Administrative metadata

Definition

Administrative metadata refers to the information that helps manage and organize resources, including details about the creation, management, and rights associated with those resources. This type of metadata is crucial for the effective administration of digital assets, as it provides context for how items are created, accessed, preserved, and utilized within digital environments.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Administrative metadata includes information such as the creator of the resource, date of creation, modification history, and access rights.
2. This type of metadata is vital for organizations to track usage patterns and manage digital rights effectively.
3. Administrative metadata helps ensure compliance with legal requirements by documenting ownership and copyright status.
4. It plays a key role in preservation strategies by providing information on how and when to migrate or refresh resources to avoid data loss.
5. Without proper administrative metadata, it can be challenging to locate and retrieve resources, leading to inefficiencies in resource management.

Review Questions

• How does administrative metadata contribute to the overall management of digital resources?
  • Administrative metadata contributes to the overall management of digital resources by providing essential information about the resource's creation, modification, and access rights. This helps organizations track who created the content, when it was made, and any changes made over time. By maintaining accurate administrative metadata, organizations can streamline resource retrieval and ensure compliance with usage policies.
• In what ways can administrative metadata support an organization’s legal compliance and rights management efforts?
  • Administrative metadata supports an organization’s legal compliance and rights management by documenting essential details such as copyright status and ownership. This ensures that organizations have clear records of who owns what content, which is crucial when addressing licensing agreements or potential copyright infringements. Effective management of this metadata can also help mitigate risks associated with unauthorized use of digital resources.
• Evaluate the importance of administrative metadata in digital preservation strategies and its impact on long-term resource accessibility.
  • Administrative metadata is vital in digital preservation strategies because it provides the context needed for effective long-term management of digital resources. By documenting information about a resource's origin, changes, and technical requirements for preservation, organizations can make informed decisions about migration strategies or data refresh cycles. This careful documentation ensures that resources remain accessible over time, adapting to evolving technologies while safeguarding against data loss.

Related terms

Descriptive metadata: Information that describes the content and characteristics of a resource, helping users discover and understand it.

Technical metadata: Details regarding the technical aspects of a resource, such as file format, resolution, and software used for creation.

Metadata schema: A structured framework that defines how metadata elements are organized and used within a specific domain or application.