==== Introduction ====

These Metadata Guidelines were written to better position UMass Amherst Libraries' Digital Collections for optimal indexing and display in an aggregated environment. The guidelines accomplish the following:
  * Define basic metadata principles
  * Collate resources (e.g. links to external cataloging tools/resources, including the MWG bibliography on shareable metadata)
  * Provide content guidelines for different data elements
  * Identify data elements by degrees of “requiredness” and describe what functions are enabled or sacrificed depending on levels of adoption	




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Return to [[metadata_guidelines|Metadata Guidelines]]

Return to [[metadata_elements_a-z|Metadata elements A-Z]]

Return to [[metadata_elements_by_requiredness|Metadata elements by requiredness]]