Metatags are a specific type of metadata designed for web pages. They describe the information resource and give some idea of its value and authority. In short, they help citizens find specific pieces of information. However, metadata is more than a finding tool, as State Archivist Steve Walker is quick to point out. I feel that working on a metadata standard is well worth my time.
Preservation is a big topic.
At issue is the need to capture transitory, web-based information for legal and archival purposes. Any preservation strategy needs to address the obsolescence of computer hardware, software, and storage media, as well as documentation and human know-how. These issues are highly complex and will not be resolved soon, although excellent research projects are underway. Metadata alone is not the solution to preservation, but it is a key component. Regardless of the preservation strategies that eventually emerge, adoption of a metadata standard is one step that can be taken now to position Idaho for the future.