Happy New Year, MWDL Network! On December 13, 2019, we announced the completion of a new metadata application profile. This post details the revision process and highlights the differences between MWDL MAP V2 ( 2011) and MWDL MAP V3 (2019). MAP V3 is effective January 1, 2020 for new collections harvested into MWDL.

Following the delivery of the Bulk Digitization Task Force’s MWDL Application Profile review report at the 2018 MWDL Summer Meeting, the MWDL Metadata Application Profile Revision Taskforce formed and began meeting. (Many thanks to Gina Strack, Cory Nimer, and Darnelle Melvin for their hard work on that report!) After a short time, the taskforce elected to survey the MWDL member network to better assess current metadata practices, understand pain points with the existing profile, and gather general feedback about the 2011 document. After clearing our survey instrument through University of Utah and Utah State University’s Institutional Review Boards (IRB), the taskforce launched the survey in January 2019.

After receiving 12 responses (out of 16 MWDL hubs, or 75% response rate), the taskforce set to analyzing the feedback. To our surprise, consensus was not as clear as we had imagined about removal or addition of elements. Rather, several broad themes emerged:

• Members are using a broad range of platforms locally, not only CONTENTdm
• Some members are describing collections using MODS instead of Dublin Core
• Certain required fields were cumbersome for description of archival materials and presented barriers to harvesting

The taskforce also evaluated new platforms to host the updated MAP throughout April and May, including GoogleDocs, GitHub, WordPress, Confluence, and a wiki. We mocked up one element table (date) in each platform, held virtual open houses to show them off, and voted on the best choice. GitHub was selected because it best met the taskforce’s criteria: a flexible, web-based tool that allowed multiple editors and/or authors, comment functionality, and offered the ability to host a static downloadable document.

With our new platform decided, we began meeting regularly throughout August and October 2019 to review each element as a group and make updates. The taskforce quickly decided on several global changes to the MAP, including the addition of MODS mapping and linking to terms namespaces throughout. Another broad change was to revamp the levels of obligation for elements from 2011’s required, required-if-applicable, and optional to required, recommended, and optional. This reflects broader trends in metadata profiles observed by the DLF Metadata Quality Benchmarks Working Group as well as DPLA MAP V5. The table below summarizes the differences between the versions:

After several rounds of editing and grooming to ensure consistency, the taskforce opened the final draft of the new MAP to public comment by the MWDL network, resulting in a few more revisions through late November. With the final-final draft in hand, we created the static document and placed it in our GitHub repository for download.

Another key change was the introduction of an annual issue review process. The taskforce agreed to review comments and issues annually in December, and feedback may be submitted either by emailing mountainwestdl[at]gmail.com or opening a new issue on GitHub.

We would like to offer a huge thanks to everyone who served on the 2018-19 taskforce! We had great representation from many institutions throughout the MWDL network that no doubt bolstered the quality of the work: Emily Boss (UNR), Lisa Chaufty (UU), Marina Georgieva (UNLV), Teresa Hebron (MWDL), Becky McKown (BYU), Darnelle Melvin (UNLV), Anna Neatrour (UU), Char Newbold (USL), Cory Nimer (BYU), Andrea Payant (USU), Gina Strack (USA), Rachel Jane Wittmann (UU), and Liz Woolcott (USU). Special thanks to Allyson Mower (UU) as well for reviewing copyright guidelines during the public review period in November 2019.

Please join us for a webinar on Thursday, March 12, 2020 to hear more about the new MAP from co-chairs Liz Woolcott and Teresa Hebron. Hope you can make it!

Happy 2020 and happier metadata-ing!