Presentation part of panel 6 focused on Re-thinking Metadata and Descriptive Practices Abstract: As the call from the United Nations for Human Rights-based approaches to data gains momentum across the world, the LLILAS Benson Digital Initiatives team at the University of Texas at Austin begins by asking “how can post-custodial models facilitate efforts at self determination?” In particular how can participatory metadata creation approaches used by LLILAS Benson in various post-custodial partnerships across Latin America improve archival description praxis. Speaker will deliberate on previous and current implementations of ethics driven participatory metadata creation practices used for post-custodial digitization projects in a cultural heritage institution. Insights aim to further establish collaborative information processes that will in turn bring about richer, culturally sensitive and human rights centered metadata for digital cultural heritage collections.

1. Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials (SALALM) | June 28, 2019
Metadata From the Source:
Participatory Metadata Models in
Post-Custodial Projects in Latin America
Itza A. Carbajal | Latin American Metadata Librarian | LLILAS Benson

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CONSULTANTS
Hello! My name is Itza A. Carbajal
Latin American Metadata Librarian
Website: www.itzacarbajal.com
⇥ Working on the Latin American Digital Initiatives (LADI) project
⇥ Hired on a grant funded post-custodial project
⇥ Oversee metadata creation, management, & consultation
⇥ Develop and conduct metadata creation trainings
⇥ Consult on emerging technologies that facilitate metadata use
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CONSULTANTS
Post Custodial Model
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CONSULTANTS
Despite attempts at establishing a common understanding of Post Custodialism, varying interpretations and approaches have
developed over the years.The following compares the originally proposed framework & the evolving LLILAS Benson model.
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Origins of Post Custodialism
Post Custodialism in Government Holdings
Gerald Ham, 1981
Late 20th century revolution in information processing is
inexorably changing the world and the work of archivists.
These changes Ham argued pushes archivists into a new
period he called post-custodial archival history.
Early periods meant record quantities were relatively small;
fairly simple technology of records creation, storage, and
retrieval; and archivists held a passive role in shaping the
documentary record.
Previous custodial ethos made archivists excessively
proprietary toward archival holdings
New period brings many changes including computer
processing of information allowed people to collect,
preserve, and manipulate vast quantities of social and
economic data.
Now archivists can make a large portion of their holdings as
available, but this requires changes in outmoded ideas
about where and by whom resources are used.
Post Custodialism at LLILAS Benson
Changes started during a multi-partner project called the
Human Rights Documentation Initiative (HRDI)
Collaborating partners in light of increasing efforts atTruth &
Reconciliation recognized significance of retaining records
(UTL/LLILAs Benson) had to confront many atypical
practical acquisition and access conditions (distance, ethical
considerations, evolving nature of records).
Decision to adopt new approach came as a result of
traditional repositories trying to preserve living records
(meaning those still in use by creators)
Current efforts at standarding LLILAS Benson internal model
started with a 2013-2015 planning grant awarded by the
AndrewW. Mellon for the project “Post-Custodial Archival
Development and Digital Scholarship: Learning from Latin
America”
Continues today with a 2017-2019 AndrewW. Mellon
Foundation grant award allowing LLILAS Benson to
continue the development of the institution’s Latin
American Post-Custodial work and implementation.

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CONSULTANTS
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CIRMA
Centro de Investigaciones
Regionales de Mesoamérica
Guatemala
CIDCA
Centro de Investigación y
Documentación de la Costa
Atlántica
Bluefields, Nicaragua
MUPI
El Museo de la Palabra y la Imagen
El Salvador
Fondo Real de Cholula
Tribunal Superior de Justicia del
Estado de Puebla
Mexico
PCN
Proceso de Comunidades Negras
Colombia
ISA/EAACONE
Instituto Socioambiental
Equipe de Articulação e Assessoria às
Comunidades Negras doVale do Ribeira
Brazil
Post Custodial Partners

6. Post Custodial
Principles at
LLILAS Benson
Redefining Roles
Redistribute Resources
Diversify the Historical Record
Redistribute Power
Interventions by
archivists
Decentralized Holdings
New Modes of
Access
Shared Stewardship
Democratize the Historical Record

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CONSULTANTS
Metadata is Data
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Metadata as Data
The now more common concept of metadata or “data about data” becomes even more complex data
Publishers
Creators
System Developers
Catalogers
General Public
Administrators
Researchers
Aggregators
Governments
Different / New Sources Ongoing or Proposed Uses
Finding
Contextualizing
Discovering
Managing
Analyzing
Searching
Designing
Distributing

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CONSULTANTS
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• Focus on issues of data collection and disaggregation
• Contributes to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development (2030 Agenda) and the UN Sustainable
Developments Goals (SDGs)
• General guidance and elements of a common
understanding of a Human Rights-Based Approach to
Data
• helps bring together relevant data stakeholders and
develop communities of practice that improve the
quality, relevance and use of data consistently with
international human rights norms and principles
• should be of interest to those eager to ensure respect,
protection and fulfilment of human rights in the
measurement and implementation of the 2030 Agenda
United Nations for Human Rights-based approaches to data
Published in 2018 as part of the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

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CONSULTANTS
Participatory Metadata Practices
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Public Participation Models
based on Nina Simon Book The Participatory Museum
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Contributory
projects
Visitors are solicited to provide limited and specified objects, actions, or ideas to
an institutionally controlled process. Comment boards and story-sharing kiosks
are both common platforms for contributory activities.
Collaborative
projects
Visitors are invited to serve as active partners in the creation of institutional
projects that are originated and ultimately controlled by the institution.
Co-creative
projects
Community members work together with institutional staff members from the
beginning to define the project’s goals and to generate the program or exhibit
based on community interests.
Hosted
projects
The institution turns over a portion of its facilities and/or resources to present
programs developed and implemented by public groups or casual visitors.This
happens in both scientific and cultural institutions. Institutions share space
and/or tools with community groups with a wide range of interests, from
amateur astronomers to knitters.

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CONSULTANTS
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Redefining Roles
Redistribute Resources
Diversify the Historical Record
Redistribute Power
Interventions by archivistsDecentralized Holdings
New Modes of Access
Shared Stewardship
Democratize the Historical Record
Contributory
Collaborative
Co-Creative
Host

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CONSULTANTS
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CIRMA
CIDCA
MUPI (2 of 3 collections)
Fondo Real de Cholula
ISA/EAACONE
PCN
MUPI (1 of 3 collections)
LADI Metadata Implementations
SCENARIO 3SCENARIO 2SCENARIO 1
Partner in complete control
Partners prioritize areas of
interests
Transferred files require extensive
processing
Imbalance in metadata across
collections
Difficulty in mapping if no
documentation
No designated metadata archivist
Partner partial control
Feedback from scholars to prioritize
Prioritize areas of interests
Transferred files require slightly
more processing
Imbalance in metadata across
collections
Difficulty in mapping if no
documentation
Partner less in control
Consultation to prioritize areas of
interests
Transferred files require less
processing
Balance in metadata across collections
Mapping established pre-launch
More documentation
Designated archivist

14. Paradigm Shift

15. Historical Debt
⇥ Concept proposed by Post Custodial archivistTheresa Polk
⇥ Modeled after technical debt meaning the implied cost of additional
work caused by choosing an easy or limited solution at the beginning
instead of using a better, slower, or more expensive approach.
⇥ Related to monetary debt in respect to notion of acquired interest
⇥ Debt must be paid at some point
⇥ Metadata accumulates debt that ends in deficient information
■ less consistency, completeness, accuracy, adherence, sensitivity
■ more redundancy, inaccuracies, disrespect

16. THANK
YOUItza A. Carbajal
i.carbajal@austin.utexas.edu
www.itzacarbajal.com
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