Object Name, Identifier, and Alternate ID

Let's start by opening up our metadata example spreadsheet. The first three categories are Object Name, Identifier, and Alternate ID. They are used to give each of your items a unique identity in our database that will never be repeated. This allows us to correctly search and display your items as well as easily reference them when needed.

This also means that you may give your items whatever title you choose without worrying about whether something else has the same title. We will always be able to find the right item if you are properly using our identifier system.

**If you are not familiar with single and compound objects, you may want to read our post on The Two Types of MDL Objects before diving into this post.**

Object Name

The object name is only used with a compound objects and you won't need to worry about filling it in. We use it maintain file structure and database organization and will add it for you when necessary. You won't see this online; it is only used behind the scenes by our programs.

Identifier

Every single item in the Mississippi Digital Library has an identifier regardless of whether it is a single or compound object and it always appears as the first item under Description and Object Description boxes. The identifier is made up of three to four parts and follows the following format:

institutionCode.collectionCode.item#

Single Object

Let's look at our photograph example. The identifier is wz2.Gaines.014 - "wz2" is the OCLC institution code given to Columbus-Lowndes Public Library (CLPL). Every identifier for CLPL will begin with this unique code. If your institution does not have an OCLC code, we will assign you a code.

The second part of the identifier, "Gaines", is the code for the collection this item is a part of. You may choose to name or abbreviate your collections how you wish, but that same collection code will appear on all items in that collection.

The last part of the identifier, "014", is the number of the item. This number does not correspond with an item's existing number or call number, rather it is the number of the digital image in the collection. Our rose picture was probably the 14th photograph scanned into the Marion Stark Gaines Digital Collection.

The "0" in front of the number is important. This allows for the addition of up 999 items to a collection while maintaining the same identifier system. If you have a very large collection more zeros may be added (for example, wz2.Gaines.0014) to allow for additional uniquely identified items to be added. Remember, just because there may only be a few items in the digital collection now doesn't mean the number of items won't increase at some point. Add the zero(s) to the item numbers to give your collection a little growing room.

** We include the periods between the different parts of the identifier to make it easier to read. **

Compound Object

This changes slightly when working with a compound object. Let's look at our postcard's metadata. The item gets an identifier that follows the same rules. You will see it in the "Object Description" box. The individual pages get a small addition to the identifier which can be seen in the "Description" box.

The identifier for the postcard is wz2.ms232.b1-072, while wz2.ms232.b1-072.01 is the identifier for the front page of the postcard. This means that the front of the postcard is the first page of the object. If we look at the back of the postcard we will see the end of the identifier has changed to wz2.ms232.b1-072.02, meaning we are looking at the second page of the item.

** Don't get thrown off by the "b1-" in front of the item number for the postcard. This was added so the CLPL team can easily look at the identifier and know that the postcard came from box 1 and was the 72nd item scanned. **

Let's enter the identifiers onto our metadata spreadsheet. Since row 1 contains the metadata categories we'll start on row 2. We'll use row 2 for the photograph and the next few rows for the postcard. Row 3 will contain the metadata pertaining to the entire object, and rows 4 and 5 for metadata specific to the individual pages.

Alternate ID

The Alternate ID is not a required field and you will never have to enter it. We fill it in at the MDL if we need to change your original identifiers. It is visible online. For our postcard example we modified the identifiers for each page by taking out the words "front" and "back". We retain the original identifier in the Alternate ID field so there is a record of the change.