[metadataLibrarians] metadata or cataloging?

[Jenn Riley]

Hi Anne,

I'd recommend taking the cataloging class, *assuming*:

1) The class covers the why behind the how, providing a reasonably broad
perspective on what the data elements being taught do for a user or the
library, rather than just how to locate a rule in AACR2 and what field in
MARC to put the data in.

2) You have some other way to get hands-on experience with XML technologies
(preferably including XSLT).

If you know about the principles of description and access, the role of
cataloging/metadata in discovery and delivery systems, and enough about XML,
you can always apply those principles to new environments and metadata
standards, including things like structural and administrative metadata.

My two cents...

Jenn


========================
Jenn Riley
Metadata Librarian
Digital Library Program
Indiana University - Bloomington
Wells Library E170
(812) 856-5759
www.dlib.indiana.edu

Inquiring Librarian blog: www.inquiringlibrarian.blogspot.com




On 3/12/07 10:22 AM, "Anne Piergrossi" <annepiergrossi at gmail.com> wrote:

> Metadata listies:
> 
> I'm nearly finished with my MLS at Syracuse, and trying to determine what my
> final elective will be. I'm very interested in technical work--I have
> website content management experience, and my elective coursework so far has
> included information architecture, classification, and indexing/abstracting
> (as well as an independent study largely concerned with indexing a 19th
> century newspaper). My internship and much of my volunteer work has been in
> an archive. I'm interested in two possible career tracks: archives, or
> website content management/knowledge management/etc. (and this could happen
> anywhere from a corporation to an academic library or anywhere in between;
> I'm not necessarily tied to traditional library employment models).
> 
> For my final elective, I could take either a metadata course or a cataloging
> course, and I'm really torn. Both professors are absolutely wonderful, so
> that doesn't need to figure into the decisionmaking--either way, I'll have a
> great experience.
> 
> In the metadata course, I would learn about metadata concepts and roles,
> become familiar with the various metadata schema, design a scheme for an
> application domain by using standards or developing application profiles,
> understanding interoperability and developing mechanisms for communication
> btwn systems, and conceptually design the search and navigation architecture
> based on metadata elements.
> 
> In cataloging,  the professor said we'd spend some time on FRBR, and we're
> supposed to purchase AACR2 as well. As the professor says, cataloging is the
> basis for so much information organization, and even if we begin moving in
> different directions, it's important to know the foundations. She also said
> there's fewer people these days who understand the process in depth, so I'm
> wondering if that means there might be more job opportunities?
> 
> For those of you currently working in the field of metadata, what would you
> see as the ultimate applicability for either of these courses in a future
> job hunt? Is one or the other more in demand at the moment? How about
> outside the more narrowly defined library world--special libraries or such.
> Which course would be more saleable? Would a single course in metadata suit
> me for some entry-level (are there such creatures?) metadata positions? How
> closely linked are metadata and cataloging?
> 
> Thank you very much in advance for whatever advice you can give! I'm finding
> this elective choice to be quite agonizing because, frankly, I want to take
> both, but I've been studying part time for years now and I'm just ready to
> be finished at this point (financially and time-wise)!
> 
> anne
> _______________________________________________
> metadatalibrarians mailing list
> metadatalibrarians at lists.monarchos.com
> http://lists.monarchos.com/listinfo.cgi/metadatalibrarians-monarchos.com