Dublin Core

Date added 1 October 2007
Last edited 21 December 2009

Full Title

Dublin Core Metadata Element Set

Description

The Dublin Core Metadata Element Set is a basic standard which can be easily understood and implemented, and as such is one of the best known metadata standards. It was originally developed, in 1995, as a core set of elements for describing the content of web pages and enabling their search and retrieval. The Dublin Core Metadata Element Set consists of 15 elements which address the most basic descriptive, administrative and technical elements required to uniquely identify a digital resource. The emphasis is now on supporting resource discovery across domains.

Most resource discovery metadata standards can be mapped to the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set, enabling basic federated searching across metadata, created using a number of different standards, without detracting from richer metadata held elsewhere. A draft specification for expressing Dublin Core in XML is available from the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI).

DCMI develops and maintains a suite of inter-related Standards. It coordinates a number of working groups who collaborate to develop a metadata registry which supports extended and qualified profiles of Dublin Core, tailored to the needs of a number of different communities or functions. These include Dublin Core Collection Description Application Profile (for describing whole collections) and Dublin Core Library Application Profile (for describing published library holdings).

Standards Developing Organisations

DCMI

Dublin Core Metadata Initiative

NISO

National Information Standards Organization

ANSI

American National Standards Institute

Rights

[To be added]

Lifecycle Actions

Access, Use and Reuse

Create or Receive

Description and Representation Information

Standard Frameworks

Digital Archive Standards

Digital Repository Standards

Electronic Records Management Standards

Standard Type

Metadata Structure Standards

Current Version

2009 - ISO 15836:2009, Information and Documentation -The Dublin Core Metadata Element Set [external]

Available to purchase from ISO.

Further Information

Dublin Core Metadata Initiative [external]

Dublin Core Metadata Initiative homepage.

DCMI Metadata Terms [external]

All metadata terms maintained by the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative.

Expressing Simple Dublin Core in RDF/XML [external]

Dublin Core Metadata Initiative recommendations.

DCMI Abstract Model [external]

Wikipedia entry for Dublin Core. [external]

Alternative Current Version

Previous Versions

Referenced Standards