“Any system is only as good as the metadata that it ingests.”

Chris Bulock

It is human nature to organize, and information professionals are driven to do so. Although through organization we attain the unmitigated pleasure of having everything in its place, we organize for a much deeper reason: because we need to retrieve. (Taylor and Joudrey, 2018) “Retrieval of information is dependent upon its having been organized.” (Taylor and Joudrey, 2018, p.154)

In traditional cataloguing, schemata involving controlled vocabularies and classification are applied to organizing information. Programming data structures, such as web design and programming languages, include their own controlled vocabularies and metadata, and are other methods of delivering stored, organized information. “The object of metadata is the same as that of traditional cataloguing: to identify and describe resources and make them findable and available.” (Bolin, 2018, p.143) These resources can be either in physical or virtual environments.

Info 287 - Problem Solving with Data I

This course offered a practical introduction to the field of Statistical Data Science and focused on solving real-life data problems through data-driven visualization and statistics. It provided fundamental knowledge in several programming languages and tools, and basic methods for quantitative analytics.

I learned how to write simple programs and commands in Python, R, and UNIX and to apply the various programming languages to collect, clean, process, and analyze data. I developed my understanding of basic statistical methods to explore and visualize data. I practiced how to identify data-driven analytics problems and use statistical methods and visualization techniques to solve those problems.

Assignments that supported these outcomes included discussions, exercises, and a final team research project.

Info 240 - Information Technology Tools and Applications

This class concentrated on using modular web design techniques with discussion and application in the areas of HTML5, CSS3, images and other media information architecture, cultural issues in website design accessibility and usability responsive, mobile-first web design, XML/XSLT, JavaScript/JSON, and PHP.

I developed an understanding of the client-server relationship and how to work with a UNIX server, and can identify the difference between client- and server-side Web programming languages. I also developed conceptual and practical strategies for presenting information on the Web. I learned how to create content in XHTML and HTML5 formats and design interfaces using CSS. A focus was placed on how to present information on the Web with a consideration for usability, accessibility, and cultural issues. I worked with Web 2.0 technologies such as RSS, blogs, wikis, collaborative writing tools, and digital storytelling tools. I also examined some simple JavaScript programs. I learned to incorporate interactive forms onto a Web page using a simple PHP program, and build an XML file and access it via an XSLT stylesheet.

Throughout the course, I was expected to create journal entries addressing issues relevant to the lesson's topic of discussion. Assignments built upon each other culminating in a final website project that required the use of most of the concepts learned throughout the semester.

Info 202 Exercise: Writing a Simple Rule

In order for indexers to create records, they must have clear instructions about what to enter as values in each field; this is the main purpose of rules. This exercise gave me a chance to try my hand at writing a simple rule for one field. The scenario: You are the designer of a database for a collection of pens (writing implements). The data structure has already been completed and now it’s time to write a rules document, with one rule for each field. One of the fields in the data structure is a “Length” field, where the value will represent the measured length of the each pen. My task: Write a rule for an indexer to follow for entering values for the Length field for all pens in the collection. The assignment was to strive to be clear (an indexer should be able to understand on the first read-through exactly what needs to be entered), comprehensive (address all the different types of objects [the pens] in the collection), and concise (to omit needless words) A set of “best” rules was shared with the class, along with composite feedback; this artifact, my rule, was at the top of the shared list for the class.

Team Research Project: Research using Twitter Data

For this artifact, I present a team research project created for Info 287 - Problem Solving with Data I. We used Twitter data to evaluate which platforms and places people claim they are being banned from. Furthermore, we investigated how often this information is being shared. Using an analysis on retweeting practices of claimed censorship we attempted to demonstrate a correlation between the allegation of a given platform’s censorship (independent variable) and the likelihood of this information being shared (dependent variable). For the project we created a google Colab, and used Python as part of our process to collect, clean, process, and analyze the Twitter data.

Special Session Scholarship Prezi: User Friendly Web Interfaces

I applied for a Special Session Scholarship, which involved using Prezi to creatively build a presentation that showcases my skills and illustrates my commitment to designing user friendly web interfaces. This artifact is that Prezi, a presentation about user friendly web interfaces with an emphasis on accessibility. It is based upon my experiences building a website for Girl Scout Troop 555 in Info 240 - Information Technology Tools and Applications.

Reflection

Information is as good as useless if it is not accessible to those who need it. From traditional cataloging systems involving controlled vocabularies, with clear, comprehensive, and concise rules for indexers, to social media structures and web presences focused on accessibility, organizing information for specific segments of the population is key to its functionality. Ever present informing my thinking is that mantra: how information is stored determines how well it can be retrieved.

References

Bolin, M. (2018). Metadata, Cataloguing, Linked Data, and the Evolving ILS. In S. Hirsh (Ed.), Information services today: An introduction (2nd ed., 142-155). Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.

Bulock, C. (n.d.). GoodReads.com. Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/library-systems

Taylor, A. & Joudrey, D. (2018). Organization and Representation of Information. In K. Haycock & M. Romaniuk (Eds.), The Portable MLIS (2nd ed., 153-170). Santa Barbara: Libraries Unlimited.