LibGuides: Metadata Basics: Cross-Disciplinary Standards

Cross-Disciplinary Standards

Dublin Core is the most common metadata schema for web content.

Named in part for a 1995 metadata conference hosted by the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) located in Dublin, Ohio, Dublin Core consists of 15 elements that were considered broad and generic enough to describe a wide range of resources.

DCMI Metadata Terms
This document is an up-to-date specification of all metadata terms maintained by the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative, including properties, vocabulary encoding schemes, syntax encoding schemes, and classes.

Dublin Core Metadata Element Set
Element	Description
Title	A name given to the resource, either supplied by the individual assigning metadata or from the object. Example: "A Pilot's Guide to Aircraft Insurance"
Creator	Entity responsible for making the resource. Example: "Duncan, P. A."
Subject	The topic of the resource, typically represented using keywords. Example: "Colonial medicine"
Description	An account of the resource. Example: "Illustrated guide to airport markings and lighting signals for airports with low visibility conditions."
Publisher	An entity responsible for making the resource available. Example: "The University of Texas Press"
Contributor	An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource (e.g. editor, transcriber, illustrator). Example: "Austin Citizen Photograph"
Coverage	The spatial or temporal topic of the resource. Example: "Austin, TX"
Date	A point or period of time associated with the resource. Example: "1998-02-16"
Type	The nature or genre of the resource. For a list of possible types, visit the DCMI Type Vocabulary. Example: "image"
Format	The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource. Example: "[128] p. : ill. ; 15 cm."
Rights	Information about rights held over the resource. Example: "This electronic resource is made available by the University of Texas Libraries solely for the purposes of research, teaching and private study."
Source	A related resource from which the described resource is derived. Example: "ZA 3075 Y69 2007"
Language	Language(s) of the resource. Example: "Spanish"
Relation	A related resource. For a list of possible relations, visit the Summary Refinement and Scheme Table. Example: "HasVersion 13th Edition"
Identifier	A unique reference to the resource. Example: "doi:10.15781/T2251FN91"

MARC, an acronym for MAchine-Readable Cataloging, is a widely used standard among libraries. MARC was developed by the Library of Congress in the 1960s to enable computer production of catalog cards.

The MARC record structure contains ten sets of fields, associated with 3-digit numbers called tags. Some fields are further defined by indicators and subfield codes.

MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data
MARC21 Format for Authority Data
These publications contains descriptions of every data element, along with examples, in full or concise versions.
Understanding MARC Bibliographic: Machine-Readable Cataloging
This booklet explains what a MARC record is and provides the basic information needed to understand and evaluate a MARC record.

Components of a MARC Record
Tag	Description
0XX	Control information, numbers, and codes
1XX	Main entries related to personal and corporate names Example: 100 1# $a Arnosky, Jim.
2XX	Titles, edition, imprint information Example: 245 10 $a Dinosaurs : $b a visual encyclopedia.
3XX	Physical description Example: 300 ## $a 303 p. : $b col. ill. ; $c 29 cm.
4XX	Series statements
5XX	Notes Example: 520 ## $a Presents an illustrated look at dinosaurs.
6XX	Subject access entries Example: 650 #1 $a Dinosaurs.
7XX	Added entries other than subjects or series
8XX	Series added entries and holdings information
9XX	Fields for locally-defined use Example: 900 ## $a 599.74 ARN

Encoded Archival Description (EAD) was developed in the 1990s by the archival community as a way of presenting finding aids in electronic form. It uses Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) and XML as the encoding schemes. Maintained by the Society of American Archivists and the Library of Congress, the latest version is EAD3.

Inside the outermost wrapper element, <ead>, the EAD contains two main sections: <control> and <archdesc>. Each of these sections also include required and optional child elements.

EAD3 Official Site
View standards documentation for the current and previous versions of EAD, news and announcements, and ways to connect to the user community.

Main EAD Elements
Element	Description
Encoded Archival Description	Contains all the elements in an EAD document, including Control and Archival Description.
Control	Contains elements about the finding aid itself, such as title, author, creation date, language, and description rules used.
Archival Description	Contains elements describing the content, context, and extent of the archival collection, rather than the finding aid, such as subjects, format, and box and folder inventory.

Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS) is an XML schema with MARC-like semantics. MODS was developed by the Library of Congress out of the need for something easier to learn than MARC and richer than Dublin Core for describing complex digital objects.

MODS is "friendly" because it uses language-based tags rather than the numeric codes (e.g. 250) traditional to MARC. There are 20 top-level MODS elements, many of which contain subelements for granular desription.

MODS User Guidelines

MODS Top-Level Elements

Element	Description
Title Information	Contains all subelements related to title information.
Name	Contains all subelements related to information about the name of a person, organization, or event (conference, meeting, etc.) associated in some way with the resource.
Type of Resource	Information about the original item that specifies the characteristics and general type of content of the resource, as chosen from a defined list of terms.
Genre	A term that give more specificity for the form, style, or content of an object than the broad terms used in Type of Resource.
Origin Info	Contains subelements related to place of origin or publication, publisher/originator, and dates associated with the resource.
Language	Contains a subelement to record the language in which the language of the content of a resource is expressed.
Physical Description	Contains all subelements relating to physical attributes of the resource.
Abstract	A succinct summary of the content of the resource.
Table of Contents	A description of the contents of a resource.
Target Audience	A description of the intellectual level of the audience for which the resource is intended.
Note	General textual information relating to a resource, that is not encoded in other more specific elements.
Subject	Contains subelements relating to the primary topic(s) on which a work is focused.
Classification	Indication of the subject via a formal system of coding and organizing resources (e.g. call number).
Related Item	Contains subelements with information that identifies other resources related to the one being described.
Identifier	A unique standard number or code that distinctively identifies a resource.
Location	Contains subelements that identify the institution or repository holding the resource, or the electronic location in the form of a URL when available.
Access Condition	Information about restrictions imposed on access to a resource.
Part	Contains subelements to designate physical parts of a resource in detail.
Extension	Provides additional information not covered by MODS (when local elements or elements from other standard schemas are needed).
Record Info	Contains subelements relating to information necessary to managing metadata.

METS stands for Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard. Developed by the Library of Congress, it facilitates the encoding of metadata for materials within digital libraries.

The METS document structure consists of seven possible sections which may contain a variety of subelements and attributes, and relies on externally defined schemas for descriptive and administrative metadata.

METS: An Overview & Tutorial

METS Sections
METS Header	Contains metadata describing the METS document itself, including information such as creator, date of creation, and editor.
Descriptive Metadata	Internally or externally points to extension descriptive metadata schemas, such as PREMIS, MODS, or Dublin Core. For a list of approved "best practice" metadata schemas, visit External Schemas for Use with METS.
Administrative Metadata	Internally or externally points to extension administrative or technical metadata schemas, such as the Library of Congress schemas for A/V technical metadata.
File Inventory	Lists all files containing content which comprise the electronic versions of the digital object, such as thumbnails, master archival images, or PDF versions.
Structural Map	Defines a hierarchical structure which allows users to navigate through the digital object.
Structural Links	Records the existence of hyperlinks between items within the structural map.
Behavior	Associates executable code with content in the METS object, such as a page-turning program.

VRA Core is a standard commonly employed by cultural heritage organizations to describe images and works of art. VRA Core is hosted by the Visual Resources Association (VRA) and the Library of Congress.

VRA Core contains 19 elements. There are three primary entities: Work (a built or created object), Collection (an aggregate of such objects), and Image (a visual surrogate of such objects).

VRA Core Schemas and Documentation

VRA Core Elements
Element	Description
Work, Collection, or Image	A record is described as a Work, a Collection, or an Image.
Agent	Individual, group, or corporate body that has contributed to the design, creation, production, etc. of the work.
Cultural Context	Name of the culture, people, or country with which the work has been associated.
Date	Date associated with the work.
Description	Free-text note about the work that gives additional information not in other categories.
Inscription	All marks added to the work at the time of production (e.g. signatures or stamps).
Location	Geographic location or repository whose boundaries include the work.
Material	Substance which the work is composed of (e.g oil paint, bronze, or graphite).
Measurements	Dimensions of the work.
Relation	Terms describing the relationship between the work and a related work.
Rights	Information about the copyright status for the work.
Source	Reference to the source of information recorded about the work.
State Edition	Identifying number or name assigned to the edition of a work that exists in more than one form.
Style Period	Defined style, historical period, school, or movement whose characteristics are represented in the work.
Subject	Terms that describe the work.
Technique	Production processes, techniques, and methods incorporated in the fabrication of the work.
Textref	Unique identifier assigned to the work.
Title	Title given to the work.
Work Type	Identifies the specific type of Work, Collection, or Image being described in the record.