Auditing Folder Metadata
III. AUDITING FOLDER METADATA
Metadata is information about the images. This may include the place where the records were created, dates or date range of when the records were created, document type or record type. The record types can comprise of vital (birth, marriage, or death), land tax and other records.
The information gathered from these images helps people search for their ancestors. Metadata allows patrons to navigate unindexed records that are not yet searchable by name. When a record collection becomes indexed, the metadata enables name-based searches and facilitates record hints to appear in FamilySearch Family Tree.
Consult the FamilySearch Metadata Standards for comprehensive details on metadata fields such as place, date, and record type. Use these standards as a reference guide while reviewing folder metadata to address frequently asked questions and navigate the process with confidence.
Note: If the metadata does not meet the standards, you have the option to edit the metadata to more accurately portray the images. When edited, any changes are applied to the entire folder.
Natural Groups
A group of records that share basic metadata such as time period, locality, or record type are called Natural Groups. Most frequently, records are grouped automatically by archive or by a government agency in bound volumes or probate packets. To learn more about Natural Groups, click here.
Steps to Complete a Folder Metadata Audit
First review the image cover, the spine, then the title page for date range, record type(s), and locality. If there are no cover, spine, title page, or the images did not contain the metadata, then review the first three and last three records. You should be able to find the information needed to verify the metadata that the camera operator entered.
Use the mouse scroll wheel or the + (plus) and – (minus) signs to the right of the image to adjust zoom levels for better readability. To correct any errors or fill in blank fields for place, date, or record type click in the corresponding field and add in the accurate metadata
Important: Edits in place, dates, and record types will apply to all images in the folder.
Use the following standards to check the metadata in tandem with the your specific project instructions.
Place
List places in ascending order of specificity, starting with the smallest geographical place and ending with the largest. For instance, “Maui, Hawaii, United States.”
Use the most specific locality that is common to all the records within the natural group.
For example:
If the listed place is “Hawaii, United States” but all images show a more specific place like “Maui,” edit the field to reflect “Maui, Hawaii, United States.”
If you see the listed place is “Hilo, Hawaii, United States”, but the images contain records for both “Hilo” and “Puna,” edit the field to broaden the location: “Hawaii, United States” so that it includes both places.
Date
If the date or date range are listed as incorrect, edit it to show the accurate year or years.
For further guidance on accurately describing dates using metadata, refer to the Metadata Standards for a comprehensive guide.
Record Type
If you find inaccurate records type, click Record Type to select the correct option. You may also start typing a record type in the search box to filter the suggested options.
If the natural group contains more than one record type, add each one to accurately describe the content of the entire folder.
Once you have reviewed the relevant images to confirm or correct metadata, check the box indicating you have verified all the metadata fields for this folder.
To complete the audit, click the blue Submit Folder Audit button. If you are not able to complete the audit, click Back to Camera Audit List to release the task so that another auditor may complete it. Once an audit is completed, it will automatically gray out and no longer be available to edit. An updated list of tasks that are available to be completed will appear.
Note: Do not click on the browser’s Back button, or the ‘X’ of the browser tab, or the ‘X’ of the browser window to try to return the audit task. These three actions will lock the audit task for this folder, preventing another user from completing it.
- After completing a folder metadata audit, any changes you made will undergo review by a FamilySearch employee in a process known as Camera Operator Feedback. If there are any feedback or suggestions for improvement, it will be communicated through the ROC lead or project supervisor. Be sure to review and consider this feedback to enhance your proficiency.
