Metadata: Standards for Retrieving WWW Documents (and Other Digitized and Non-Digitized Resources)

The use of metadata for indexing digitized and non-digitized resources for resource discovery in a networked environment is being increasingly implemented all over the world. Greater precision is achieved using metadata than relying on universal search engines and furthermore, metadata can be used as filtering mechanisms for search results. An overview of various metadata sets is given, followed by a more focussed presentation of Dublin Core Metadata including examples of sub-elements and qualifiers. Especially the use of the Dublin Core Relation element provides connections between the metadata of various related electronic resources, as well as the metadata for physical, non-digitized resources. This facilitates more comprehensive search results without losing precision and brings together different genres of information which would otherwise be only searchable in separate databases. Furthermore, the advantages of Dublin Core Metadata in comparison with library cataloging and the use of universal search engines are discussed briefly, followed by a listing of types of implementation of Dublin Core Metadata. 1. Metadata: Definition and Typology Metadata are data about other data and objects. Metadata are used to describe digitized and non-digitized resources located in a distributed system in a networked environment. To be effective, they must be standardized. Traditional metadata include library cataloging rules, schemes, and formats. Due to the expanding electronic information environment, these have been expanded to reflect the needs of information discovery and use of information in such a networked environment and thus, rather than “electronic cataloging rules”, the term “metadata” has been used. This also reflects a movement away from the traditional focus on books and printed works in libraries to a much more expanded focus on all kinds of data and objects, including digitized objects. Thus, metadata can include bibliographic information such as that in traditional library catalogs, subject cataloging, such as descriptors, classification designations, abstracts, etc., structural data on the type and size of resources, as well as technical requirements for their use or necessary for access, relationships (thematic, formal, references, citations, etc.), terms and conditions for obtaining and using the resources, etc.