Dublin Core One-to-One Principle

In Dublin Core metadata schema, the one-to-one principle refers to one metadata description is only for one resource. For instance, description for a digital image of Mona Lisa can not be regarded as same as the original painting. However, in most practices, it's difficult to just make a straight line of it.

When we create metadata to describe a resource, such as a digital image, or an analog object, we need to consider users' requirements. From users perspective, we want to give the information they are looking for; metadata creators should have the capability to identify the key information need. For example, when a metadata creator describes the date of an image of Mona Lisa digitized from an original painting, s/he should think about what users really want to know here. In most case, users are interested in the original date of the painting instead of the image. If metadata creators give the digitization date of the image, it would be less satisfied users' interest.

However, in the above example, if the original created date of the painting is provided in the metdata description instead of the digitization date, it would conflict with the one-to-one principle. Therefore, we need to use our best judgment to create metadata meaningful for users, rather than just follow straight rules and miss the information users need.

Building A Digital Repository, Part II Access Control

When we talk about access control of your digital collection, some users might not be happy with it. Open access to scholarly publication is an ideal, but when you have to consider copyright issue for your institution, then a limited access control will give you such flexibility to make your digital collection available to authorized users.

Senior Capstone Experience is the first collection we put up on DSpace, most of them are unpublished papers, so we create the collection with different levels of privileges. Public have open access to search / browse the collection and view bibliographic information, but only authorized Washington College users can download the actual documents.

For other digital collection, such as digital archives, we provide open access to them, public can access them anytime, but cautiously using the collection. You can always control the access at the level of subcommunity or collection, which will make your pilot digital project easier at the preliminary exploration.