[12411] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Metadata working group
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Sally Morris)
Fri Sep 4 20:13:20 1998
Date: Fri, 04 Sep 1998 11:21:18 -0500
From: Sally Morris <sally@morris-assocs.demon.co.uk>
To: PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU>
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The Metadata Working Group - an invitation
For the past months, an international (mainly US/UK) group has been =
working on the question of what metadata (=91information about =
information=92) is required in the digital environment to support unique =
identifiers, such as the Digital Object Identifier (DOI), and to make =
possible the electronic identification, retrieval and trading of =
intellectual property.
Our work has focused on two key areas: describing the intellectual =
property (the =91object=92) itself, and describing the various different =
rights which users may have or may wish to acquire, and the terms and =
conditions under which these rights are available. Although the DOI =
itself originated within the world of publishing, the issues raised by =
identifiers and their supporting metadata are common to all media, and =
we maintain close links with other industries, particularly music (which =
is well advanced in this area). We have developed an underlying model =
for metadata which we are now trying to refine.
We are sponsored by EDItEUR, the UK based organisation that has been =
active in creating Edifact EDI messages for the publishing industry =
world-wide. EDItEUR is currently engaged in a Title Information Project =
that, when completed, will provide a rich =91superset=92 of descriptive =
metadata. We have also established relations with the Dublin Core =
community and with the BIBLINK project, both of which have developed =
specific subsets of descriptive metadata. We plan to continue this =
outreach to other groups, both inside and outside the publishing world, =
working with them to identify the most economical subsets for specific =
purposes. We will also maintain close ties with the National Information =
Standards Organization (NISO) as it standardises various metadata =
schemes.=20
On the rights metadata side, we are developing a detailed classification =
of rights in the publishing context and are taking an active part in an =
international, European Union-funded research project to compare =
descriptive and rights metadata structures from different industries and =
to develop a common basis for interoperability (INDECS). We are also =
commencing a real-world pilot, with a number of technology companies, to =
test the practicalities of our rights classification. In addition, we =
are actively supporting work on the identification and classification of =
users. The underlying aim which runs through all these activities is to =
ensure that the complete continuum of ways in which users or =
organisations with to interact with others=92 intellectual property - =
from finding it to using it - can be carried out seamlessly, =
conveniently and economically in the digital environment. To achieve =
this requires the development and adoption of common standards, so that =
computer systems can be completely interoperable.=20
You can find papers describing our work at http://bic.org.uk/rights, =
including most importantly the minutes and papers of an enormously =
valuable workshop of the Metadata Working Group, held in New York on 18 =
and 19 June. One of the key conclusions of this workshop was that we =
needed more practical input from all the players in the information =
chain, particularly publishers and intermediaries (secondary publishers =
and librarians).
We would therefore like to extend a warm invitation to your members to =
participate in our work. Discussions are carried on mostly via an e-mail =
listserv sponsored by the International DOI Foundation, and to which you =
can sign up via the DOI website (the June workshop was in fact the first =
face-to-face meeting of the whole group); in future we also plan an =
occasional newsletter. Smaller teams are delegated to work on specific =
projects.
We should be very pleased to welcome more representatives of the =
=91information value chain=92 to our group. Please contact either of us =
if you are interested.
Albert Simmons and Sally Morris (joint Chairs of the Metadata Working =
Group)
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<DIV>
<DIV><U><FONT size=2>
<P>The Metadata Working Group - an invitation</P></U>
<P>For the past months, an international (mainly US/UK) group has been working
on the question of what metadata (‘information about information’)
is required in the digital environment to support unique identifiers, such as
the Digital Object Identifier (DOI), and to make possible the electronic
identification, retrieval and trading of intellectual property.</P>
<P>Our work has focused on two key areas: describing the intellectual property
(the ‘object’) itself, and describing the various different rights
which users may have or may wish to acquire, and the terms and conditions under
which these rights are available. Although the DOI itself originated within the
world of publishing, the issues raised by identifiers and their supporting
metadata are common to all media, and we maintain close links with other
industries, particularly music (which is well advanced in this area). We have
developed an underlying model for metadata which we are now trying to
refine.</P>
<P>We are sponsored by EDItEUR, the UK based organisation that has been active
in creating Edifact EDI messages for the publishing industry world-wide. EDItEUR
is currently engaged in a Title Information Project that, when completed, will
provide a rich ‘superset’ of descriptive metadata. We have also
established relations with the Dublin Core community and with the BIBLINK
project, both of which have developed specific subsets of descriptive metadata.
We plan to continue this outreach to other groups, both inside and outside the
publishing world, working with them to identify the most economical subsets for
specific purposes. We will also maintain close ties with the National
Information Standards Organization (NISO) as it standardises various metadata
schemes. </P>
<P>On the rights metadata side, we are developing a detailed classification of
rights in the publishing context and are taking an active part in an
international, European Union-funded research project to compare descriptive and
rights metadata structures from different industries and to develop a common
basis for interoperability (INDECS). We are also commencing a real-world pilot,
with a number of technology companies, to test the practicalities of our rights
classification. In addition, we are actively supporting work on the
identification and classification of users. The underlying aim which runs
through all these activities is to ensure that the complete continuum of ways in
which users or organisations with to interact with others’ intellectual
property - from finding it to using it - can be carried out seamlessly,
conveniently and economically in the digital environment. To achieve this
requires the development and adoption of common standards, so that computer
systems can be completely interoperable. </P>
<P>You can find papers describing our work at http://bic.org.uk/rights,
including most importantly the minutes and papers of an enormously valuable
workshop of the Metadata Working Group, held in New York on 18 and 19 June. One
of the key conclusions of this workshop was that we needed more practical input
from all the players in the information chain, particularly publishers and
intermediaries (secondary publishers and librarians).</P>
<P>We would therefore like to extend a warm invitation to your members to
participate in our work. Discussions are carried on mostly via an e-mail
listserv sponsored by the International DOI Foundation, and to which you can
sign up via the DOI website (the June workshop was in fact the first
face-to-face meeting of the whole group); in future we also plan an occasional
newsletter. Smaller teams are delegated to work on specific projects.</P>
<P>We should be very pleased to welcome more representatives of the
‘information value chain’ to our group. Please contact either of us
if you are interested.</P>
<P> </P>
<P>Albert Simmons and Sally Morris (joint Chairs of the Metadata Working
Group)</P></FONT></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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