Introduction to Metadata: Pathways to Digital Information

Metadata: data about data.
--Becoming increasingly important for a variety of professional communities.
Information objects have 3 features:
-content
-context
-structure

Structure is becoming increasingly important as cpus grow in power/sophistication
--"metadata" consists of complex constructs to create and maintain (which can get costly), so why is it important?
--makes information more easily accessible
--helps maintain the context
--digitally, information can be expanded with metadata
--multi-versioning: can create multiple and/or variant versions of information objects
--legal issues- easier to track rights, etc
--preservation--metadata helps to preserve information objects so that they can be utilized as the digital world changes
--system improvement: metadata helps to track performance so that cpus can become more efficient both technologically and economically.
the BEST metadata = the BEST information management

"In this sense, metadata provides us with the Rosetta Stone that will make it possible to decode information objects and their transformation into knowledge in the cultural heritage information systems of the twenty-first century. "

I never realized that metadata existed. I knew that information management was vital in protecting and improving information accessibility and performance for the future, but I never realized there was this sort of superstructure in charge of maintaining the data and its context. I do think that metadata (now that I know it exists) will make a big difference in how we provide digital information objects to our patrons.