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Metadata for digital image collections
UIC Library
Fields
Allison
Dublin Core field: Contributor
Public display field: Contributor
Optional
 Can be an individual or individuals, or a corporate entry such as a government agency or
a studio.
 Contributors have lesser responsibility for the work than the creator.
 In the case of multiple contributors, each one listed in a separate entry.
Dublin Core field: Coverage
Public display field: Geographic Location
Recommended
 Break down by street and number, neighborhood, city, state, country. Dublin Core lumps
all geographic information together in one entry.
o Local field: address
o Local field: neighborhood
 Additional cartographic information (projection, coordinates) – this will go into a local
field if desired.
Examples:
Street Address:
801 S. Morgan St. m/c 234
Chicago, IL 60607
Neighborhood(s):
Listed alphabetically; may draw on existent or older names. For Chicago images, the current,
official neighborhood (as designated in the Official City of Chicago Community areas; see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_areas_of_Chicago) should be included.
All
neighborhood names can go into one entry, separated by semi-colons.
Additional info:
41d 52m North latitude, 87d 39m West longitude
Orthographic projection
Ling
Dublin Core field: Creator
Public display field: Creator
Required
 Can be an individual or individuals, or a corporate entry such as a government agency or
a studio.
 Can be “anonymous” or “unknown”. In the former case, there should be indication that
the creator is known to someone.
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Creator type may be included as well. Creator type can include photographer, artist,
author, composer.
Follow AACR2 rules for writing names.
In the case of multiple creators, each one is listed in a separate entry.
Dublin Core field: Date
Public display field: Date
Required
 Date of creation of the original work, not the reprographic work. So, it would be the date
of a painting, not the date of the photograph of the painting or the scan of the photograph
of the painting.
 For photographs, date original image was taken (not print or duplication date)
 Possible formats include
o 1900
o c. 1900 (meaning 1895-1905)
o c. 1900s (meaning 1900-1910)
o c. 1900-1910
o August 1900
o 1 August, 1900
Dublin Core field: Description
Public display field: Description
Recommended
 Natural language.
 Describes the image content/depiction (ofness and aboutness).
 Can include text from inscriptions.
 Intermediary image dates would go in Description field.
Peter
Dublin Core field: Format
Public display field: Format
Required
 Description of Height x Width x Depth (in that order) comes first. Dimensions should be
given in inches. If metric measurements are known, they may follow parenthetically.
 Other dimensions follow and can include radius/diameter and playing time. Dimensions
should be given in inches if applicable. If metric measurements are known, they may
follow parenthetically. For playing time, use hours:minutes:seconds.
 Resolution, negative size, file size, file format, available in additional formats.
 Orientation – vertical, horizontal, inverted, reversed
Examples:
4 in. X 4 in.
1:24:15
Dublin Core field: Identifier
Public display field: Identifier
Required
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Unique number that identifies the archival scan. If possible, rather than a random
number, the identifier should be constructed so that it provides information about the
location of the image, book, or object.
The following are examples of the format that will be used for specific items:
Archives:
RG011_21_01_f0001_007 (n, p, d)
Record Group_Folder_Item (Negative, Print, Document)
Rare Books:
CD1450.255M230Z8_2003_1052 _1
Call Number_Page_Item on page
Manuscripts:
BHNC1234_1234_123 (n, p, d)
Collection Name_Box_Folder_Item (Negative, Print, Document)
Government Documents:
CM 1.2:Ab 15/2_1052_1
(SU Doc #_Page_Item on Page)
Original Photography:
(Roberta’s system)
Dublin Core field: Language
Public display field: Language
Optional
 Only if text is present in or on the image.
 If more than one language, then they can all be listed in one entry, separated by semicolons.
Local field: Notes
Public display field: Notes
Optional
 Natural language.
 Catch-all for anything left unaccounted for here.
Local field: Provenance
Public display field: Provenance
Optional
 Natural language.
Roberta
Dublin Core field: Publisher
Public display field: Publisher
Required
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The information in this field pertains to who publishes the digital object itself. In most
cases, this will be the UIC Library.
Roberta
Dublin Core field: Relation
Public display field: Relation
Required
 How digital object relates to source object.
Dublin Core field: Rights
Public display field: Rights
Required
Possible Language:
Copyright 2005, John Doe. Used with permission.
All copyrights held by the University of Illinois at Chicago. For permission to
reproduce, distribute, or otherwise use this image, please contact Library Administration,
Richard J. Daley Library, University of Illinois at Chicago.
Copyright of historical archival and image collections may be difficult or
impossible to determine. The University of Illinois at Chicago Library would like to hear
from any potential copyright owners who are not properly identified in the Library’s
digital collections.
Peter
Dublin Core field: Source
Public display field: Source
Required
 Citation to book or other source material. Page number, if from a numbered page. If not
page number, then use “part of”.
 Also, physical description of source item.
 Collection name (if from a named collection: Gutter, for example) or simply UIC
Library otherwise.
Examples:
Preferred style guide?
Columbia Guide to Online Style. (Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, Applied Arts and Sciences)
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. (Liberal Arts and Fine Arts, Business,
Education)
Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Thesis, and Dissertations. (Turabian) (Liberal Arts,
Applied Arts, Fine Arts, Business, Education)
Other? Chicago? APA?
Local field: Sponsorship
Public display field: Sponsorship
Optional
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Natural language.
Peggy
Local field: Style/Period
Public display field: Style/Period
Optional
 Devised from VRA vocabulary
Ling
Dublin Core field: Subject
Public display field: Subject
Required
 Repeatable field.
 We need to recommend preferred subject heading schemes.
 If all subjects are from one controlled vocabulary list, then they can all go in one entry,
separated by semi-colons.
Harvey
Dublin Core field: Title
Public display field: Title
Required
 Use only if a title is provided.
 For all other materials, use “no title given”.
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