Readership: This book will be essential reading for network-oriented librarians and information workers in all sectors and for LIS students. In addition, it will provide useful background reading for computer staff supporting information services. Publishers, policy makers and practitioners in other curatorial traditions such as museums work or archiving will also find much of relevance.

What is metadata and what do I need to know about it? These are two key questions for the information professional operating in the digital age as more and more information resources are available in electronic format. This is a thought-provoking introduction to metadata written by one of its leading advocates. It assesses the current theory and practice of metadata and examines key developments - including global initiatives and multilingual issues - in terms of both policy and technology.

Subjects discussed include:

* What is metadata? definitions and concepts
* Retrieval environments: web; library catalogues; documents and records management; GIS; e-Learning
* Using metadata to enhance retrieval: pointing to content; subject retrieval; language control and indexing
* Information management issues: interoperability; information security; authority control; authentication and legal admissibility of evidence; records management and document lifecycle; preservation issues
* Application of metadata to information management: document and records management; content management systems for the internet
* Managing metadata: how to develop a schema
* Standards development: Dublin Core; UK Government metadata standards (eGIF); IFLA FRBR Model for cataloguing resources
* Looking forward: the semantic web; the Web Ontology Working Group.