CopyrightMD

The California Digital Library is making available the first draft of its XML schema for copyright metadata, CopyrightMD.  This schema grew out of work at the CDL to address the integration of rights information into the digital library workflow.  During the course of this work the CDL identified a minimum set of data elements needed to support current and future assessments of the copyright status of a work.  These data elements have been expressed in a simple prototype XML schema (copyrightMD.xsd), which can be found with documentation and examples at: http://www.cdlib.org/inside/projects/rights/schema/

Although this schema was developed for the University of California’s digital library, we recognize that it may be of use to other members of the digital library community.  The CDL invites members of that community, and any other cultural heritage organizations that are working with digital resources, to comment on the schema design, the data elements, and any other aspects of this work.  The web page contains an email address for those comments.  We consider this to be the “proof of concept” stage and are interested in collaborating on further enhancements with other interested projects and organizations.

CopyrightMD is one outcome of the efforts of CDL’s Rights Management Group and its advisory group, the Data Elements Working Group.  More information on the CDL Rights Framework project is available at: http://www.cdlib.org/inside/projects/rights/