Metadata Standards
The METAscripta project applies new cataloging standards for descriptive records of pre-modern manuscripts. Our crowd-sourced metadate template applies three primary facets to descriptive metadata - Context, Carrier, and Content. Please see below for our Glossary of descriptive terms arranged according to these facets. We also ask you to help us control the terms you use for each facet by linking as many as possible to authority files such as VIAF, Getty AAT, Geonames, etc.
If you need more guidance about this, please contact debra.cashion@slu.edu.
View a RDF prototype of our METAscripta ontology
Read more about Linked Open Data
Context Glossary
| Label | Suggested Authority | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| City | GEO | City of present location |
| Institution | VIAF | Institution where located |
| Repository | VIAF | Library or department where located |
| Shelfmark | BAVdig | Local identifier used by repository |
| Nickname | N/A | Name commonly used to refer to some well-known mss |
| Patron | VIAF | Person who commissioned ms, usually the first owner |
| Dedicatee | VIAF | Person to whom ms is dedicated |
| Provenance | VIAF | Name of later owner or institution |
| Insignia | N/A | Coats of arms, emblems, marks of ownership |
| Date acquired | N/A | Date acquired by present owner |
| Ex libris name | VIAF | Name of owner indicated by a book plate or inscription |
| Library Stamp | N/A | Stamp added to ms by library or repository |
| Binding | RBMS | Material, color, description of important decoration, name of binder, etc. |
| Frame or Mat | N/A | Indicate if matted or framed, previously or now |
| Bibliographic Reference | WCAT | Secondary literature about ms |
| MSS related by Context | [When possible link to online records] | Mss with historical relation (exemplar, copy, once bound together, etc. For sister mss, see Carrier) |
| Other Context Info | N/A | Notes pertaining to Context not included above |
| VFL Roll number | META | Microfilm roll in VFL collection |
| METAscripta Identifier | META | Unique identifier for digitized manuscript from VFL microfilm |
Carrier Glossary
| Label | Suggested Authority | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Century | AAT | Century of origin, e.g. 1300-1399 |
| Date | EDTF | Date of origin, if known or by approximation |
| Country of origin | GEO | Country of origin, by present geography (Germany, not Holy Roman Empire) |
| City of origin | GEO | City of origin, by present geography (Istanbul, not Constantinople) |
| Format | AAT | Codex, scroll, roll, detached leaf, fragment, etc. |
| Extent | N/A | Number of folios, pages, membranes, etc. |
| Collation | N/A | Formula of construction, if known |
| Quires of mostly | N/A | General construction of quires, if known (quaternions, quinions, etc.) |
| Material Support | AAT | Parchment, paper, papyrus, etc. |
| Dimensions | N/A | Dimensions in millimeters of size of most leaves or membranes |
| Condition | N/A | Statement of physical condition, especially if known from examination of original |
| Number of lines | N/A | Number of lines per page |
| Column Layout | N/A | Number of columns |
| Rulings | N/A | Medium used for rulings |
| Prickings | N/A | Description of prickings if present |
| Script | AAT | Standard term used to identify script |
| Music Notation | N/A | Style of music notation (quadratic, hufnagel, etc.) |
| Scribe | VIAF | Name of scribe if known |
| Decoration | AAT | Brief description of decoration |
| Illustration | ICON | Brief description of illustration |
| Catch Words | AAT | Indication of catchwords, if present |
| Quire Signatures | N/A | Description of quire signatures, if present |
| Artist(s) | ULAN or VIAF | Name of artist(s) or illuminators |
| MSS related by Carrier | [When possible link to online records] | Sister leaves or mother codex of detached leaves; mss made by same artists or illuminators |
| Other Related Works | [When possible link to online records] | Other works related artistically or physically |
| Other Carrier Info | N/A | Notes pertaining to Carrier not included above |
Content Glossary
| Label | Suggested Authority | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Language | LCML | Predominant language of text |
| Author | VIAF | Main author of text |
| Translator | VIAF | Author of translation if applicable |
| Title | VIAF | Title of text--uniform or authorized titles help others find mss, peculiar transcriptions do not |
| Subject | LCSH | Authorized subject of text or type of text (Catholic Church, Liturgy; Islamic poetry--library records of similar materials are useful here) |
| Abstract | N/A | Brief description of contents |
| Table of contents | N/A | Outline of contents |
| Title page | N/A | Transcription of title page if present |
| Incipit | [When possible link to online text file, e.g. http://patristica.net/latina/] | Transcription of first imporant text or text at beginning of ms |
| Prologue | [When possible link to online text file, e.g. http://patristica.net/latina/] | Brief description of prologue |
| Dedication | N/A | Transcription of dedication |
| Rubrics | N/A | Transcription of important rubric(s) |
| Chant | CAN | Brief description of chant included |
| Gloss | [When possible link to online text file, e.g. http://patristica.net/latina/] | Brief description of gloss if present |
| Colophon | N/A | Transcription of colophon if present |
| Explicit | [When possible link to online text file, e.g. http://patristica.net/latina/] | Transcription of final text or text at end of ms |
| Marginal annotation | N/A | Description of notable marginal annotation |
| Other Text Additions | N/A | Description of texts added to ms |
| Other Content Info | N/A | Notes pertaining to Content not included above |
| MSS related by Content | [When possible link to online records] | Mss related by text, as translations or other versions of same text |