DCMIThe Dublin Core Library Application Profile (DC-Lib) adapts the Dublin Core metadata vocabulary for use in library cataloguing and library-related applications. Produced by the DCMI-Libraries Working Group and published as a draft in September 2004, DC-Lib bridges the gap between the general-purpose Dublin Core element set and the specific requirements of library metadata practice.
Background
The need for DC-Lib arose from the growing adoption of Dublin Core in library environments during the late 1990s and early 2000s. While Dublin Core provided a simple, universal vocabulary for resource description, libraries required more precise guidance on how to apply these elements in contexts shaped by decades of cataloguing tradition. The DCMI-Libraries Working Group, drawing on expertise from institutions such as the British Library and the Library of Congress, developed the profile to formalize best practices. The profile was reformatted in 2004 to conform with the Dublin Core Application Profile Guidelines produced by the CEN MMI-DC Workshop.
Purpose and Scope
DC-Lib specifies how Dublin Core and related metadata terms should be used to describe resources in library settings. It constrains and extends the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set by:
- Selecting properties from DCMI Metadata Terms (dcterms:), the Dublin Core element set (dc:), and MODS
- Defining recommended encoding schemes for each property, such as LCSH, DDC, LCC, ISBN, ISSN, and ISO standards
- Specifying obligations (mandatory, recommended, optional) for each element
- Providing guidance on value representation including the use of controlled vocabularies
The profile addresses typical library metadata needs including bibliographic citation, edition statements, holding locations, and the use of standard classification and subject heading systems.
Key Elements
DC-Lib draws on over thirty properties organized into the following categories:
| Category | Properties |
|---|---|
| Descriptive | Title, Alternative, Creator, Contributor, Publisher, Subject, Description, Abstract |
| Dates | Date, Created, Valid, Available, Issued, Modified, DateCopyrighted, DateSubmitted, DateAccepted, DateCaptured |
| Type and Format | Type, Format, Extent, Medium |
| Identifiers | Identifier, BibliographicCitation |
| Relationships | Source, Language, Relation, IsVersionOf, IsFormatOf, HasFormat, IsReplacedBy, Replaces, IsPartOf, HasPart, Requires, IsReferencedBy, References |
| Access | Coverage, Spatial, Temporal, Rights, Audience |
| Library-specific | Edition, Location |
Encoding Schemes
The profile specifies a rich set of encoding schemes drawn from established library standards:
- Subject access: LCSH, MeSH, DDC, LCC, UDC, TGN
- Identifiers: ISBN, ISSN, DOI, SICI, URI
- Language: ISO 639-2, RFC 3066
- Dates: W3CDTF, ISO 8601
- Geography: ISO 3166, DCMI Point, DCMI Box, DCMI Period
Governance and Maintenance
DC-Lib was developed by the DCMI-Libraries Application Profile drafting committee, a subset of the DCMI-Libraries Working Group. Decisions on element usage were made by the DCMI Usage Board at its 2003 meetings. The profile has remained in draft status since its September 2004 publication and has not been formally revised since then. DCMI publishes its specifications under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Notable Implementations
DC-Lib influenced metadata practice in numerous digital library projects during the 2000s, particularly those seeking to balance Dublin Core simplicity with library-specific requirements. It served as a reference point for institutions implementing Dublin Core in OPAC systems, institutional repositories, and cross-domain discovery portals. The profile's approach to constraining Dublin Core for a specific community became a model for other application profiles.
Related Standards
- DCMI Metadata Terms -- the primary vocabulary from which DC-Lib draws its properties
- Dublin Core Metadata Element Set -- the foundational fifteen-element vocabulary that DC-Lib constrains
- MODS (Metadata Object Description Schema) -- used for the Edition and Location elements in DC-Lib
- DCMI Abstract Model -- the formal model underlying DC application profiles