Remarks on metadata management

Abstract

PurposeAs digital resources proliferate, libraries plan to grant easy access to a distributed set of resources from one single entry point inside and outside the OPAC. The quest to manage the metadata about these resources becomes more important than ever. Thus, the term, “metadata management” is being used by various communities creating spatial data, enterprise applications, data warehouses, legacy environments, and bibliographic data. Unfortunately, metadata management is sparsely mentioned in the traditional information technology journals, grey literature, information technology company web sites, and the library science literature. The purpose of this viewpoint is to examine the limited use of the term metadata management in the library community and to introduce a new definition of it.Design/methodology/approachThis viewpoint examines the limited use of the term metadata management in the library community and introduces a new definition of it.FindingsAlthough the proposed definition captures the activities that libraries should be engaged as they provide access to millions of resources, this definition should constantly be examined as new technologies emerge, personnel change, and financial resources diminish.Originality/valueThe author's definition is a good start; however, to get to the complete definition of metadata management, a more comprehensive look at the workflow and procedures that exist in libraries for managing metadata is necessary.