which tools might be usefully employed in their institutions. The forum also provided guidance and feedback to the research community and identify areas where further tool development is needed.
Respondents to the 2007 RLG Descriptive Metadata Practices survey (.pdf: 99K/13 pp.) cited more than 260 tools used for creating, editing, and storing metadata. This forum is focusing on tools that expedite metadata creation or editing that can be used by multiple institutions and do not require purchasing a new system—tools that rely on commonly available software most institutions would already have in-house or that are based on open source components.
Tool Presenters
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Jim LeBlanc, Cornell University. Tool: "LS Tools" to extract, import, export, modify, reload MARC records in batch using a Web interface.
- Michael Park, Brown University. Tool: A metadata tool for creating and editing MODS records using XForms technology which can be used with many different types of digital asset management systems.
- Mark Phillips, University of North Texas. Tool: Metadata analysis tools to identify various types of problems.
- Terry Reese, Oregon State University. Tool: MARCEdit, an application for database maintenance including a MARC validator and URL checker.
- Scott Schwartz, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Tool: Archon, a Web-based tool for archivists and manuscript curators that publishes archival descriptive information and digital archival objects to a Web site.
- Brad Westbrook, University of California, San Diego. Tool: Archivists' Toolkit, an open source archival data management system.
- David Williamson, Library of Congress. Tool: WebCat Assistant, an application that converts an abstract page on the Web for a PDF paper into a MARC record, with an automatic notification service when Web sites change.
- Web Cataloging Assistant Summary (.pdf: 21KB/1 pp.)
- Web Cataloging Assistant Demonstration Videos:
- Raphael Villena, University of California, Los Angeles. Tool: UCLA's version of LC's WebCat Assistant to create records for series of papers deposited in the e-Scholarship Repository at California Digital Library.
- Wan Wong, National Library of Australia. Tool: Web-based tool for subject heading and classification selection.
RLG Partners were invited to join us in Boston and share their ideas and experiences; meet new colleagues and help identify areas for further development.
For a recap of this meeting, see the Metadata Tools Forum Discussion Summary (.pdf: 20KB/1 pp.)
Merrilee Proffitt proffitm@oclc.org
Karen Smith-Yoshimura smithyok@oclc.org
Roy Tennant tennantr@oclc.org
RLG Programs, OCLC Programs and Research
Agenda
9:00 a.m. |
Welcome, context for the day Ruth Kowal, Deputy Director of the Boston Public Library Karen Smith-Yoshimura, RLG Programs |
9:30 |
Lightning round: Each of nine tool developers briefly describes the tool he will be demonstrating, why it was developed, what it does. |
10:30 |
Tool showcase 1:
Terry Reese, Oregon State University – MarcEdit
Brad Westbrook, University of California, San Diego – Archivists' Toolkit
David Williamson, Library of Congress – Web Cataloging Assistant
Wan Wong, National Library of Australia – Subject Suggester |
Noon |
Lunch break |
1:30 p.m. |
Tool showcase 2:
Jim LeBlanc, Cornell University – LS Tools
Michael Park, Brown University – MODS Editor
Mark Phillips, University of North Texas – Metadata Analysis Tool
Scott Schwartz, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – Archon
Raphael Villena, University of California, Los Angeles – Web Cataloging Assistant (UCLA Version) |
3:00 |
Discussion:Questions posed to attendees will be used to spark a discussion of future directions.
Discussion facilitators: Merrilee Proffitt and Roy Tennant, RLG Programs
- What did you see that could be used in your own environment?
- What local practices would have to change to take advantage of what you saw?
- What needs had you hoped one of these tools would address, but didn't?
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4:30 |
Adjourn |
Area Details:
- Boston Public Library is located at 700 Boylston Street, right at Copley Square. Guests should enter the Dartmouth Street entrance (between Boylston and St. James).
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