The Embedded Metadata Working Group (EMwg), will investigate standards and tools for embedding descriptive metadata into image files.

The EMWG is a working group of the Data Standards Committee of the Visual Resources Association.

Goals

The goals of the working group are still being formulated, but our general approach will be:

• Research existing standards to understand how they interact.
• Explore the potential implications of embedding metadata using VR-focused schemas such as VRA Core 4 and CDWA lite.
• Explore the preservation uses of embedded metadata.
• Develop guidelines and standards.
• Develop working tools for transforming , embedding and extracting metadata (xmp or rdf templates, xslt, applications)
• Form partnerships with other image data standards organizations in order to maintain the interoperability of embedded metadata.

Membership

The working group will be open to members of VRA DSC.  If anyone else in VRA is interested and committed to the project, we will encourage them to join VRA DSC, so they could join the group more officially.

Working method

We intend to reach out to the VRA Community and beyond for input and ideas.  The vehicle for this broad input will be http://metadatadeluxe.pbwiki.com/ , an open source, public wiki where anyone (after obtaining permission) will be able to leave comments, add essays and edit content.  This wiki is just a starting point.  We expect the essay writing content to change significantly as the project moves forward.  We hope to have a broader conversation going on in the wider community and then taking the information that is gathered there to help focus our conversations in the VRA DSC Embedded Metadata Working Group.  The final products will come from the group and then be passed on to VRA DSC for approval before being posted on the VRA website.

Chair

Greg Reser

Arts Library, Geisel Library Building

University of California, San Diego

9500 Gilman Drive, 0175Q

La Jolla, CA 92093-0175

858 246-0998

greser@ucsd.edu

Members

Johanna Bauman, Pratt Institute

Heidi Eyestone, Carleton College

Sheryl Frisch, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Jesse Henderson, Colgate University

Kari Smith, University of Michigan

Steve Tatum, Virginia Tech