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Media asset metadata

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In addition to the metadata presented to users when viewing content on the site (eg: digital heritage items, dictionary words, collections), media assets have metadata as well. Most media asset metadata is not shown to users who are browsing the site, but it is available to users who can access the media library (by creating or editing any site content).

Many fields are automatically filled in, or serve general administrative purposes, but a few fields directly feed into specific tools and features. The fields are divided below into two groups: fields which are used by all of the different media types, and fields that are only used by certain media types.

Please review these fields when setting up and planning your site.

Fields used across all media types

  • Title
    • For directly uploaded files, this will be the filename.
    • For externally hosted files like Youtube or Vimeo videos, this will be the title of the video as it appears on the source site.
    • You can search the media library for media assets by the title field.
    • There is no requirement to change the title of media assets when they are imported, but you can if necessary.
    • If you already have a structured method to naming your files (like using a unique identifier), keeping those names is a recommended best practice.
  • Protocol
    • Cultural protocols can be applied directly to media assets.
    • We strongly recommend applying the same protocol to each media asset that will be applied to the digital heritage item(s), dictionary word(s), or other content where that media asset will be used.
      • If the item, word, or content will be under one or more strict protocols, then those same protocols should be used here.
      • If the item, word, or content will be publicly accessible, then no protocol is required here.
    • This is a drop-down field. Multiple protocols can be selected.
  • People
    • This field feeds into the “deceased person” media content warnings.
    • If you are currently using the deceased person media content warnings (or plan to use them in the future), enter the name of anyone present in the media asset, as it appears in their person record, whether they are deceased or not.
      • If multiple people are present, separate their names with semicolons.
    • If you are not currently using deceased person media content warnings (or not planning to use them in the future), this field can usually be skipped.
  • Tags/Keywords
    • When importing externally hosted files, this field may be automatically populated from the source site.
    • This field feeds into the “taxonomy triggered” media content warnings.
    • If you are currently using the taxonomy triggered media content warnings (or plan to use them in the future), enter the “SCALD tag” used to trigger the warning.
      • If multiple warnings are configured, separate the tags with semicolons.
    • If you are not currently using taxonomy media content warnings (or not planning to use them in the future), this field can usually be skipped.
    • You can search the media library for media assets by the tags field.

Fields unique to specific media types

Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are accessed from the “Additional Fields” sub-menu which is closed by default. For the most part these fields have limited usefulness and are not described further here.

Audio

  • Contributor
    • This field is displayed beside the audio file when that file is used in a dictionary word (or word entry).
    • Enter the name of the speaker of the recording in this field.
      • If multiple people are represented, separate their names with semicolons.
  • Thumbnail
    • By default, audio files are represented by an interactive media player across the site, instead of a thumbnail image.
    • If a thumbnail image is uploaded here, that will display instead of the interactive media player. 
    • We recommend leaving this field empty for most sites.
  • *Authors

File

  • File
    • If necessary, the uploaded file can be replaced with a more current version here.
    • This field rarely needs to be changed.
  • *Thumbnail
    • For PDF files, thumbnail images should be automatically generated. If that does not happen, see Adding a thumbnail to a PDF.
    • Thumbnail images are not generated for other file types, and a general file placeholder image is used. A different thumbnail image can be uploaded here if necessary (the steps are the same as shown in Adding a thumbnail to a PDF).
  • *Authors

Image 

  • Image
    • If necessary, the uploaded image can be replaced with a more current version here.
    • This field rarely needs to be changed.
  • *Identifier
  • *Original DNG
  • *Archival TIFF
  • *Full-size JPEG
  • *Date and Time Created
  • *Creator
  • *Authors
  • *Headline (Caption)
  • *Description
  • *Geo Location
  • *Location
  • *Rights
  • *Standard and Creative Commons Licensing
  • *Category

Video

  • Uploaded video file
    • *Alternative video sources
    • *Thumbnail
    • *Authors
  • Video file hosted on Vimeo
    • *Thumbnail
    • *Authors
  • Video file hosted on Youtube
    • Show related videos
      • This checkbox will reflect the settings of the video on Youtube. It can be changed here if needed.
    • Autoplay the video
      • This checkbox will reflect the settings of the video on Youtube. It can be changed here if needed.
    • Mute the video
      • This checkbox will reflect the settings of the video on Youtube. It can be changed here if needed.
    • *Thumbnail
    • *Authors
  • Video file hosted on Daily Motion
    • *Thumbnail
    • *Authors
Media asset field format informationDownload