Pete, and All,

> In her initial message, Sarah asked about the proposed type
> vocabulary,
>
> http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/metadata/rslp/types/
>
> and whether it would be applicable/useful to the description of a
> broad range of collections.
>
> Any thoughts? Have any of you developed type schemes for use at
> collection-level?
>
I think if this type list were to be used as a DC recommended list it
would need a complete overhaul.

It uses the dot notation, implying some structure or even hierarchy
to the terms. This notion was dropped long ago by the DC Type
WG, and such hierarchies feel wrong within a particular property's
content. Rather the type property should be repeated with single
item for each value.

Some of the sub-terms are domain indicators eg. library, museum.
This is not really the type of the collection. Rather the type of the
administrator of the collection.

Some of the sub-terms are the type of the items in the content of
the collection - eg text, image - not the type of the collection itself.
Actually I guess this is needed somewhere, eg to denote a
collection of images. Maybe this goes in 'format'?

Some of the sub-terms are about policy and use. I think this
information should be in another property (accessRights?). Some
seem to be repeating 'subject'.

So it seems as thought Type is being used as a bucket to indicate
a multitude of things about the collection.

As the Type WG discovered, it is very difficult to devise a type
vocabulary that everyone agrees to - and this may not be a very
productive use of peoples' time.

It would be better to suggest using existing collection type
schemes if these exist. I'd be reluctant to support the RSLP list as
a DC recommendation.

        Ann



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Ann Apps. Senior Analyst - Research & Development, MIMAS,
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