Understanding metadata and controlled vocabularies - the key to integrated networking

Now fully booked

Venue and date

CILIP, 7 Ridgmount Street, London , WC1E 7AE Tuesday 29th July 2008 , 9.30-16.30

Course Outline

Nowadays information comes in from all over the place, in all shapes and sizes. Conversely, the resources we put together need to travel to multiple destinations, perhaps getting repackaged along the way to suit different audiences and contexts. Successful journeys across the networks are achieved by labelling each item and package with metadata.

This one-day workshop will provide an introduction to some widely used metadata schemas (such as Dublin Core, CDWA, e-GMS, IEEE-LOM) and discuss how to adapt and exploit them for our own needs. It will also explore the different types of vocabulary (taxonomies, thesauri, ontologies, etc.) that may be used for labelling the subject content of our resources. We'll be looking very practically at how to handle the vocabulary tools, in order to achieve integrated information management. Examples and exercises will be drawn from public and private sector applications.

The programme will include:

• Different metadata schemas – key features and applications
• Controlled vocabularies – choosing the type of vocabulary we need
• Mapping between vocabularies
• Human indexing or automatic categorisation?
• Software for vocabulary maintenance and use
• Progress towards the Semantic Web?
• The role of social tagging/folksonomies
• Return on investment (ROI) – how do we justify the effort?
• Bringing it all together in a plan

The course will include a combination of presentations and practical exercises, with participation encouraged and plenty of opportunity for questions and answers.

Who should attend

Anyone who is planning efficient ways of managing information flows around the organisation should attend. Likewise webmasters who want to maximise the impact of the resources on their websites, especially by presenting them so that users can find what they want and external portals can harvest the information. Effective implementation of metadata relies on cooperative working between information professionals and their information technology colleagues, and it is good to have both sides of the house represented.

Course Presenter: Stella Dextre Clarke

A Fellow of CILIP, Stella Dextre Clarke is an independent consultant who specialises in the design and implementation of controlled vocabularies for private and public sector clients. While working with the Cabinet Office, she played a key role in development of the UK 's e-Government Metadata Standard and built the Integrated Public Sector Vocabulary which forms part of it. In 2006 she won the Tony Kent Strix Award (sponsored by UKeiG), for outstanding contributions to the field of information retrieval.

Costs (including lunch and refreshments):

UKeiG members £130 + VAT (£152.75); others £160 + VAT (£188.00)

Cheques should be made payable to UK eInformation Group.

A cancellation fee of GBP 25 + VAT is payable. No refunds after 22nd July 2008.

Contact

Christine Baker
Piglet Cottage
Redmire
Leyburn
North Yorkshire
DL8 4EH

Tel & Fax: 01969 625751 +44 1969 625751
Email: CABaker@ukeig.org.uk