Legal Research

Publisher and Librarian Metadata - Different for a Reason?

OCLC recently hosted a Symposium for Publishers and Librarians to explore metadata needs and practices at OCLC Headquarters in Dublin, Ohio, on March 18 and 19, 2009. "Approximately 50 leaders from the library community and publishing industry around the world participated in the event. Participants presented and discussed the issues surrounding the metadata needs for libraries and the publisher supply chain. Participating organizations included representatives from national, academic and public libraries, and from publishing organizations and associations, book groups, and standards organizations."

"What have we learned?

- Libraries and library metadata not necessarily on publisher's radar and vice versa.
- How MARC and ONIX represent misalignment of libraries and publishers.
- Structure of formats is inhibiting mutual understanding and ability to work together.
- Authors and users are important inputs to the metadata debate.
- We need to influence the ILS industry to accommodate data flexibility.
- We should View ONIX and MARC as communication mechanisms not as standards to support systems.
- Look at motivation as a way to understand who will or can do what.
- Leverage intellectual work for everyone?figure out how to use it.
- Proposals are a good way to vet ideas. Keep the conversation moving
- Identify small chunks of problem areas where we can accomplish change. The CIP process and ISNI are good place to start.

View the report and outcomes

This is an interesting initiative. The disconnect in the supply chain between publisher, bookstore, library, author and user needs is definitely in need of further discussion, study and understanding.

Keep an eye on it.

Stephen

Full post as published by Stephen's Lighthouse on April 21, 2009 (boomark / email).