Surveys some of the approaches being developed to deal with the lack of shared standards and the inconsistencies in recording and indexing digital information problems that inhibit access to the vast libraries of images and information on the World Wide Web. Includes a chart outlining standards for cultural heritage information, a glossary, a list of acronyms, and Web addresses. No index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
As the World Wide Web has emerged as a major research tool across all fields of study, the concept of metadata has become a crucial topic. Metadata, which can be broadly defined as "data about data," refers to the searchable definitions used to locate information. This issue is particularly relevant to searches on the Web, where metatags may determine the ease with which a particular Web site is located by searchers. This book defines this little-understood concept, explains its importance and potential uses in the networked environment, and describes existing metadata standards in the field of cultural heritage information.
