- Summary
"The Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard (METS) is a structure used for encoding and wrapping administrative, descriptive and structural metadata for a digital object. METS is a flexible and software independent platform, using XML, which provides the potential for interoperability between metadata schemes by providing a framework for integrating various types of metadata. METS promotes interoperability ofdescriptive, administrative and technical metadata and provides the means for digital repository management. It uses XML, which ensures that it is interchangeable. However, it does require XML-compliant software to be used with it.(Waibel, 2003)." (Hilary Beedham et al)
Details
"The METS format is an attempt to provide a standard but flexible format to hold the diverse metadata associated with a digital object in a form in which it can easily be shared, exchanged, searched and rendered for browsing and display purposes. METS is intended primarily as a flexible, yet tightly structured, container for all metadata necessary to describe, navigate and maintain a digital object (descriptive, administrative and structural metadata).
All metadata relating to a single digital object (which could be either a single image or all the components making up an item as complex as a digitised volume) are integrated into a single file: within this file, each type of metadata is described in a separate section, which is linked to its counterparts by a comprehensive system of internal identifiers. The metadata themselves may be held physically within the METS file, or may be held in external files and referenced from within the METS document: they may follow any preferred scheme, although a number of these are recommended specifically for use within METS. METS is written in XML, a generic language designed for marking up electronic texts.
METS aims to address the lack of standardisation of library metadata by encoding images, video and sound files and texts and can be seen to be the equivalent of ‘collection level’ metadata (L'Hours, 2004)) However, it does not ensure that metadata content is standardised as it is not a metadata standard, but rather a framework within which to organise existing metadata. An attempt has been made to extend the METS through recommendation of extension schemas to allow for the standardisation of specific types of metadata (Garnter, 2002)." (Hilary Beedham et al)
Sources used to compile this entry: Hilary Beedham et al., Assessment of UKDA and TNA Compliance with OAIS and METS Standards, UKDA, University of Essex. (Also available at http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/preservation/oaismets.pdf) p.71..
Prepared by: Rachel Tropea
Resources
Reports
- Hilary Beedham et al., Assessment of UKDA and TNA Compliance with OAIS and METS Standards, UKDA, University of Essex. (Also available at http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/preservation/oaismets.pdf) p.71. [ Details... ]
Created: 10 July 2009