Metadata Quality Assurance in the DLESE Community Collection

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Metadata Quality Assurance in the DLESE Community
Collection
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DLESE Community Collection

• Initial DLESE collection, continues to grow
• Approx 4200 items
• Public cataloging tool but majority of items from
  known sources and funded catalogers

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Data estimated as of June 2003, little change
over last year
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Quality Assurance Measures
Four stages

• Catalog system provides feedback on duplicate and
  similar entires
• Every record is reviewed by a person for metadata
  completeness and quality
• Additional technical checks for vocabulary and
  required metadata completeness
• Regular, periodic checks for URL viability,
  syntax and duplication/mirrors

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DLESE Catalog System

• Disallows exact duplicate URLs
• Provides list of similar URLs in all stages of
  submission for decision to catalog or not
• Discourage overlapping records

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Human-mediated checks -1

• URL functional
• Appropriate URL is cataloged (granularity and
  duplication)
• Written description aligns with content at site
• Complete sentences, spelling
• Avoid repeating redundant information (-
  (technical info, creator)

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Human-mediated checks - 2

• Required metadata is present review resource and
  add or amend to follow best practices
• Controlled vocabularies properly assigned-
  resource type, technical
• Suggested metadata reviewed for accuracy, if
  present
• Keywords
• Relation
• Coverage
• Standards

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Pre-accessioning technical checks

• URL viability checked
• Check for missing required metadata and proper
  vocabularies.
• Coverage errors are flagged, though some require
  a move to special directory for edit and
  subsequent accessioning (crossing the date line)
• Upon accessioning, additional check for duplicate
  ID numbers and duplicate resource content

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Post-accessioning, ongoing checks

• Linkchecking 2x a day, reports issued twice a
  week or on demand
• Provides report on resource and relation URLs,
  indicating error type
• Vitality over time (too low is lt50 available
  over 6 previous days)
• Duplication of URL or content (catches mirrors)
  and mirror URL differs from primary URL alerts
• Email syntax

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Actions taken

• Email syntax and permanent redirects fixed
• Duplications investigated
• Vitality too low group receive further
  investigation to repair

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Vitality too low broken link

• First try to sleuth out new URL and fix it
• If unsuccessful, send email to creator/contact
  inquiring about status
• If creator replies, fix as indicated
• If no reply, remove from discovery but dont
  delete
• lt1 of DCC collection is broken at any given
  time

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Ongoing development

• New DCS will support
• multiple frameworks (ADN, collection, anno)
• more front-end quality controls spell check,
  completeness notification during cataloging
• Suggest-a-URL to replace full public cataloging
• Ongoing cataloging training and discussion with
  regular catalogers