Quality over time: A longitudinal quantitative analysis of metadata change in RDA-based MARC bibliographic records representing video resources

Abstract

Everyday hundreds of millions of metadata records provide users access to information. To remain functional, metadata schemas changes in response to shifts in information user needs and standards of information representation. This poster presents results of the longitudinal quantitative analysis of change occurring in a select group of library metadata records over time. This study traces the evolution of a sample of OCLC WorldCat metadata records created in MARC format according to new RDA standard of information representation. The same records were obtained at four data collection points at approximately one year intervals. Findings reveal a significant increase in the number of instances of a variety of metadata elements: both those introduced by the RDA standard and traditional pre-RDA elements. This study, along with related research, contributes to the understanding of metadata change and its relation to improvements in metadata quality and information access.