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Metadata Entry Guidelines

The Minnesota Digital Library Metadata Entry Guidelines provide organizations contributing collections to the Minnesota Digital Library with detailed information and assistance on completing the data entry process of their projects.

Change Log

Swipe horizontally to see full set of table data.

Version Date What's New?
7.0 March 8, 2023
  • Added new MDL Topic term "Science and Technology"
  • Updated examples
  • Deleted "Geographic Feature" field due to low usage
6.1 May 10, 2021
  • New Physical Format terms
  • Updated formatting
6.0 January 15, 2021
  • This version of the Metadata Guidelines marks the retirement of the name Minnesota Reflections and the shift to using the single name Minnesota Digital Library to encompass all of our projects.
  • This version also includes new physical format terms and an expanded rights section.
5.3 October 4, 2019
  • New Physical Format terms: weather diaries, report cards, application forms, ceremonial maces, cut-paper work
  • Updating of content in the Rights section
5.2 January 15, 2019
  • Updated rights section
  • More tables and examples
  • New Physical Format term: lectures
5.1 October 8, 2018
  • New information on rights standardization
  • More tables and examples
  • New Physical Format terms: application forms, letterheads, medical records
5.0 January 23, 2018
  • Updated field names to reflect new website: Date Created (formerly Date Created); Type (formerly Item Type); Physical Format (formerly Item Physical Format); Library of Congress Subject Headings (formerly Formal Subject Headings); Keywords (formerly Locally Assigned Subject Headings); County (formerly Minnesota County)
  • Addition of 6 tables to help explain things and show relationships
  • Updated Table of Contents
  • Updated the list of Physical Format terms in Appendix C
  • Reworked the overall design of the Guidelines—we are now using a larger font size in some places to denote importance
  • Added a place holder note to the Rights Field—to denote that important changes will be coming soon