Metadata and Linked Data: Not That Scary

Many people will cringe when they hear the word 'metadata'. It's been getting a lot of play in the media with the NSA scandals. Metadata, and an outgrowth of metadata, linked data need not be scary.

It's not hard to create metadata. Programs like PicturePark and Adaptive's Metadata Manager provide ways to not only add metadata, which you can do in many common text editors, but allow you to structure the schema in a way to which even the least code-proficient user can easily add the metadata to a file.

It's when the metadata is used in concert with other metadata that the real utility becomes apparent. Roy Tennant has been publishing a very interesting series of pieces on the Post-MARC era and on data issues in general.

There's more and more everyday on how metadata plays a role in our lives. If you've not been paying attention, now's the time.

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