metadataene

Metadataene is a term used in Norwegian contexts to refer to the metadata associated with digital resources. Metadata are structured information that describes, locates, or otherwise makes it easier to retrieve, use, or manage information resources. The concept encompasses descriptive, structural, and administrative metadata, and may include technical and rights information.

Descriptive metadata covers elements such as title, creator, subject, language, and abstract; structural metadata describes how a resource is organized and how its parts relate to one another; administrative metadata includes provenance, access rights, preservation actions, and technical details needed for management. Technical metadata records formats, file sizes, creation dates, and other specifications that support handling by systems. Rights metadata documents licensing terms, usage restrictions, and provenance.

Standards and formats commonly used for metadata include Dublin Core for general resource description, METS for encoding metadata about complex digital objects, PREMIS for preservation metadata, and Schema.org for web-based descriptions. Geographic metadata may be guided by ISO 19115. Metadata are often encoded in formats such as XML or JSON, and may be stored in metadata repositories or integrated into cataloging systems.

Applications and importance: Metadata support resource discovery, attribution, and interoperability across libraries, archives, museums, and scientific data repositories. They enable efficient cataloging, citation, rights management, and long-term preservation by providing contextual information about the source and its history.

Challenges and governance: Ensuring metadata quality, consistency, and authority control; achieving interoperability between systems; addressing privacy and access concerns; and maintaining metadata policies and versioning throughout a resource’s life cycle.