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Collection Specific Vocabularies

March 2004

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Terminology

CB - abbreviation for collection builder CV - abbreviation for controlled vocabulary

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Controlled vocabularies in DLESE

Enables browsing and searching by:– Resource type and grade range– Educational standards– Collection names– Subject (browse only)

Ensures consistent metadata content in some required and optional fields

Applies to all collections Encourages consistent terminology usage

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Collection specific vocabularies

Terms/phrases CBs think describe collections better than the framework capabilities of:– Free text descriptions for each framework section– Annotation records– Controlled vocabs

Use only in optional fields of ADN framework Applies to a single collection Should not use terms in DLESE-wide vocabs Should have easy to understand definitions

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Putting collection specific vocabs into the ADN framework

1. Keywords method

2. Collection builder controlled terms method

3. XML schema method

Notes - – When collections first ask about this they

generally envision method three – Three collections implemented method 1

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Keywords method

Develop a list of terms or phrases Use the terms or phrases consistently in the

keyword field of every record No browse capability Use keyword search to find records No definitions needed CB does all the work

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Keyword method:Pros Cons

Simple for DPC and CB Searching yields good

results CB has complete control

and responsibility No metadata framework

changes No impact on other

collection builders

No specific browse CB has complete control

and responsibility No integration into

DLESE systems and services

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Collctn bldr contr. terms method

Develop a list of terms/phrases Write definitions for terms/phrases Provide a URL to the definitions Use terms consistently Be very consistent in spelling, spacing and

capitalization when creating metadata content DPC can do browse if CB is consistent with

metadata content

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CB controlled terms method:Pros Cons

Simple for CB Searching yields good

results Browsing capability can be

developed CB has complete control

and responsibility No framework changes No impact on other

collection builders

Browse capability requires DPC work and close synchronization with CB

CB must use terms consistently and be good about spelling/spacing

Vocab not easily integrated into other DLESE systems or services

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XML schema method (1) (CB does)

Develop a list of terms Define the terms Provide attribution for the terms Encode the list of terms into XML that is

compatible with the XML of the appropriate DLESE metadata framework

Register the vocab and XML files with DLESE Keep the terminology updated

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XML schema method (2) (DPC does)

Develop a vocab registration system Encode the vocab terms and definitions into the

DLESE systems for use in discovery Issue a new version of the particular metadata

framework (because we do so when vocabs are added)

Upgrade all existing records and collections to the new framework version (impacts every metadata record and CB in DLESE)

Provide browse capability

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XML schema method:Pros Cons

CB must know XML Searching yields very

good results Good browse capability CB has some control

and responsibility Vocab can be integrated

into DLESE systems or services

Not simple: extensive time and work is need from DPC and CB

Requires metadata framework changes

Impacts other CB’s (records and vocabs)

CB does not have complete control or responsibilty

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Probing questions

Will users actually benefit from such vocabs? Will programming, web devel, metadata devel

overhead outweigh benefits of vocab? Technical challenges exist in implementing Who will update terminologies when CB is done with

the project? Searching by CB vocabs creates user interface

issues, i.e. multiple custom interfaces How will DLESE system keep up?

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Recommendation for DLESE

Use the Keyword method because: Simple for both CB and DLESE CB has complete control Searching (no browse) is mostly likely just as

good as without the vocabs because– Most library users search using the keyword text

box not the controlled vocab menus– Stemming & proximity help improve search results

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Complications of combining multiple controlled vocabs (CV)

CV 1

CV 3

CV 2

Then how do we know what to use in the browse page

CV 1 CV 3 CV 2