(Text only moved from Primer version 1 chapter 1)
Introduction and Background
What is METS?
The Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard (METS) is a data encoding and transmission specification, expressed in XML, that provides the means to convey the metadata necessary for both the management of digital objects within a repository and the exchange of such objects between repositories (or between repositories and their users). This common object format was designed to allow the sharing of efforts to develop information management tools/services and to facilitate the interoperable exchange of digital materials among institutions (including vendors). The METS XML schema was created in 2001 under the sponsorship of the Digital Library Federation (DLF), is supported by the Library of Congress as its maintenance agency, and is governed by the METS Editorial Board. In 2023 the reworked version 2 was released.
What problem is METS trying to solve?
Many institutions in the digital arena are finding it at least desirable, if not necessary, to maintain metadata about the digital objects they are creating and/or keeping for the long term. As the number and complexity of these digital objects increases, institutions are finding the metadata needed for successful management, access, and use is both more extensive and different from that used to manage, access, and use its other collections. Many institutions are finding it necessary, for instance, to retain structural metadata that describes, anchors, and organizes the components of a digital object so that the integrity of the digital object may be retained even when its components are stored in different places. And, when a repository of digital objects intends to share metadata about a digital object, or the object itself, with another repository or with a tool meant to render the object, the use of a common data transfer syntax between repositories and between tools greatly improves the facility and efficiency with which the transactions can occur. METS was created and designed to provide a relatively easy format for these kinds of activities during the life-cycle of the digital object.
How is METS maintained?
The METS Editorial Board maintains editorial control of METS; it’s XML Schema, the METS Profile XML Schema, and official METS documentation. Additionally, the Board promotes the use of the standard, maintains a registry of METS Profiles, and endorses best practices in the use of METS as they emerge.
The METS Editorial Board is a volunteer group selected from the international METS community. Board members usually represent institutions which have or plan to implement METS, but also come from different sectors of the information creation and delivery communities including academic research libraries, local and national archives, museums, national libraries, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and vendors. Current membership of the Board can be found on the METS website.
The Library of Congress serves as the maintenance agency for METS by hosting the website and providing other invaluable support and services.
Who is the METS community?
Use of METS has steadily increased since 2001. To the best of our knowledge, many in the METS community are University Libraries, Archives, or Museums, but there is no way to know of all the METS implementations. Those institutions which have chosen to register their implementation can be found on the METS Implementation Registry.
How can I find out more about METS?
The METS website maintained by the Library of Congress is a good place to start for those interested in learning more about METS. The current and earlier versions of the METS schema and related documentation, including a METS Overview and Tutorial in a number of languages, can be found on the METS website. More documents, examples and technical information can be found on the GitHub page of METS.
Technical questions about the use of METS and other questions can be addressed to the METS listserv.