Metadata in Practice

In the "Wild West" of digital library projects, pioneering information specialists have uncovered successful solutions, learned what to avoid, and how to proceed amid constant change. As administrator of "AskDCMI," Diane Hillmann has fielded hundreds of questions from implementers. This new collection of reports from the field, co-edited by Hillmann, is an opportunity for librarians to learn from the experience of others involved in technically diverse digital library archive projects. Part One illustrates projects serving teachers, universities, Canadian educators, statewide collaborations, and geographical information, while Part Two addresses future trends. Considering these examples, with their unvarnished "lessons learned," librarians will derive answers to such technical questions as: What are the major standards relevant to digital libraries? How do these elements relate to one another and to traditional library practices? How do planners integrate cutting edge metadata issues into project planning? What does the future hold for harvesting, re-use, and re-purposing of information? Sharing detailed results in candid reports, the contributors provide valuable information not readily available anywhere else. This collection offers project planners, metadata librarians, systems and technical services librarians, and catalogers a problem-solving approach and real-world supplement for their metadata needs.