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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between researcher characteristics and their use of metadata in their ResearchGate profiles. Design/methodology/approach This paper reports on one part of a larger study that examined researchers’ use of and engagement with research information management systems (RIMSs). The study’s design included qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 15 researchers and a survey completed by 412 researchers. Detailed reports of findings from the interviews and survey can be found elsewhere. This paper reports on the part of the study that analyzed the use of metadata elements in the ResearchGate profiles of 126 survey participants. Findings Most researchers shared metadata related to their research rather than their teaching or service. Statistical analyses revealed statistically significant relationships between researchers’ metadata use and their participation levels in RIMSs, as well as between metadata use and researchers’ seniority. Originality/value The study’s findings help to identify researchers’ priorities for different metadata elements, as well as to construct profile metadata templates for each specific participation level.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the availability of embedded metadata within images of digital cultural collections. It is designed to examine a proposed hypothesis that most digitally derived images of cultural resources are stripped of their metadata once they are placed on the web. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 603 images were selected randomly from four cultural portals which aggregate digitized cultural collections, then four steps in the data collection process took place to examine image metadata via the web-based tool and windows application. Findings The study revealed that 28.5 percent of the analyzed images contained metadata, no links exist between image embedded metadata and its metadata record or the pages of the websites analyzed, and there is a significant usage of Extensible Metadata Platform to encode embedded metadata within the images. Practical implications The findings of the study may encourage heritage digital collection providers to reconsider their metadata preservation practices and policies to enrich the content of embedded metadata. In addition, it will raise awareness about the potential and value of embedded metadata in enhancing the findability and exchange of digital collections. Originality/value This study is ground breaking in that it is one of the early studies, especially in the Arab world, which aim to recognize the use of image embedded metadata within cultural heritage digital collections on the web.

Purpose Some of the usability and accessibility problems of search interfaces emanate from poorly organized search results, where different types of metadata are employed. Metadata is important to make well-informed selection of resources. However, putting too much of it on search interfaces could be counterproductive. Therefore, studies suggest that metadata-related decisions need to be informed by user requirements. The purpose of this paper is to explore library metadata from usability and accessibility perspectives. It identifies search-related problems users with print disability face and explores how metadata-related decisions could be tailored to improve their experience in resource discovery and access. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was posted online for two months. It targeted people with print disability who are using the audiobook app Lydhør. It was finally possible to gather responses from 113 respondents. Two open-ended questions dealing with search and metadata issues were selected for qualitative analysis. Findings Most respondents mentioned the Lydhør’s intolerance to spelling errors as a problem. Some suggested the use of faceted metadata, such as genres, for exploratory search to offset frustration caused by spelling errors. Most respondents indicated the importance of summaries to be shown among search results, implying their significance for lookup searches. There have been few demands related to accessibility metadata. Originality/value This study could be a valuable input for inclusive/universal design of library search interfaces.

Purpose Accessibility metadata has been a recurring theme in recent efforts aimed at promoting accessibility of information and communication technology solutions to all, regardless of their disabilities, cultural differences, language, etc. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of accessibility metadata in improving knowledge discovery and access in digital library environments, discuss developments in creating accessibility terms for resource description, and attempt to relate those developments to the overall purpose of universal design to finally recommend points for improvement. Design/methodology/approach This is an exploratory study based on review of selected literature and documentations made available by metadata projects. Search for related literature was made using Google Scholar, EBSCO, and Web of Science Databases using terms and combination of terms such as “universal design and metadata,” “accessibility metadata,” “inclusive design,” and “metadata and digital libraries.” Some documentation on metadata projects were obtained through e-mail correspondences. Findings The overall discussion shows that accessibility metadata can be instrumental in exposing accessible resources to search engines and in augmenting library resource discovery tools for the benefit of users with disabilities. Accessibility metadata would help users to quickly discover materials that fit their needs. However, the notion of indexing resources by their accessibility attributes remains an area that needs further exploration. Originality/value The paper gives emphasis to the importance of metadata research in universal design endeavors. It also provides recommendations for practical applications that would improve accessibility in digital library environments.