Metadata Generators for Backlog Reduction: Metadata Maker Streamlines Cataloging and Facilitates Transition

ABSTRACT

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) is a medium-sized research university with a library system that serves faculty, undergraduates, and graduate students across a wide array of fields and disciplines. Providing access to library resources quickly and with rich and accurate metadata can be a challenge. The UNL Libraries tested a number of metadata generators, web-based tools that can generate usable metadata in MARC format and other output formats. The research focused particularly on Metadata Maker, a metadata generator that can be used to reduce cataloging backlogs by quickly producing usable MARC records with a minimum of training. Those records can be uploaded into library catalogs and databases and enhanced and edited by catalog librarians and by staff with more expertise.

KEYWORDS:

• Metadata generators
• backlogs
• cataloging staff
• work-study students