This new and updated second edition of a classic text provides a thought provoking introduction to metadata for all library and information students and professionals. Metadata for Information Management and Retrieval has been fully revised to bring it up to date with new technologies and standards. It builds on the concept of metadata through an exploration of its purposes and uses as well as considering the main aspects of metadata management. This new edition, containing new chapters on 'Very Large Data Collections' and the 'Politics and Ethics of Metadata', assesses the current theory and practice of metadata and examines key developments in terms of both policy and technology.