Perspectives of LIS Academics and Post Graduates on Standards-based and Socially-Constructed Metadata Approaches

Abstract

With the aim of developing a conceptual metadata framework that takes into account user-driven metadata, this paper presents the perspectives of library and information science (LIS) academics and postgraduates on optimality of standards-based versus socially-constructed metadata approaches. Based on analysis of data collected through eleven in-depth interviews, three broad metadata approaches are identified: standardsbased, socially-constructed and mixed-metadata approaches. In relation to standardsbased approaches, the paper discusses the obsolescence of the OPAC in comparison to contemporary web search engines and the limitations of standards in addressing the changing user needs, expectations and evolving vocabularies. The paper also discusses the roles ascribed to Web 2.0 and Linked Data technologies in libraries, and the importance of enriching information objects with metadata that better conveys the various perspectives of users. The paper suggests a mixed-metadata approach that includes the strengths of the standards-based metadata approaches and the social space of metadata that comes from socially-constructed metadata approaches.