The potential uses of artificial intelligence (AI) for metadata workflows have grown rapidly. As a result, there’s a greater need for resources that support metadata managers in leveraging AI to enhance the capabilities of their teams. To address these opportunities for the profession, the OCLC Research Library Partnership (RLP) Metadata Managers Focus Group (MMFG) recently kicked off the Managing AI in metadata workflows working group. The primary goal of the working group is to engage our collective curiosity, identify key challenges, and empower metadata managers to integrate AI into their workflows with confidence.
This community-driven effort builds on earlier RLP work on AI, including Responsible Operations: Data Science, Machine Learning, and AI in Libraries (2019), a Metadata Managers’ discussion on “Getting ready for AI” (2024), and the “Transforming Metadata: Getting ready for AI” panel at ALA (2024). The working group offers members of the MMFG an opportunity to dive deeper into a timely topic.
Our call for participation has attracted contributors from the UK, the United States, Canada, and Australia. During our first meeting, we took time to learn how our contributors are currently looking at AI opportunities in their workflows, including:
- How can AI make workflows more efficient and effective?
- How can AI services help reduce backlogs of materials by creating brief records?
- What are the best practices for AI to help libraries with non-Latin script materials?
- How can AI be used to augment metadata workflows for institutional repositories, research data/information management ecosystems, and cultural heritage digital asset management platforms?
We discussed some of the challenges that Metadata Managers are currently facing. Broadly, our conversation touched on:
- People: How to engage in change management within metadata organizations, from supporting existing staff to thinking about future competencies. This includes thinking about how AI can help staff navigate complex cataloging rules and best practices.
- Economics: How to build financial support for AI into library budgets, including for services, training, and future staffing.
- Metadata and platforms: How can metadata managers assess AI platforms and features, especially to understand how to apply them to specific parts of metadata workflows (e.g., generating records, quality control, entity management/authority control)?
- Collections: How to learn about the different kinds of machine learning or AI, and which ones are best suited for different collection types. For example, computer vision can be used to generate metadata for photography vs. subject analysis of Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs).
- Professional values and ethics: How can metadata managers explore the above questions/areas while championing professional values and ethics and honoring commitments to protect and steward our collections responsibly and sustainably?
These topics were used as a starting point for a deeper exploration in our three workstream groups, which are currently meeting on a regular cadence:
- Primary cataloging workflows
- Metadata for special/distinctive collections
- Institutional repositories
Thanks to our working group members for carrying this important work forward!
- Helen Baer, Colorado State University
- Michael Bolam, University of Pittsburgh
- Jenn Colt, Cornell University
- Elly Cope, University of Leeds
- Susan Dahl, University of Calgary
- Michela Goodwin, National Library of Australia
- Amanda Harlan, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
- Miloche Kottman, University of Kansas
- Chingmy Lam, University of Sydney
- Yasha Razizadeh, New York University
- Jill Reilly, National Archives and Records Administration
- Mia Ridge, British Library
- Tim Thompson, Yale University
- Mary Beth Weber, Rutgers University
- Cathy Weng, Princeton University
- Helen Williams, London School of Economics
We expect work to conclude by the end of June, with additional blog posts about our findings to follow. Stay tuned!
Merrilee Proffitt is Senior Manager for the OCLC RLP. She provides community development skills and expert support to institutions within the OCLC Research Library Partnership.