Best of Core Forum: Looking Beyond Your Digital Repository: Metadata for Storytelling
Description: In recent years, the traditional use of digital collections simply as proxies for the physical has shifted to a paradigm of viewing collections as data suitable for computational use and novel research methods. A metadata strategy with robust description can provide access and inspire new contextual narratives and knowledge. The presenters saw great potential for a collections as data exploration in a significant World War I archival collection to highlight lesser-known stories, including those of the Pioneer Infantry, women, and noncombatants. This case study presentation will discuss approaches to digital collections metadata, digital storytelling, data visualization and mapping, and will present real-world techniques that participants can use in their own work.
The World War I Service Records collection contains a rich record of the experiences of students and alumni who engaged in military or community service. The collection, however, was accompanied by extremely minimal folder-level metadata, which, in combination with CONTENTdm's limited visualization capabilities, presented major challenges for exposing the collection's rich data and making its contents available. The presenters will share approaches to creating granular but scalable metadata and will discuss the use of ArcGIS and other digital humanities tools for bringing hidden stories of diversity to light.
This webinar was previously presented in-person as a session at the 2024 Core Forum. We are hosting this webinar, with the session adapted and presented live as a virtual event, to extend its reach.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this session, the attendee will be able to
- Participants will learn efficient approaches to creating granular, yet scalable metadata for collections.
- Participants will bring back metadata and collections as data strategies to utilize at their institutions.
- Participants will learn about digital humanities tools that incorporate metadata for digital storytelling and data visualizations.
Who Should Attend: Metadata and Cataloging Librarians & Digital Humanities Librarians
Presenters:
Emily Baldoni (she/her) is a Metadata Librarian and Assistant Professor at Illinois State University, where she manages metadata for digital collections. Her work and research interests include cataloging and metadata education, rare materials cataloging, digital humanities, linked data, and identity management.
Maddi Loiselle (she/her) is the Metadata Specialist at Illinois State University where she aids in metadata production and promotion of digital collections. Her work and research interests include collections as data, inclusive and accessible metadata creation, and community building in the workplace.
Angela Yon (she/her) is the Cataloging & Metadata Librarian and Assistant Professor at Illinois State University. Her work and research interests include resource description, discovery and management, digital collections, linked data, critical cataloging, and topics in the digital humanities and digital scholarship.
Tech Requirements
Core Webinars are held in Zoom. Speakers or a headset for listening to the presentation are required. You may interact with the presenter and ask questions through text-based chat. Closed captioning is available in the Zoom platform. The webcast will be recorded and the link to the recording shared with registrants shortly after the live event.