Metadata Practices for Digital Photographic Collections in Archives, Libraries, and Museums in Norway

Abstract

This thesis aims to explore the current state of metadata practices for digital photographic collections in archives, libraries, and museums in Norway in terms of the awareness of metadata and metadata types, the availability of guidelines, the chief source of information on cataloging digital photographic items, the metadata scheme used, subject cataloging standards and the opinions of staff on the problems and factors regarding cataloging digital photographic collections. A descriptive survey is used as the research method. Data was collected by using an online questionnaire. A survey link was distributed to archives, libraries, and museums in Norway which have digital photographic collection projects. A total of 45 returned questionnaires were analyzed into descriptive statistics by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program The findings indicate that most of the responding memory institutions have guidelines for cataloging digital photographic collections available at their workplaces (in print format more often than digital format). In the opinion of respondents, cataloging digital photographic materials is similar to cataloging photographs in other formats. Further, metadata is very important for organizing digital collections in their perspective. The Standard for Fotokatalogisering is the most adopted metadata scheme for digital photographic collections and responding memory institutions assign free keywords more often than using standardized subject heading lists. For the most part, the respondents agree that the mandatory elements in the Standard for Fotokatalogisering are the most important. Considering problems facing the digital collection projects of responding institutions, an insufficient budget is the most problematic, with the highest mean response. Inadequate existing data on the materials and a high demand for specialized knowledge and skills also greatly challenge them. As future challenges facing such projects, respondents most frequently point out user needs, policies on digital photographic collection development, and technology. Respondents highlight knowledge, skills and work resources as their potential contributions of institutions to collaborative projects.