Perian, The elements of the table referenced below are discussed in more detail in a short, easy to read overview of metadata standards in Descriptive Metadata Guidelines for RLG Cultural Materials, http://www.rlg.org/en/page.php?Page_ID=214. It covers the basics and has great appendices that go over some of the most commonly used standards in each area, focusing on those in the cultural heritage field.
I think this document will go a part of the way towards answering some of your questions in a brief, comprehendible form. But feel free to contact me if you have any more quandaries... or, just come on by sometime and we can talk it over in person. You know where to find me ;-) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mary W. Elings Archivist for Digital Collections The Bancroft Library University of California MCN Standards SIG Chair Adjunct Professor School of Information Studies Syracuse University At 03:49 PM 11/21/2006 -0500, Real, Will wrote: >Perian et al. > >I recently came across a helpful table on the hangingtogether.org blog >that sorted a lot of this out for me. > >http://hangingtogether.org/?p=152 > >Will Real >Carnegie Musuem of Art > >-----Original Message----- >From: mcn-l-bounces at mcn.edu [mailto:mcn-l-bounces at mcn.edu] On Behalf Of >Perian Sully >Sent: Monday, November 20, 2006 2:48 PM >To: Museum Computer Network Listserv >Subject: [MCN-L] metadata for dummies > >Hi list of smart people much more knowledgeable than me: > >I'm trying to wrap my brain around the technical aspects of metadata >sharing and structures, reading though (and not entirely comprehending) >a lot of different sources. As I am a visual, hands-on type learner, I'm >trying to put everything I'm reading into non-technical language this >neophyte can understand. I'm pretty sure I've got #'s 2-4 wrong, but can >anyone help me unravel this....? > >1) You have objects. You apply vocabularies to the objects in order to >describe them. The vocabularies facilitate how your object information >is seen by other computers. Examples of Vocabularies are: AAT, ULAN, >Chenhall's > >(I understand #1 pretty well. Here's where I start to get lost...) > >2) In order for the other computers to understand what you're giving >them, the information needs to be arranged in a specific way. These are >the element sets...? these are MARC, LOC, VRA, Dublin Core > >3) Because very few institutions have "pure" collections that fit into >one of the Vocabularies, we can use multiple Vocabularies. Do we use >multiples of #2 as well? These are defined and plugged into the element >sets. They are tagged as belonging to a specific Vocabulary > >(I think there's a middle piece in here I'm missing) > >4) There is an umbrella structure, the Harvester, which can read #2 and >serve it to the user in readable form. Examples: OAI, MARC (also fits as >a #2), XML > >So as you can see, I'm dreadfully muddled. I know it's important to >understand it, but I'm just not able to wrap my head around the various >resources out there. I'm starting to think that Ask A Ninja is more my >level... > >Help! and thanks in advance > >-- > >Perian Sully >Collection Database and Records Administrator Judah L. Magnes Museum >2911 Russell St. >Berkeley, CA 94705 >510-549-6950 x 335 > > >_______________________________________________ >You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum >Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu) > >To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu > >To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: >http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l >_______________________________________________ >You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer Network (http://www.mcn.edu) > >To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu > >To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: >http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l > >
