A Comparison of the Two Traditions of Metadata Development

Metadata has taken on a more significant role than ever before in the emerging digital library context because the effective organization of networked information clearly depends on the effective management and organization of metadata. The issue of metadata has been approached variously by different intellectual communities. The two main approaches may be characterized as: (1) the bibliographic control approach (origins and major proponents in library science); and (2) data management approach (origins and major proponents in computer science). This article examines the different conceptual foundations and orientations of the two major approaches contributing to the metadata discussion. An examination of the on-going efforts to establish metadata standards, and comparison of different metadata formats, supports a proposal for an integrated concept of metadata to facilitate the merging of the two approaches.

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