Some pointers on Quality:
Giuseppina Vullo
Quality is associated not only with each class of content or functionality but also with specific information objects or services. Quality is also the degree to which a DL conforms to a specific policy on the goal of a DL. The policy can cover very general guidelines to aspects that are highly technical. Quality is also applicable to either overall or single aspects of any products, services and processes, usually defined in relation to a set of guidelines and criteria. This is often implicit.
Sample of Policy survey participants
German Digital Library, Max-Planck DL, e-prints for Library and Information Science (E-LIS), Europeana,
E-Archivo: Institutional Repository of University Carlos III of Madrid, The European Library (TEL), DRIVER (D-NET) and The World Digital Library (WDL).
Survey focus
Formats, Format compliance checking tools (and results), Metadata standards, Metadata compliance checking tools (and results), Communication protocols, Communication protocol compliance checking tools (and results), Web guidelines/standards in the areas of accessibility, usability, multilingualism, Policies and legal obligations (eg for web standards or Reference Model) in addition to Multi-level guidelines and certifications, User satisfaction, Current interoperations, Quality interoperability and the Reference Model.
Outcomes
- 60% of respondents have validation tools to check Information object format compliance (eg.Pdf/A Validator).
80% have validation tools to check metadata format compliance (eg. DC Validator).
50% have validation tools to check communication protocols compliance (OAI/PMH & DRIVER Validators). - 10% have very complete metadata; 60% complete metadata; 20% sufficiently complete and 10% incomplete metadata.
So what are the barriers to metadata creation?
- Time
- Accuracy
- Missing, too complex or contradictory guidelines
- Not having enough humans involved in the process
- Not understanding its real value, reason and purpose
- Review is required by qualified personnel
Most respondents see interoperability as mainly being technical in focus. Quality aspects are crucial for successful interoperability.
Connections to the Reference Model: some DLs are already using the RM for:
- Design and operation of processes
- Business and organisational models
- Changes of institutional repositories
- Revision of DL policies
Conclusions
- It’s a metadata-centric world.
- Role of guidelines (e.g. DRIVER, MINERVA, etc.), certifications (eg. DINI, Drambora) and validators
- Different meanings of Quality and Interoperability: contexts and objectives
- Lack of formalised and well-analysed policies
- Need to be supported
