فراداده و سازماندهی منابع دیداری-شنیداری‌: طراحی پروفایل کاربردی فراداده‌ای منابع دیداری-شنیداری

Purpose: In the digital age, libraries, archives, and information centers are confronted with a vast array of diverse content objects, each possessing distinct characteristics and descriptive requirements. Audiovisual resources, owing to their multidimensional nature, format diversity, and technical complexity, demand tools beyond traditional cataloging for effective description and organization. However, no single existing metadata standard can independently address all the local and specialized needs of a particular information center. Therefore, this study aims to design a metadata application profile for the description and organization (processing) of audiovisual resources at the Central Library and Documentation Center of the University of Isfahan
Method: This research is applied in terms of purpose and employs a mixed-method (quantitative-qualitative) explanatory approach, conducted in two distinct phases. In the first phase, a survey-descriptive method along with thematic analysis, utilizing questionnaires and interviews, was employed to identify local characteristics and needs. The content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed through face validity by experts in information organization and metadata. In the second phase, qualitative content analysis using a checklist was applied to design the application profile. The content unit was referential and thematic, while the unit of analysis comprised metadata elements for describing and processing audiovisual resources. Additionally, "recording units" consisted of elements from metadata standards specific to audiovisual resources, and "context units" included the elements and attributes required by the Central Library and Documentation Center of the University of Isfahan. The research population consisted of managers and experts from the library, as well as metadata standards specific to audiovisual resources. Sampling was purposive for the metadata standards. The data were analyzed using a comparative-analytical approach.
Findings: The Central Library and Documentation Center of the University of Isfahan currently lacks any standardized infrastructure for organizing audiovisual resources. None of the key components, including metadata standards, local elements, data storage and transfer platforms, persistent identifiers, linking methods, or advanced search capabilities, exist in this center; resources are merely stored on-site using simple, non-standard worksheets. Nevertheless, extensive plans are foreseen for the future, including the adoption of metadata standards, development of diverse audio and video formats, utilization of storage platforms, and implementation of advanced search features. The proposed metadata application profile for describing and organizing audiovisual resources comprises 30 core elements and 68 sub-elements (98 elements in total), of which 10 (2 core and 8 sub-elements) were defined as local elements. The greatest number of elements originated from OMR, the Miras software worksheet, EBU Core, PB Core, and VRA Core, respectively. The profile elements were predominantly descriptive in function (25 core elements), with only 4 administrative elements and one technical-structural element (technical characteristics) with 15 sub-elements proposed
Conclusion: Proper recording and management of metadata in libraries and archival centers necessitate clear policies, guidelines, and implementation tools such as metadata application profiles. The proposed application profile, developed by integrating ten internationally recognized standards with ten local elements specific to the Central Library and Documentation Center of the University of Isfahan, represents the first metadata application profile specifically designed for audiovisual resources in Iranian libraries. The implementation of the proposed profile in other libraries and archival centers, while enhancing access points and facilitating the retrieval of audiovisual resources, will provide a foundation for facilitating and improving interoperability among library software systems and information management platforms.
Keywords: metadata application profile, metadata standards, audiovisual resources, content objects, Central Library and Documentation Center of the University of Isfahan
Article Type: Research Article
Article history: Received. 28 Apr. 2026; Received in revised form: day mon. year; Accepted: day mon. year




 
 


Publisher: National Library and Archives of I.R. of Iran
Doi: 10.30484/NASTINFO.2021.2971.2077
 


© The Author(s).
 




 
Introduction
Library organization is an important process in knowledge management and in facilitating access to knowledge resources. In the field of information and knowledge organization, various tools have been developed for organizing information resources. One such tool, which has emerged in response to the evolving information environment, is metadata. Today, most digital libraries employ metadata standards to facilitate the exchange of and access to digital resources and objects, including texts, images, audio files, and other forms of digital content. However, because metadata standards are designed to serve different functions, no single metadata standard can, by itself, fully meet the local requirements of a particular database, digital library, or information center. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an appropriate combination of metadata schemes in the form of a tool known as a metadata application profile.
Purpose
In the digital age, libraries, archives, and information centers are confronted with a vast volume of diverse content objects, each with its own specific descriptive characteristics and requirements. Due to their multidimensional nature, diversity of formats, and complex technical characteristics, audiovisual resources require tools beyond traditional cataloging for their description and organization. Nevertheless, none of the existing metadata standards, when used independently, can fully address all the local and specialized requirements of a particular information center. Therefore, this study aimed to design a metadata application profile for the description and organization (processing) of audiovisual resources at the Central Library and Documentation Center of the University of Isfahan and to determine its elements, structure, and semantic characteristics.
Method
The present study was applied in terms of its objective and employed a mixed-methods (quantitative–qualitative), descriptive approach. The research was conducted in two separate stages. The first stage focused on identifying the local characteristics and requirements of the Central Library and Documentation Center of the University of Isfahan. This stage employed descriptive survey methods using a questionnaire, together with qualitative thematic analysis of interview data. The content validity of the questionnaire was established through expert review by specialists in information organization and metadata. In the second stage, qualitative content analysis was employed to design the metadata application profile using a checklist. The checklist included the elements of the selected metadata standards and was used to assess their alignment with the local requirements and characteristics identified in the first stage. The content units consisted of references and themes, while the units of analysis were metadata elements used for the description and processing of audiovisual resources. The recording units comprised metadata elements specific to audiovisual resources, whereas the meaning units consisted of the elements and characteristics required by the Central Library and Documentation Center of the University of Isfahan. The study population consisted of managers and experts at the Central Library and Documentation Center of the University of Isfahan, as well as metadata standards specifically developed for audiovisual resources. The metadata standards were selected through purposive sampling. The data were analyzed using a comparative-analytical approach. In addition, the resource organization worksheets used by institutions such as the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) and the Library, Museum, and Documentation Center of the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza were considered as reference examples in the design of the metadata application profile. These institutions were selected because of their reference value and their holdings of audiovisual resources, with the aim of enhancing the comprehensiveness of the proposed profile and incorporating important descriptive and technical elements
Findings
Central Library and Documentation Center of the University of Isfahan currently lacks standardized infrastructure for organizing audiovisual resources. None of the key components—including metadata standards, locally defined elements, data storage and transfer platforms, persistent identifiers, linking mechanisms, and advanced search capabilities—is currently available at the center. Instead, the resources are maintained using simple, non-standardized worksheets. Nevertheless, extensive plans have been developed for future implementation, including the adoption of metadata standards, the expansion of diverse audio and video formats, the use of appropriate storage platforms, and the implementation of advanced search capabilities. The proposed metadata application profile for describing and organizing audiovisual resources comprises 30 main elements and 68 sub-elements, for a total of 98 elements. Of these, 10 elements (2 main elements and 8 sub-elements) were defined locally. As shown in Table 1, the “Metadata Standards” column identifies the standards from which each element or its associated sub-elements was derived. The proposed profile incorporates locally defined elements, both as main elements and as sub-elements, in accordance with the specific requirements of the Central Library and Documentation Center of the University of Isfahan. The largest number of elements was derived, respectively, from Dublin Core and the “Heritage” software worksheet, EBUCore, PBCore, and VRA Core. Most of the elements in the proposed profile have a descriptive function, comprising 25 main elements, while only four elements have an administrative function. In addition, one element, Technical Characteristics, has a technical–structural function and comprises 15 sub-elements. Overall, two main elements (Content and Technical Characteristics) and eight sub-elements were locally defined and incorporated into the proposed profile.
 
 
 
Table 1. Main Elements of the Metadata Application Profile Developed for the Central Library and Documentation Center of the University of Isfahan




Metadata Standard


Element’s name


NO


Metadata Standard


Element’s name


NO






PB core, VRA Core, Audio-MD, Video-MD, Worksheet 1


type


16


CDWA Lite, EBU Core, RAD, PB Core, OMR, MPEG-7, Worksheet 1 & 2


titleSet


1




EBU Core, VRA Core (measurements), Audio-MD (physFormat), Video-MD, Worksheet 1 & 2


format


17


EBU Core, PB Core, MO, OMR, MPEG-7, Worksheet 1


creator


2




OMR, VRA Core, Audio-MD, Video-MD, Worksheet 1 & 2


technicalProperties


18


EBU Core, PB Core, MO, OMR, MPEG-7, Worksheet 1


contributor


3




EBU Core, PB Core


part


19


RAD, CDWA Lite, MO


biographicalSketch


4




EBU Core, PB Core, CDWA Lite, VRA Core, MO, OMR


relation


20


Ebu Core, VRA Core, PB Core, OMR (keyword), MPEG-7, Worksheet 2


subject


5




EBU Core, PB Core, VRA Core (style Period), OMR


coverage


21


Local definition


content


6




EBU Core, PB Core (rightHolder), VRA Core, OMR, MPEG-7


rights


22


EBU Core, MO, OMR, MPEG-7, Worksheet 1


publisher


7




OMR, CDWA Lite, VRA Core, MPEG-7 (media URI), Worksheet 2


locator


23


EBU Core, PB core, VRA Core, OMR, Worksheet 1 & 2


date


8




Worksheet 2


supplyMehtod


24


EBU Core, OMR, MPEG-7, Video-MD, Worksheet 1 & 2


language


9




RAD, Worksheet 2


access


25


EBU Core, PB core, VRA Core (textRef), MO, OMR, Worksheet 1 & 2


identifier


10




CDWA Lite, VRA Core


culture


26


EBU Core, VRA Core, OMR (collection), Worksheet 2


source


11




Worksheet 2


note


27


EBU Core, RAD, PB core, CDWA Lite, VRA Core, OMR, MPEG-7, Audio-MD, Video-MD, Worksheet


description


12




RAD


custodialHistory


28


EBU Core, PB Core, Worksheet 2


version


13




RAD


administrativeHistory


29


PB Core, OMR, MPEG-7


audience


14




CDWA Lite


indexingInfo


30


PB Core, CDWA Lite (classification), MO, OMR, MPEG-7, Worksheet 1


genre


15




 
Conclusion
The accurate recording and management of metadata in libraries, archives, and documentation centers require appropriate policies, clear guidelines, and practical tools for their implementation, such as metadata application profiles. The proposed metadata application profile, developed by integrating ten valid international metadata standards and ten locally defined elements specific to the Central Library and Documentation Center of the University of Isfahan, represents the first metadata application profile developed for audiovisual resources in Iranian libraries. The findings indicate that the Dublin Core standard, which is based on a semantic web-oriented structure, accounted for the largest share of the proposed profile, contributing 17 main elements. This finding reflects the emphasis placed on the Semantic Web approach in designing the metadata application profile, an approach that has become prominent in many contemporary metadata standards and emerging knowledge organization models. The implementation of the proposed profile in other libraries, archives, and documentation centers can increase the number of access points and facilitate the retrieval of audiovisual resources. It can also provide a foundation for improving interoperability among library software systems and information management systems.