Overview: Collection metadata version 1.0.00

This page describes characteristics of a particular DLESE metadata framework and version number. Topics include:

Required metadata
XML information (root element of the metadata record, framework categories, vocabulary schemas )
Controlled vocabularies (XML view)
Controlled vocabularies and complete documentation (HTML view that includes all fields plus cataloging best practices)
Sample records
Tool support for required metadata
Features and contraints

Required metadata: cataloger provided

Long title - the formal name of the collection
Short title - the short name of the collection limited to 30 characters or less
Cost - whether there is a cost associated with using or accessing the collection
Audience - grade range appropriateness
Collection contact - the person to contact when problems in the collection arise
Responsible person - the person to contact if the contact person is unavailable and who has ultimate control of the collection
Description - a narrative describing the content, purpose or goal of the resource
Subject - general topic areas that the resource is about or covers
Scope statement URL - self explanatory
Access information - how the metadata records will be sent to DLESE

Required metadata: DPC provided

Language of the metadata - the language of the metadata or catalog record
Copyright of the metadata - an indication as to the ownership of the metadata
Terms of use - an indication as to how the metadata may be used
Metadata framework - the metadata scheme used to catalog the resource; there is a default value: Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) Collection Metadata
Creation date - the creation date of the metadata record
Accession date - the accession date of the item in to the collection builder's collection
Catalog name and number - an identifying name like DLESE and an identification number for the metadata record like a library call number
Record status - indicates the status of the record within a collection, such as accessioned, working, deaccessioned etc.
Resource cataloger - contact information for the cataloger of a resource
Collection status - where the collection is in the accessioning process

Currently cataloging support is in alpha testing using the new DLESE Collection System (DCS)

Collection builders and DPC staff work together to generate a collection-level records
Indicates access to the collection; i.e. how metadata records will be shared (e.g. via OAI or FTP)
Indicates the responsible party of a collection
Describe the overall characteristics of a collection (e.g. scope, audience, subjects, cost, name)
Describes a group of item-level metadata records (annotation, ADN, news and opportunities or other collection-level records) to make them discretely discoverable within the bounds of the DLESE Collections Accession Policy
Supercollections and subcollections are allowed
Collection builders with one or more collections in DLESE must have a collection-level record for each collection
For supercollections and subcollections, (e.g. a subcollection B that is part of supercollection A), two collection-level metadata records are created, one for collection A and one for collection B. Collection-level metadata record A would contain a reference to collection-level metadata record B, but not vice-versa. As such, the collection builder is encouraged to use the sets concept in OAI-PMH version 2.0 (Open Archives Initiative- Protocol for Metadata Harvesting) to facilitate the appropriate grouping of metadata records.