LIS 415: Information Organization

Unit 5: Conceptual Models, Description, and Access

Topic Areas

The unit explores conceptual models to describe the universe of information, various principles for description and access, and the basic descriptive metadata elements that are used to create records for information resources. Topics addressed include descriptive elements, IFLA LRM, RDA, Dublin Core, bibliographic relationships, and choosing access points for works and expressions.

Learning Objectives
  • Explain why we describe resources.
  • Articulate the basics of the IFLA LRM model and discuss their consequences for resource description.
  • Identify metadata concerns that are common across different information communities.
  • Identify common attributes for description.
  • Explain the role of access points in making metadata records available to users.
  • Use RDA to choose access points for works.
  • Create a Dublin Core descriptive record according to best practices.
  • Connect the efficient and appropriate description of resources with the effect this has on a user's ability to find, identify, select, obtain, and explore a collection.
  • Navigate within the RDA Toolkit.
  • Find and apply rules contained in RDA.
  • Describe ISBD and how the elements of ISBD appear in a catalog record.
Guiding Questions
  • Why do we describe resources?
  • What is IFLA LRM?
  • What metadata concerns are common across communities?
  • What attributes are common?
  • What is a resource description/metadata record?
  • How are metadata records made available to users via access points?
  • How do access points affect collocation?
Required Readings

Week 1: Conceptual Models and Principles

Joudrey, The Organization of Information, Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 (p. 269–277)

IFLA, Library Reference Model

Banerjee, "The Linked Data Myth"

And please read/watch at least one of the following:

 

Week 2: Description and Access

Joudrey, The Organization of Information, Chapter 8

Meissner, Arranging and Describing Archives and Manuscripts, Chapters 2 and 3 and examples

 

Week 3: Standards, Issues, and Tools

Joudrey, The Organization of Information, Chapter 9

Explore:

Recommended Readings
Relevant Articles from The Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science
  • Duff and Thibodeau, "International Standards for Archival Description"
  • Escolano Rodriguez, "Descriptive Cataloging Principles"
  • Evans, McKemmish, and Reed, "Archival Arrangement and Description"
  • Gibbins and Shadbolt, "RDF"
  • Krummel, "Bibliography"
  • O'Keefe and Oldal, "Cataloging Cultural Objects (CCO)"
  • Vanhoutte and Van den Branden, "Text Encoding Initiative (TEI)"
  • Weibel, "Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI): A Personal History"