competencies for cataloging and metadata librarians · competencies for cataloging and metadata...

Competencies for Cataloging

and Metadata Librarians

Fatima Darries

Deputy Director

Cataloguing Division,

Unisa Library

IGBIS Seminar, 8 September 2017, Centurion Lake Hotel

• Core competence of Librarians

• Competence of Metadata Librarians &

Cataloguers

• Jobs Analysis

• Unisa Case

Competencies

LIS Competency Index -SA

• Core professional, generic and

personal competency in digital age

• Competency :

– knowledge - what one should know or

understand

– skills - what one should be able to do

– Personal attributes - one’s values,

attitudes and personal traits

• 23 Academic Libraries

• job ads in the period 2014-2016

Core competency

http://publish.illinois.edu/ifla-set-ltr-2016/files/2016/06/Jaya-Raju-IFLA-

2016-satellite-SET-LTR-pptx.pdf

Resource Description Formats

• BIBFRAME (Bibliographic Framework Initiative)

Linked data model, vocabulary, and tools for expressing bibliographic data

• EAD (Encoded Archival Description)

XML markup designed for encoding archival finding aids

• Extended Date/Time Format (EDTF)

Comprehensive date/time definition for the bibliogrpahic community

• MADS (Metadata Authority Description Standard)

XML markup for authority data from MARC 21 records and original authority data

• MARC 21 formats

Representation and communication of descriptive metadata about library items

• MARCXML

XML representation of MARC 21 data

• MODS (Metadata Object Description Standard)

XML markup for metadata from existing MARC 21 records and original resource description

• VRA Core

XML schema and data format description of visual culture and images that document them

https://www.loc.gov/librarians/standards

Digital Library Standards

•ALTO

Technical metadata for Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

•AudioMD and VideoMD

XML schemas for technical metadata on audio- and video-based digital

objects

•METS (Metadata Encoding & Transmission Standard)

Structure for encoding descriptive, administrative, and structural metadata

•MIX (NISO Metadata for Images in XML)

XML schema for encoding technical data elements required to manage

digital image collections

•PREMIS (Preservation Metadata)

Data dictionary and supporting XML schemas for core preservation

metadata needed to support the long-term preservation of digital

materials.

•TextMD (Technical Metadata for Text)

XML schema that details technical metadata for text-based digital objects

https://www.loc.gov/librarians/standards

Core Competencies of MetaCats• Core Competencies excludes specialist areas – music, AV

1. Knowledge competencies

– encompass background and context for cataloging and metadata work. These

competencies include understanding conceptual models upon which standards are

based, and the structure of basic cataloging tools and encoding standards.

2. Skill & Ability Competencies

– The basis for competent cataloging is not only the ability to master individual principles

and skills but to synthesize these principles and skills to create cohesive, compliant

bibliographic data that function within local and international metadata ecosystems.

3. Behavioural Competencies

Appropriate knowledge and skills form a basis for cataloging competency. A grasp of the key

concepts and skills, however, do not add up to successful cataloging practice. Behavioral

competencies describe both personal attributes that contribute to success in the profession

and ways of thinking that can be developed through coursework and employment

experience

1. Knowledge Competencies

• Knowledge competencies fall under three

main areas: principles, systems, and trends.

1. Knowledge Competencies

Knowledge of foundational cataloging and metadata

principles– Understands historical context for current metadata principles, e.g.

Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science, Cutter’s Objects and Means

– Understands principles of identity management and authority control

– Understands principles behind controlled vocabularies, including syndetic

structure and the benefits and drawbacks of pre- and post-coordinated terms,

and can identify the vocabularies in current use

– Understands various classification structures and can identify the classification

schemes in current use

– Understands data standardization

– o Content standards : RDA guidelines, AACR2, DCRM, DACS, CCO

– o Structure standards: Dublin Core, MODS, MARC, RDA Element Sets,

BIBFRAME, EAD, VRA Core

– o Data encoding, format, and exchange standards: MARC, XML, Turtle

– o Value standards: LCSH, LCGFT, LCMPT, LCC, DDC, RDA Value

Vocabularies

– Understands conceptual models for library data : FRBR, RDF

1. Knowledge Competencies

Knowledge of systems and technology– Understands indexing and database structures: understands utility of authorized

text strings and unique identifiers for indexing and referential functionality

– Understands library services platforms/library management systems and/or

institutional repository and digital library management systems : Sierra, Alma,

Symphony, Koha, WorldShare Management Services, CONTENTdm, Islandora,

DSpace

– Understands the nature and function of cooperative bibliographic databases :

OCLC WorldCat, III SkyRiver

– Understands methods and approaches for metadata creation, editing, analysis,

and transformation: Using tools such as OCLC Connexion, oXygen XML Editor,

MarcEdit, OpenRefine, XML Notepad, XSLT

1. Knowledge Competencies

• Knowledge of trends in cataloging and metadata

profession– Understands how cataloging fits within the broader library and cultural heritage

context (“Big Picture” Knowledge) : the use of metadata to support reference,

liaison, and circulation work; the impact of quality vs. lack of/poor metadata on

user access to resources

– Has awareness of major trends/organizations in the cataloging profession :

linked data, PCC, LC-PCC Policy Statements, RDA Steering Committee

2. Skills and Abilities Competencies

Application of conceptual frameworks, standards,

and principles within a bibliographic system– Formulates consistent data Applies a metadata content standard such as RDA

guidelines, AACR2, DACS, etc.

– Disambiguates creators, contributors, titles/series : Utilizes instructions from a

metadata content standard (RDA guidelines) and/or a best practices document

(PCC NACO Participants Manual) to formulate authorized entries; manages

identifiers for entities

– Analyzes and classifies resources : Utilizes best practices for subject analysis

and assignment (LC Subject Headings Manual);

– Encodes machine-actionable data: Utilizes metadata structure standard

(MARC, Dublin Core, MODS, etc.) via serialization standards (XML, Turtle, etc.)

– Asserts relationships between creators, works, etc: Utilizes a metadata value

standard (RDA Element Sets) to relate different entities

2. Skills and Abilities Competencies

Application of universal standards within a local context– Assesses or seeks to understand local user needs for library metadata

– Sets (or advises on) local metadata practice, including selecting appropriate

standards for local use

– Documents local decisions and practices

– Designs and modifies cataloging and metadata workflow processes

• Integration, mapping, and transformation of metadata within a

bibliographic system– Converts or crosswalks a record/document from one metadata standard to

another e.g. MARC-to-XML

– Employs standards to normalize metadata

– Documents input and mapping decisions

3. Behavioural Competencies

Interpersonal communicationCollaborates effectively

Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills

Builds and maintains collegial relationships

Listens with genuine interest and an open mind

Public service orientationRecognizes multiple cultures and diverse populations

Prioritizes user needs

Values diverse viewpoints and ways of doing things

3. Behavioural Competencies

Initiative & adaptabilityDemonstrates: Creativity, Flexibility, Comfort with ambiguity,

Independence, A commitment to lifelong learning

Professional CuriosityMaintains awareness of professional literature and research

Seeks involvement with professional organizations

Advocates for the profession

Problem solvingAbility to : Manage projects, Manage workflows, Think critically,

Sustain attention to detail, Conduct assessments and evaluations

Contribute to holistic visioning and strategic planning efforts

The future is @Unisa

• competencies outlined … involve inter-

departmental efforts within an academic library

and are not necessarily confined to a single

section of the library. For example,

management of the library’s digital resources

would involve the cataloguing, systems and

(information technology) IT, preservation and

digitisation sections. Raju, 2017

Increasing Collaboration

1. Digitisation (Access and Preservation)

- Archives, museum, gallery

2. Research Data Curation

-client services

3. Description (Cataloguing) Section

- (metadata templates, identity authority)

4. Shelf Ready Processing

-Procurement processing (last best hope)

ICT Applications/shared responsibility

• Library Catalogue (WorldCat)

• Spine labelled IR – shelves & branches

• UnisaIR (Research output) (metadata)

• Unisa E-Reserves (objects)

• Unisa Digital Archives (Digital Collections)

• ….Data Repository…

Quality assurance

• Self quality assurance (copy cataloguing)

• Peer quality assurance (original cataloguing)

• Vendor quality assurance (shelf ready,

contract cataloguing)

• Why

a) The Perfect Bibliographic Record

b) The client

c) Value added services (CRIS, Discovery,

Cross-walks, Harvesting)

Shelf ready resources

• Shelf ready resources

– Started 2012

– Download MARC records

– Quality assurance of the bibliographic and

item record

– Quality assurance of physical preparation

– Download authority records

– Shelf ready workflow

Ebooks Annual Comparison

E-Books

• In-house – title by title

• MARC files from Vendors –ftp, .xml, .mrc

• KBART – Worldshare - download

• Worldshare, Vendor, Library – golden triangle

• But that is only to add holdings and get it into

the catalogue

• Then there is the admin

Cataloguing workflow for e-books

• WorldShare

– Receive Excel file with titles from Procurement

– Create Knowledge Base and Related Tools

(KBART) file

– Upload on WorldShare

– Download from WorldShare

– Upload on Sierra

– Global update on Sierra

– Divide between cataloguers

– QA and checking of links

Table of Contents Service

• Sourced in service from Blackwells (2010);

Innovative (2012)

• New supplier: Yankee Book Peddler (2016)

• Loaded into Sierra by Library Technology

Services

• Global update to remove 505 field

• Currently 186 490 records with TOCs

• SA publication TOC service not available

Authority cataloguing process

• Downloading of authority records

• Changing existing authority record

• Creating new authority records

• Removal of duplicate forms

Authority Enhancement

• Service provider

• Specifications

• Mass ingestion of

authority records

• …cleanup….

Research Data Curation (RDM)

• Datasets

• Repository: Business

Case

• Draft Policy

• RDM Task Team

• Strategy, Roadmap

• Digital objects

metadata

• Vocabularies

Description of Digital Collections/Archival

Unisa Digital Archives on ContentDM

2016 - the first months…

Cataloguing Section : Steep learning

Digitization

Description of created digital

surrogates of:

• Theses & Dissertations

• Journal articles, etc

• Archival information

resources : Manuscripts,

maps, objects, posters, etc

1. UnisaIR

2. Unisa Digital Archives

Scholarly Communication

• Institutional Repositories

• Subject Repositories

• Open Access, Open Knowledge

Change Management

• Single title, single record to mass/batch processing

• Single workflows to multiple

• Multiple ICT systems and platforms

– ILS, Digital collections repositories: institutional, data,

archival, cultural heritage

• One description standard to many metadata

standards

– AACR2, RDA, Dublin and Dublin Core, MODS etc

Change Management

• Hard copy to ebooks,

• Commercial IR to heritage, archival and

special collections;

• Research output and research data

Change Management

• Skills steep learning curves

– subject to description experts;

– post preparation to pre preparation;

– programming skills – MARCEdit, KBART

• Structural

– Management, Supervisor, co-ordinators

– Digitisation Unit

– Data curation Unit (scholarly communication

• Physical space – new machines

Job Analysis

What does a cataloguer look like?

• Description expert

• Metadata master

• Identity authority

• Batch processing

junkie

• Programming fundi

References

• ALA. Cataloguing Task Force. 2017. Core Competencies for Cataloging and Metadata

Professional. Available at:

• Raju, J. 2017. LIS professional competency index for the higher education sector in South

Africa. Cape Town: University of Cape Town Libraries. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15641/0-

7992-2536-5

• Raju, J. 2016. Core competencies in LIS education: professional, generic and personal

competencies for the higher education LIS sector. Paper presented at the Satellite Meeting

Co-organised by the Section on Education and Training and World Library and Information

Congress 82nd IFLA General Conference and Assembly Section on Library Theory and

Research, The Conference Centre at OCLC, Dublin, Ohio, United States of America (USA),

10 August 2016. Available: http://publish.illinois.edu/ifla-set-ltr-2016/files/2016/06/Jaya-Raju-

IFLA-2016-satellite-SET-LTR-pptx.pdf [2016, September 17].

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