<DIV>Metadata is essential for organizing, managing, and searching for information resources and has been a keystone of resource description and discovery. This book is designed to provide information professionals, paraprofessionals and students with up-to-date, practical knowledge and complex skills centering on metadata application in digital repositories and libraries. It explores emerging user-generated metadata (e.g., social tagging) and introduces mechanisms dealing with the exploitation of social tagging to enhance information discovery and user services.<BR><BR>- Offers practical guidance for acquiring knowledge and complex skills centering on metadata applications<BR>- Includes implemented digital repositories and metadata best practices and guidelines expressed in metadata schemas<BR>-Delivers evolving subject matter in a lucid, engaging and forthright manner; provides materials for hands-on exercises</div>