Competency G
Demonstrate understanding of basic principles and standards involved in organizing information such as classification and controlled vocabulary systems, cataloging systems, metadata schemas or other systems for making information accessible to a particular clientele
Understanding the Competency
Competency G focuses on the structures that information professionals use to organize knowledge. Information institutions manage large collections of materials that require consistent systems of description to make them understandable and discoverable for users. When information is organized through established standards, collections become easier to navigate and interpret.
Information organization has long been recognized as a central responsibility within the information professions. Elaine Svenonios (2000) explains that bibliographic organization exists in order to provide systematic access to recorded knowledge. Achieving this goal requires the development of descriptive frameworks that represent the essential characteristics of information objects. These frameworks allow information professionals to record information about creators, subjects, and historical context in ways that remain consistent across collections.
Metadata plays an especially important role in contemporary information environments. Taylor and Joudry (2009) describe metadata as structured information that supports the discovery and interpretation of resources. Metadata records provide details about an object's creation, format, and subject matter. When those records are created according to established standards, they support reliable searching within catalogs and digital repositories.
Controlled vocabularies contribute another important layer to this process. Standardized terminology allows catalogers to describe resources using consistent language. Gross and Taylor (2005) found that subject headings significantly improve retrieval in library catalogs, because they connect related materials even when users search using different words. They write, “It was found that more than one-third of records retrieved by successful keyword searches would be lost if subject headings were not present, and many individual cases exist in which 80, 90, and even 100 percent of the retrieved records would not be retrieved in the absence of subject headings.” Standardization therefore supports more reliable access to information resources.
Through these systems, information professionals create the structure that allows collections to function as organized bodies of knowledge. Competency G emphasizes understanding how these structures operate, and how they support the discovery of information.
Why It Matters to the Profession
The principles represented in Competency G are essential to the mission of information organizations, where access is often of high priority. Preservation alone is not sufficient to support these goals. Materials must also be organized in ways that allow users to locate and interpret them. Organizational systems provide the foundation that supports this work. catalog records describe individual resources while also connecting those resources to broader networks of information. these connections allow researchers to trace relationships between creators, subjects, and historical developments.
The growth of digital collections has increased the importance of structured information systems. Karen Coyle (2010) notes that “the metadata that we find ourselves using every day is the metadata that we can use to accomplish some task.” Digital repositories rely on descriptive standards to ensure that information remains understandable across different technological platforms.
Information professionals must also consider the needs of their communities when organizing information. Different environments require different descriptive approaches based upon kinds of objects stored and the mission of the information environment. For example, museum collections often emphasize physical characteristics and historical context, due to the objects carrying meaning through their material form. Library catalogs typically focus on authorship and subject classification, because books are primarily resources. Archival collections rely on hierarchical description, as the relationship between records are central to understanding their provenance and history.
Shared standards also allow institutions to collaborate with one another. Elings and Waibel (2007) explain that common metadata frameworks enable libraries, archives, and museums to share information across digital platforms. They write, “Data content standards such as CCO emerge as the linchpin in a cross–community strategy to make descriptions versatile, shareable and readily integrated into union resources.” When institutions adopt compatible descriptive standards, collections from different organizations can be integrated into unified research systems. This creates an exciting opportunity for collaboration across institutions across the world.
Competency G reflects the responsibility information professionals have in maintaining these systems. The structures used to organize information influence how knowledge is discovered and interpreted.
Awareness of Established Structures in an Information Environment
Modern information environments rely on several established systems that guide the organization of information. These systems have developed for decades of professional practice, and continue to evolve as technologies change. Library cataloging systems provide one example of these structures. The development of Machine Readable Cataloging (MARC) allowed bibliographic records to be stored and exchanged electronically. This innovation enabled libraries to share catalog data across institutions and contributed to the creation of online public access catalogs.
As digital collections expanded, additional metadata schemas were developed in order to describe new types of materials. The Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS) was designed to provide richer descriptive elements than simpler metadata frameworks. MODS allowed catalogers to describe complex digital resources, while maintaining connections to traditional bibliographic standards.
Cultural heritage institutions often require descriptive systems designed for physical artifacts rather than textual materials. LIDO, which stands for Lightweight Information Describing Objects, was created to address this need. LIDO allows institutions to document both the descriptive characteristics of an object and the events associated with its history. Through this structure, catalogers can record information about an object's creation and its movement through collections over time.
Controlled vocabularies complement these systems by providing standardized terminology. Systems such as the Library of Congress Subject Headings or the Art and Architecture Thesaurus allow catalogers to represent subjects consistently across records. Consistency in terminology improves indexing and supports more reliable information retrieval.
Understanding these established structures is essential for information professionals. Different types of materials require different descriptive languages. Selecting the appropriate system ensures that collections remain both organized and accessible.
Impact of Established Structures on Information Organization
The systems used to organize information have a direct influence on how collections function within information institutions. Metadata schemas determine what kind of descriptive information can be recorded about a resource. Cataloging standards guide how creators and titles are represented within records. Controlled vocabularies shape the language used to describe subject content. When these structures are applied consistently, they create an organized environment that supports discovery. Researchers can search catalogs and databases with greater confidence, because descriptive information follows predictable patterns. Metadata fields allow users to locate materials based on shared characteristics such as creators or historical periods.
Information organization also involves careful professional judgment. The way materials are categorized can influence how users interpret relationships between objects. For example, a collection of animation drawings might be organized according to the film in which the drawings appeared. The same collection could also be organized to the artists who produced the drawings. Each approach highlights a different perspective on the materials.
These decisions demonstrate that information organization is not purely technical. It requires an understanding of descriptive standards, and an awareness of user needs. Competency G reflects the responsibility information professionals have to apply established systems in ways that support meaningful access to collections.
Evidence 1
The first artifact demonstrating my Mastery of Competency G is the project titled “LIDO: A Mini Metadata Project for Heritage Auctions,” completed in INFO 281: Metadata (Spring 2025). This assignment required selecting an appropriate metadata schema, and applying it to a curated set of cultural heritage objects. By applying the LIDO metadata schema to these objects, the project explored how professional metadata standards support the organization and discovery of cultural materials.
Link: https://www.mickaylamcdowell.com/videos/lidodisneyana
Description of the Artifact
The project focused on documenting 10 Disneyana objects drawn from an animation and collectibles auction. The materials represented a variety of object types associated with Disney history and fan culture. Some objects originated from early animation production. Others reflected later commemorative or collectible artifacts associated with Disney theme parks and corporate culture. The diversity of these materials required a metadata system capable of describing both physical characteristics and historical contexts.
In order to organize the collection, I selected the Lightweight Information Describing Objects (LIDO) metadata schema. LIDO was developed through collaboration between cultural heritage institutions and the International Council of Museums. The schema is designed to support the documentation of museum objects, while also facilitating the exchange of metadata across digital platforms.
To apply the schema, I developed a structured template that captured essential descriptive information for each object. The template recorded identifying information about the object, as well as contextual details that help explain its historical significance. For example, records included information about creators, materials, measurements, and provenance. Additional contextual elements described how the object moved through different stages of its existence, including its appearance within the auction catalog.
The records were created with a specific user environment in mind. Auction houses serve collectors, historians, and museum professionals who evaluate objects based on both historical significance and physical condition. The metadata structure therefore emphasized descriptive clarity, while also documenting the context in which the objects appeared within the auction event.
Justification and Connection to the Competency
This artifact demonstrates my understanding of metadata schemas as the central structures for organizing information within cultural heritage environments. Selecting LIDO required evaluating the nature of the materials being described, and determining which descriptive language would represent them most effectively. Traditional bibliographic standards were not well suited for three-dimensional artifacts or production artwork. LIDO provided a structure designed specifically for museum and object collections.
The project also required applying metadata consistently across multiple records. Consistency is a fundamental principle of information organization, because it allows users to navigate collections through predictable patterns. By applying the same descriptive framework to each object, the collection could be interpreted as a coherent data set rather than a series of unrelated records.
Another important aspect of the assignment involved considering the needs of the intended audience. Collectors and researchers often seek contextual information about cultural artifacts. Metadata needed to capture the physical description of an object and the historical events associated with it. The LIDO schema supports this type of contextual documentation by allowing information professionals to record events connected to an object's life cycle.
Through this project, I developed practical experience applying a professional metadata standard within a cultural heritage context. The assignment strengthened my understanding of how metadata structure supports discovery, while also preserving the contextual meaning of cultural artifacts.
Evidence 2
The second artifact demonstrating my master of Competency G is the project titled “MODS: A Mini-Metadata Exploration for Dark Horse Comics.” This assignment was also completed in INFO 281: Metadata (Spring 2025), and required designing a metadata structure for a hypothetical corporate archive. The project explored how metadata schemas can support the organization of creative assets within a multimedia company.
Description of the Artifact
Dark Horse Comics publishes graphic novels and manages intellectual properties that extend across publishing, film production, and merchandise. These activities generated a wide range of materials that document both creative and administrative processes within the company. Published works such as comic issues and graphic novels represent only one portion of the records produced by the organization. Editorial correspondence, screenplay drafts, contracts, and development materials also contribute to the broader documentation of intellectual property development. Due to these materials originating from multiple departments and serving different operational purposes, organizing them within a single archival structure presents significant information management challenges.
The project proposed the creation of a corporate archive that would support multiple internal departments. Such an archive would provide a centralized environment where employees could access historical materials related to intellectual property development. Access to these materials could support legal documentation, rights management, and creative research for future projects. A well-designed archival system would also preserve the institutional memory of the company by documenting the evolution of its publications and media adaptations.
To organize these materials, I selected the Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS). MODS was developed by the Library of Congress as an XML-based metadata standard designed to describe complex digital and bibliographic resources. The schema was created as an alternative to simpler metadata languages while remaining more flexible and readable than the MARC format. MODS still maintains compatibility with traditional cataloging data, so it provides a useful bridge between library cataloging practices and digital asset management systems.
Within this project, I designed two templates to represent different categories of materials. One template focused on published comic works, including collected editions and graphic novels. These materials required descriptive elements that documented creators, publication dates, formats, and relationships to broader series of intellectual properties. The second template addressed internal documentation such as scripts, editorial correspondence, and production materials associated with entertainment projects. These records required additional contextual information in order to document their relationship to specific intellectual properties and production activities.
Example records were then created to demonstrate how the schema would function within the proposed archive. These records described materials ranging from comic publications to screenplay drafts connected to film adaptations. Each record included contextual information that explained how the material related to other creative works within the Dark Horse media environment. By documenting these relationships, the metadata structure supported a clearer understanding of how intellectual properties evolve across different media platforms.
Justification and Connection to the Competency
This artifact demonstrates my understanding of how cataloging languages and metadata schemas can be adapted to different institutional environments. Corporate archives present organizational challenges that differ from those of libraries or museums. In a corporate environment, descriptive systems must support both archival preservation and operational workflows.
Designing the schema required evaluating which metadata elements would be most useful for employees working within publishing and entertainment departments. For example, intellectual property relationships are particularly important in media production environments. Creative Works often move across multiple formats as they are adapted from comics to films, television series, or other media. Metadata, therefore, needed to capture connections and rights management between comic publications, film adaptations, and related creative works. Documenting these connections allows users to trace the development of an intellectual property across different stages of production.
The assignment also required balancing descriptive richness with practical implementation. Metadata schemas can become overly complex if too many elements are included. A useful system must remain understandable for the staff members who will create and maintain the records. Designing the templates required careful consideration of which elements were essential for describing the materials, and which elements could be simplified in order to maintain usability.
Through this project I gained a deeper understanding of how metadata structures support information management within creative industries. The experience demonstrated that cataloging principles extend beyond traditional library environments, and can be applied effectively to corporate archives that manage intellectual property and multimedia assets. By designing a metadata structure tailored to the needs of Dark Horse Comics, the project illustrates how established information organization standards can be adopted to support long-term stewardship within specialized information environments.
Evidence 3
The third artifact demonstrating my mastery of Competency G is a controlled vocabulary design project completed in INFO 202: Information Retrieval System Design (Spring 2023). This assignment involved developing a structured vocabulary that could be used to index scholarly articles related to cultural heritage preservation and information science research. The project was completed collaboratively with several classmates, and each member of the group contributed to a different stage of the vocabulary development process. My primary responsibility focused on the final stage of the project, which involved applying the controlled vocabulary to index the selected scholarly articles.
Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eo-UntPEghxaoIg7EYJmA4BYoUq748OIHeNcFNYhASM/edit?usp=sharing
Description of the Artifact
The project was Designed to explore how controlled vocabularies support the organization of information within research databases. Our group developed a vocabulary intended to support MLIS students studying archives, records management, and cultural heritage preservation at San José State University. The database was designed to assist students as they conducted academic research within these professional areas. By organizing subject concepts drawn from scholarly literature, the system aimed to support clearer discovery of research topics within the field.
The project was completed through several stages of vocabulary development. During the initial stage, members of the group analyzed scholarly articles and identified the central concepts discussed in each work. This step required carefully reviewing literature in order to determine which subject ideas were most important for describing the articles. Another member of the group also developed the description of the intended user community, which provided context of how the vocabulary would support student research needs.
Following this initial analysis, the group refined the identified concepts into standardized descriptor terms. These descriptors were organized according to established principles used in controlled vocabulary. This stage of the project required evaluating whether concepts overlapped, and determining how terminology could be simplified while still accurately representing the subject matter.
My primary contribution occurred during the final stage of the assignment. I was responsible for applying the completed vocabulary to index the selected scholarly articles. Each article was assigned several subject descriptors drawn from the final vocabulary list. This process required reviewing each article, and determining which descriptors most accurately represented the concept discussed within the text.
Applying the descriptors also served as a method of testing the vocabulary itself. If a descriptor did not adequately represent the content of an article, the vocabulary structure needed to be reconsidered. Through this process, the indexing stage helped confirm that the selected terminology could consistently describe the subject content of the records.
Justification and Connection to the Competency
This artifact demonstrates my understanding of controlled vocabularies as structured systems used to organize and retrieve information. Controlled vocabularies allow information professionals to represent subject concepts using standardized terminology. This structure improves the consistency of indexing, and supports more reliable retrieval of related materials.
My role in applying the descriptors provided practical experience with subject indexing. Indexing requires evaluating the intellectual content of a work, and selecting the terms that best represent its primary themes. This process reflects one of the central tasks involved in organizing information systems.
The assignment also illustrated how controlled vocabularies support discovery within information environments. When descriptors are applied consistently across records, users can retrieve materials related to a shared concept even when authors use different language to describe similar ideas. Through this project I gained a stronger understanding of how controlled vocabularies function as foundational structures that support both the organization and retrieval of information.
Conclusion
The artifacts presented in this portfolio demonstrate how I have developed an understanding of the principles and standards used to organize information within different environments. Throughout my MLIS coursework, I explored several established structures that support the organization and accessibility of information. Each artifact required applying these organizational systems in practical contexts.
Each artifact directly reflects the central focus of Competency G, which emphasizes understanding the basic principles and standards used to organize information. The Disneyana metadata project demonstrated how metadata schemas provide structured frameworks for describing cultural artifacts and ensuring that information can be shared across systems. The MODS corporate archive proposal for Dark Horse Comics explored how cataloging structures and metadata standards can be adapted to environments that manage complex intellectual property and multimedia materials. The controlled vocabulary project examined how standardized subject terminology supports consistent indexing and effective information retrieval. Together, these projects illustrate my ability to recognize and apply the organizational systems that information professionals rely on to make materials discoverable for specific user communities.
In my future career, I expect to apply this competency in professional environments that manage media collections, archival materials, and digital assets. Cultural heritage institutions and creative media organizations often maintain large and complex collections that require carefully designed information structures in order to remain usable. Knowledge of metadata schemas and cataloging standards will allow me to contribute to systems that support both preservation and user discovery. These skills are particularly important in environments that manage intellectual property and multimedia materials, where records must document relationships.
Remaining current with developments and information organization will be an important part of my continued professional growth. To maintain this knowledge, I plan to follow guidance and standards published by professional organizations such as the American Library Association (ALA), the Society of American Archivists (SAA), and the Library of Congress. These organizations publish standards, best practices, and technical documentation related to cataloging and metadata development. I will also continue engaging with scholarly literature, as well as attending professional conferences that address emerging developments in information organization. By remaining engaged with these professional resources, I will continue strengthening my understanding of the structures and standards that support effective information access.
References
Coyle, K. (2010). Library data in a modern context. Library Technology Reports, 46(1), 5–13. https://journals.ala.org/index.php/ltr/article/view/4630
Elings, M. W., & Waibel, G. (2007). Metadata for all: Descriptive standards and metadata sharing across libraries, archives, and museums. First Monday, 12(3). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v12i3.1628
Gross, T., & Taylor, A. G. (2005). What have we got to lose? The effect of controlled vocabulary on keyword searching results. College & Research Libraries, 66(3), 212–230. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.66.3.212
Guenther, R. S. (2003). MODS: The Metadata Object Description Schema. portal: Libraries and the Academy, 3(1), 137–150. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2003.0006
Svenonius, E. (2000). The intellectual foundation of information organization. MIT Press.
