[Metadatalibrarians] Call for participation in Metadata Assessment Working Group, part of DLF Assessment Interest Group

[Anna L Neatrour]

Good morning!


This email is an invitation to participate in the Digital Library Federation Assessment Interest Group’s (DLF AIG) working group on Metadata in 2017 [http://bit.ly/MetadataAssessment2017]. There is more information about the Metadata Assessment Working Group below, but first, a few words about participating in DLF AIG.


The only requirement for participation in a DLF AIG working group is a willingness to dig in and devote a small part of your time contributing to the tools, methods, and body of knowledge on digital library assessment. Attendance at the DLF forum is not a requirement for participation in any of the working groups. Additionally, if your institution is not a DLF member, you can still participate.


Metadata Assessment Working Group Work from 2016

The DLF Metadata Assessment Working Group started in 2016. We set our scope to build guidelines, best practices, tools, and workflows around the evaluation and assessment of metadata used by and for digital libraries and repositories. The group hoped (and continues to aim) to offer deliverables and recommendations that digital library and repository users can implement for metadata assessment and metadata quality control. In 2016, we accomplished the following:


• setting up and testing the Metadata Assessment Working Group infrastructure & logistics;

• 2016 metadata assessment, evaluation and ‘quality’ environmental scan of literature, work, presentations, and tools - http://dlfmetadataassessment.github.io/ ;

• Gathered use cases and scenarios illustrating metadata assessment practices & needs;<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHT_lnIYaN7sxNgu0QzVqeyTU2UFXU8852khEBhQ_DM/edit>

• Started to build a rubric & metrics for performing mostly digital collections, mostly descriptive metadata assessment (in progress)<https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_xTdsksjukX6R2UQuZabCxExdcvBvLhHhDE2TNlIyiE/edit#gid=0>.


Metadata Assessment Working Group Going Forward in 2017

We have a number of possible goals and deliverables for 2017, but we hope to get group input – from new and returning members – on what our selected foci should be. To take part or help decide on 2017 goals, please comment on this DLF AIG Metadata Assessment Working Group 2017 kick-off document [http://bit.ly/MetadataAssessment2017], participate in our Google Group [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/dlf-aig-metadata-assessment-working-group], and attend our 2017 kick-off meeting on January 12 2017 at 11 AM Eastern (meeting details in that kick-off document). Some possible 2017 Metadata Assessment Working Group goals include:


• Management/updating of the 2016 environmental scan;

• Continuing development of the metadata assessment framework/rubric;

• Metadata assessment tools further review and creating/updating a knowledge base on those;

• Collaboration with other DLF AIG Groups and/or external partners;

• Outreach beyond DLF on questions of Metadata Assessment (how, why, training, importance, etc.).


How can you participate in the Metadata Assessment Working Group?

We want your input for deciding work areas in 2017 either through comments on http://bit.ly/MetadataAssessment2017 or by attending our 2017 kick-off meeting on January 12 2017 at 11 AM Eastern. We also welcome your participation via any of our other working or communication platforms (see that kick-off document).


For questions about the DLF AIG Metadata Working Group, contact Christina Harlow at cmharlow at gmail.com. For questions about the parent DLF Assessment Interest Group, contact the DLF AIG co-leaders, Sara Rubinow sararubinow at nypl.org and Santi Thompson sathompson3 at uh.edu.


Thank you for your interest in the DLF AIG!


Christina Harlow

DLF AIG Metadata Working Group facilitator

cmharlow at gmail.com, cmh329 at cornell.edu

@cm_harlow on twitter & many slack channels, irc