Collaborating for metadata creation on digital projects: using Google Forms and Sheets

Abstract

Purpose

Working with faculty and staff to create digital projects requires a complex group of skills and activities. Potential collaborators often jump to the end vision without fully grasping the need for proper description and metadata.

Design/methodology/approach

On-the-job experiences. Contextual inquiry.

Findings

Using Google Forms and Sheets is perceived of as neutral and less frightening than working in a platform that will be the home of the project or using other proprietary productivity software.

Social implications

Digital scholars gradually come to understand the stakes of early decisions in metadata creation (such as file naming conventions and controlled vocabulary) and how that affects database structures, record display, keyword searching and long-term curation.

Originality/value

The authors did not find any other publications addressing using Google Apps for creating metadata.

Citation

Knight, R.C., Rodrigues, E. and Ciota, R. (2017), "Collaborating for metadata creation on digital projects: using Google Forms and Sheets", Library Hi Tech News, Vol. 34 No. 8, pp. 20-23. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-08-2017-0056