DCMI Abstract Model

At the RDA preconference I noticed that RDA seems to have been based, at least in part, on the DCMI Abstract Model. I knew RDA had some basis in FRBR, but this was something new to me. Getting to know the DCMI Abstract Model before RDA hits has been added to my to-do list.

This document specifies an abstract model for Dublin Core metadata. The primary purpose of this document is to specify the components and constructs used in Dublin Core metadata. It defines the nature of the components used and describes how those components are combined to create information structures. It provides an information model which is independent of any particular encoding syntax. Such an information model allows us to gain a better understanding of the kinds of descriptions that we are encoding and facilitates the development of better mappings and cross-syntax translations.