Towards a conceptual framework for user‐driven semantic metadata interoperability in digital libraries

Abstract

Purpose-With the aim of developing a conceptual framework which aims to facilitate semantic metadata interoperability, this paper explores overarching conceptual issues on how traditional library information organisation schemes such as Online Public Access Catalogues (OPACs), taxonomies, thesauri, and ontologies on the one hand versus Web 2.0 technologies such as social tagging (folksonomies) can be harnessed to provide users with satisfying experiences. Design/methodology/approach-This paper reviews works in relation to current metadata creation, utilisation and interoperability approaches focusing on how a social constructivist philosophical perspective can be employed to underpin metadata decisions in digital libraries. Articles are retrieved from databases such as EBSCO host and Emerald and online magazines such as D-Lib and Ariadne. Books, news articles and blog posts that are deemed relevant are also used to support the arguments put forward in this paper. Findings-Current metadata approaches are deeply authoritative and metadata deployments in digital libraries tend to favour an objectivist approach with focus on metadata simplicity. It is argued that unless information objects are enriched with metadata generated through a collaborative and user-driven approach, achieving semantic metadata interoperability in digital libraries will remain difficult. Practical implications-In this paper, it is indicated that the number of metadata elements (fields) constituting a standard has a direct bearing on metadata richness, which in turn directly affects semantic interoperability. It is expected that this paper will contribute towards a better understanding of harnessing user-driven metadata. Originality/value-As suggested in this paper, a conceptual metadata framework which is underpinned by a social constructivist approach substantially contributes to semantic interoperability in digital libraries.

Establishing Core Concepts for Information-Powered Collaborations

“…Metadata approaches have been widely discussed as methods to enable interoperability [23][24][25][26]. In the context of digital libraries the metadata interoperability issue has been recognised for a long time.…”

“…For instance, standards-based metadata, metadata cross-walks or mappings, application profiles and metadata registries have been demonstrated to be valuable methods to enable schema-level metadata interoperability [27]. Those methods build on a classical interpretation of information organisation systems, mainly hierarchical and authoritative, thus reflecting an objectivist philosophical perspective [26]. However, that perspective has been considered inadequate to organise complex information [28].…”

“…The advent of social media stimulated collaborative approaches to metadata which exploit social tagging and yield folksonomies [29]. Such approaches reflect a social constructivist perspective of the world, they take into account heterogeneous viewpoints, fluidity of interpretation and knowledge sharing [26]. Although authoritative and collaborative, or in other words topdown and bottom-up, approaches might seem antithetic, they can coexist providing complementary perspectives and, as advocated by Gruber, lead to ontologies for folksonomy [30].…”

“…Therefore, semantic interoperability deals with structure and includes interpretation leading to mutual understanding of concepts, relationships and their values. Alemu et al argue that in order to achieve semantic interoperability metadata objects ought to be enriched with knowledge coming from collaborative and user-driven approaches [26]. Semantic web technologies can provide the appropriate support to achieve semantic interoperability and harmonisation [25].…”

Positioning Libraries for a New Bibliographic Universe

“…Alemu, Stevens, and Ross argue that "a social constructivist approach should be adopted by libraries and other cultural heritage institutions" and that collaborative metadata approaches, where users contribute metadata and there are terms assigned from a controlled vocabulary, will enhance interoperability by allowing for the representation of multiple viewpoints. 61 As an example of the social constructivist approach, the Center for Colorado and the West at Auraria Library worked with members of Native American tribes and the Latino community to provide enhanced descriptions of digitized materials. 62 Other articles by Anfinnsen, Ghinea, and de Cesare, Lee and Schleyer, and Stvilia, Jörgensen, and Wu explore how user-generated tags and folksonomies can complement, but not replace, controlled vocabularies.…”