Add, edit, and manage your metadata

On this page:

• Overview
• Standards
• Adding metadata
• Custom metadata
• Upload and download metadata
• Access
• Private metadata

Overview

You can add metadata at any of the following levels:

• Collection: Metadata for each collection is managed under the collection's "Metadata" tab. More information on managing your collection's metadata can be found here: Add and Edit Collection Information
• Seed: Individual seed metadata can be added or edited from your collection's Seeds tab: More information on managing your seed metadata can be found here: Add and Edit Seed Level Metadata
• Document: You can also manage metadata associated with any specific document (anything with a unique URL). More information on document level metadata can be found here: How to add and edit metadata at the document level.

Note: It may take 15-20 minutes for your changes to be reflected on the public site. If your changes are not reflected on the public site after 24 hours, contact us.

Standards

The Dublin Core Metadata Set, version 1.1 is the format used in the Archive-It application, and is a widely used format for describing and cataloging digital materials. At all cataloging levels described above, we provide the 15 standard Dublin Core elements.

Adding metadata

Metadata for all three different levels (collection, seed, and document) is added using a similar interface: type the value that you want to add into the text box next to the relevant field name and then click Add. Fields are repeatable, meaning that you can add as many values as you want for each field. Please note it can take 15-20 minutes for any new metadata or changes to metadata to appear on the public site.

Once you have committed your metadata by clicking the Add button, it appears with a blue trash can icon to its right. To remove a value, click on the trash can icon.

Custom metadata

Customized metadata fields can be added at the collection, seed, or document level. The area to add custom metadata is below the standard Dublin Core Element Set.

 Enter the title of your custom metadata field in the Field Name box, and enter the corresponding metadata into the Value box. Click Add Custom Field to add the field. Note: these fields can be removed, but not edited.

Upload and download metadata in bulk

You can use a spreadsheet to make bulk metadata changes at the seed or document level using an ODS file. If your metadata contains diacritics, ligatures, and/or non-Roman alphabets we recommend that you use the free open source LibreOffice Calc application to move between file formats (TXT, CSV) and generate an ODF file for upload that will preserve these characters.

For more information on this feature see How to upload and download metadata.

Access

Metadata is displayed and hyperlinked for browsing on public collection pages hosted at Archive-It.org. When you create a title and description for your collections and seeds, these can be browsed and used by a public audience. Write titles and descriptions with public display in mind to ensure that your audience can quickly and accurately ascertain the emphasis of your collection. 

Private metadata

Account administrators can add private metadata fields that are available across collections. The fields are visible to and exportable by users logged in to your account; they are not publicly visible on your account's page on archive-it.org.

1. In the Welcome menu, select Administration. Note: Administrator-level access is required.
2. Select Account Settings.
3. In the Private Metadata Fields box, enter the names of the standard and/or custom metadata fields you want to make private. Enter each field on a separate line, in all lower case letters.