6 - The principle of metadata linking

Abstract

Metadata enriching is the underlying principle that supports the overall aim of adopting a mixed metadata approach, which combines the strengths of both standards-based and socially-constructed metadata approaches. However, a single institution, of whatever size and resources, cannot continually enrich metadata on its own. The concept of linking is a powerful means for creating seamless connections between disparate sources of data, which supports enriching by making library metadata reusable. The principle of metadata enriching can thus only be optimally utilised if the metadata is linked in-house (internal linking – within a particular library metadata set) as well as to external metadata sources (external linking). Linking metadata within and outside the library domain is crucial for efficient metadata enriching.