OSU Library Metadata: A Guideline to Best Practices: Identifier

Label: Identifier or Interview Number (for OOHRP)
Maps to Dublin Core Element Name: identifier
Maps to MARC field (in World Cat): 856 (URL), 024 (non-URL)
Mandatory: Yes, required
Repeatable: Yes
Qualifiers:
           Refinements: None
           Schemes: None

An unambiguous reference to the (digital) resource within a given context. Recommended best practice is to identify the resource by means of a string or number conforming to a formal identification system.

A character string or record number that clearly and uniquely identifies a digital object or
resource. The Identifier element ensures that individual digital objects can be accessed, managed,
stored, recalled, and used reliably. Input local naming conventions that describe the original
physical object in Source.

1.  Enter multiple identifiers in order of their importance. Use separate Identifier elements (fields) to enter multiple identifiers or clearly separate each entry by a semicolon followed by a space (; ) within an element. Recommended best practice is to include identifiers from different Schemes in separate elements.
2.  For multi-piece, multi-part digital objects such as each individual page image of a scanned text, best practice is to identify each page image with a predictable naming scheme locally, but to share one metadata record for the text as a single, whole resource.

       Notes:

Examples:

Name of the file for the archival, master digital object — A character string or record number that
clearly and uniquely identifies a digital object or resource. See also:
Library of Congress’s Naming Conventions For Digital Resources
Northwestern University's Standards for Long-Term Storage and File Naming Conventions

Oral History
[Transcript]         okso_OSS_281.pdf         [Audio]         okso_OSS_281.mp3

Special Collections and University Archives
Oklahoma Audio Almanac: 2004-032OAATranscriptMay312000
                                        2004-032OAAMay312000