Dublin Core to VRA Core 4 Mapping

Dublin Core (DC) is known as a flat structure with 15 original elements, flexible and expandable, to be used for describing web resources (video, images, web pages, etc.) as well as physical resources such as books, CDs, and art objects. VRA Core 4.0 is a metadata schema that is structured hierarchically, and contains 18 element sets, each with subelements and attributes, that may be used to describe the same resources, while providing a structure to separate metadata describing the web resource itself (image, video, etc.) from the cultural work the resource documents or depicts. It is capable of describing major aspects of the creative process and the results of that process, as well as the image resource that documents or displays that result. When it is time to transport what has been captured in DC fields to a platform designed for VRA Core 4.0 for display or for reorganization of the data, a map between the two metadata standards is essential to guarantee a satisfactory end user experience and to minimize data loss during the mapping process. A general map between the two standards usually gives a good sense of the structural differences and may be sufficient if only minimal data is being transported or displayed. However, when rich data is included, this general map may not be sufficient to guide decision making. In order to illustrate and emphasize the importance of studying the actual data to produce a map that accurately reflects the content other than the field labels, the VRA Core Oversight Committee has provided two examples using the records in the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH)'s Digital Special Collections. This DC based collection captures a wide range of cultural objects and their images. Their local decisions on using DC fields and adding local fields is well-documented in their Image Database Cataloging Procedures and Style Guide available on the collection "about" page. Thanks to AMNH for allowing us to use the records for illustration purposes here.

To download the map-spreadsheet view, please click here.

To download the map-field by field view, please click here.