The metadata schema in use for digital projects at the Penn State University Libraries is derived primarily from the Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS), with mappings developed for Dublin Core where appropriate for metadata harvesting. Using MODS as a basis, application profiles have been developed for a variety of special formats, including cartographic materials, audiovisual materials, and images from the visual arts.
During the production process, metadata is created in two units. The Cataloging and Metadata Services department is responsible for creation of descriptive metadata, based on MODS and Dublin Core, and drawn from both reformatted MARC records from the catalog and original cataloging performed in-house. In addition, technical metadata regarding the images themselves is applied by the Digitization and Preservation Department at point of scanning; this metadata may also be applied by specific units with their own scanning operations, in consultation with DOT members.
Questions regarding the use of metadata in digital projects may be directed to Kevin Clair, Metadata Librarian: kmc35@psu.edu.
Descriptive metadata - level of description required for textual digital objects
- collection - highest order of description for a given digital textual object. Determined at the onset of the project. Collection = group of individual works or a single work when that is the extent of the digital object.
Metadata record created by cataloging, using content standards such as AACR, LCSH - work - a single work within a collection, may be the same as the collection when the collection represents a single work.
metadata inherited from collection level
record created by cataloging, as above - standard when digitizing a resource that has already been cataloged
exception in other cases - intermediate structural levels based on "title" of the volume, part, chapter, section - optional - determined by the content manager and Digital Technology Advisory Group at onset of project.
Romance Studies materials - markup at chapter level unless parts are present. When this is the case, markup at part and chapter level. - page - no page-level descriptive metadata
- material type assigned at page level for specific content exceptions(e.g., map within a book, plates, etc.) Must be determined at onset of project otherwise this will be treated as an exception.
- full text metadata is hidden by default (available for searching but not displayed)
- rights metadata (ownership, access, use) is assigned at the collection or work level, and is inherited by each page or content part so that there is an explicit statement of rights in each digital file. Standard: rights metadata is the same for all pages within a collection or work.
Penn State Press books may vary rights metadata within a collection or work due to copyright limitations, etc. - Technical metadata Technical characteristics of page images include:
- filename
- file format
- file size
Workflow
Cataloging - collection level metadata created before page images processed.
Exception - when collection does not exist as an entity (e.g., not a book) Cataloging will have access to the collection and its contents prior to cataloging.
Administrative metadata
The standard practice includes external (to software delivery platform) tracking of
- decisions that have been made about the collection: selection criteria, acquisition information
- work that has been done to the collection, work and page(s)
- tracking and storage of this information is the responsibility of DOT.
