Metadata Project Proposal—Review and Improve ETD Database and Procedures
March 16, 2006
Project Summary/Abstract:
This project will seek to improve the current procedures for managing Vanderbilt Electronic Theses and Dissertations. The project team will familiarize themselves with the existing procedures for adding items to the ETD database, creating Marc records, and preserving of ETD content. It will identify areas for streamlining or other improvements and develop recommendations for improvements in these areas and a strategy for the library’s long-term routine to handle this growing collection. Since the Graduate School is the starting place for adding electronic theses and dissertations, their procedures will need to be fully understood, however it may not be possible to change them.
The project team will make recommendations related to the following issues:
• Metadata consistency in ETD database • Relationship between Acorn record and ETD metadata description • Efficient flow of tasks among library staff • Preservation • Whether or not to authorize names, terms • Tasks to be restructured or eliminated
In carrying out this project, the project team will identify key stakeholders and consult widely throughout the library and the Graduate School as needed. For example, the project team may elect to call certain public services staff members, Eskind Library or Special Collections staff to particular team meetings or for consultations. Jody Combs in LITS will be an especially important resource for explaining details of the ETD project going back to its inception. The project team should familiarize itself with the current ETD platform as well as the ongoing discussions about the ETD platform of the future.
Finally, with the completion and acceptance of recommended new procedures, the Project Team will assist with implementation.
Timeline:
• Draft recommendations to Metadata Committee by June 1, 2006 • Solicit final feedback during June • Implementation July-Aug. 2006 • Project Team charge complete Sept. 1, 2006
Statement of Need:
Following a demo of the ETD database to the Metadata Committee, the group agreed that with the increased growth of the ETD database, the procedures and quality control need attention before the size of the database makes modifications unmanageable. The committee’s wiki page at: http://wiki.library.vanderbilt.edu/committees/pmwiki.php/Meta/01-09-06 contains more details of this discussion.
ETD’s were downloaded more than 52,000 times in 2004/2005, and the number of theses and dissertations submitted this academic year will exceed 140. Considering the success and popularity of the ETD database, it would be unwise to change it in ways that complicate its use. The ETD database can and should only be changed in ways that enhance usability, or that improve efficiency of procedures. Any recommended changes should not require major infusions of staff time.
Project Champion/Owner:
The project owner in this case is the Metadata Committee, with significant participation by the Research Services and Digital Library Steering Committees. The Metadata Committee will coordinate with other committees as needed.
Project leader/coordinator:'
Nancy Boggess-Korekach will serve as project leader.
Related Projects:
ASERL is initiating a LOCKSS-ETD access preservation project. Awareness of and coordination with this project will be important. E-publishing platform project (dPubS): Currently, LITS has agreed to be a development partner for the dPubS software (Cornell). This project could eventually impact both the drafting and eventual publication of ETD's. Jody Combs, LITS, is a key source of information about both of these projects.
Documentation and Reporting:
The project leader will report project activities to the Metadata Committee on a monthly basis for the duration of the project. The project team’s report will consist mainly of recommended new procedures.
Other Personnel involved/required:
Mary Charles Lasater and Jeff Taylor will assist with the tasks associated with this project. Additional staff from the library or the Graduate School office can be called for consultation with the team.
Assessment:
This project is meant to improve our procedures for the handling of Electronic Theses and Dissertations, a growing collection. Success would be indicated by improved efficiency in processing, clearer procedures, and an easy to use, quality product.
Active participation in project teams is critical to the success of the library’s strategic plan. All project team leaders will be asked to complete an assessment form for project team members at the completion of the project. This will be given to the project team members’ supervisor for use in annual performance evaluation. The form will rate several facets of team member participation in the project.