As described in Metadata In Islandora, in Islandora metadata is stored in Drupal, in fields attached to entities. Provided by the Islandora Starter Site, the “Repository Item” content type contains a set of default fields to describe the digital objects an Islandora repository might contain. This set of fields is based on MODS fields commonly used in Islandora 7, and is not intended to be "the standard" metadata profile, rather, a starting point for institutions designing their own repository.
This page presents the primary descriptive and administrative metadata fields found in the Islandora Starter site. We will define each field and give its basic configuration. Most of these configurations can be customized after installation, and new fields can be added as per the needs of an individual institution. Fields are grouped in standard MODS order.
Further information on the metadata configuration can be found in a Google Spreadsheet Islandora Starter Site Metadata Configuration (Google Sheets) which parallels the information on this page. It goes into further detail about the configurations connected to each field, provides information on taxonomies and mappings, and can be filtered or sorted in a variety of ways. The document, or the spreadsheet above, can be copied and used as a basis for planning your own configuration customizations as you work on your Islandora site.
The name given to the resource. Title is a system field and as such its configurations can not be adjusted. It is the only field that is required by the system.
Machine Name
title
Drupal Field Type
Text (plain)
Required
yes
Maximum Length
255 (character length is set by system but can be changed with a contrib module, see below)
If there is a <subtitle>, add a space-colon-space and the value of (the first) <subtitle>
If there is a <partNumber>, add a period-space and the value of (the first) <partNumber>
If there is a <partName>, add a period-space and the value of (the first) <partName>.
It is worth noting that the subtitle, partNumber, and partName elements are technically repeatable, but this transform only uses the first value encountered. If you have repeating subelements, information will be lost.
Drupal Module Integration
The Title Length module allows you to extend the length of the title to 500 characters (possibly more).
The Views Natural Sort module allows you to sort a view by titles while skipping a configurable list of non-sorting characters ("A", "The", "L'", etc.). It's not as precise as nonSort, but does most of the job.
Alternatives
Paragraphs are a way to model a multi-part title (nonSort, title, subtitle, partName, partNumber, etc). Combine paragraphs with (automatic entity label? automatic nodetitles?) to not have to enter your title information twice. (Who to contact with experience about this?)
Member of
This item's parent item in Islandora. Usually this will be a collection, book ("Paged Content"),or compound object.
Machine Name
field_member_of
Drupal Field Type
Entity reference
Required
no (will default to empty if no value is entered)
Repeatable
yes
Create Referenced Entities
no (can only be connected to existing entities)
Facet
Member Of
Alternatives
You could arrange your content with Entity Reference Hierarchy, which is a very scalable way of representing large hierarchy trees. However, you'd have to re-work a number of hard-coded elements in the islandora module.
Model
The internal-to-Islandora category of the resource. Affects how the item is displayed/viewed.
This field is actionable by Islandora and was designed to trigger derivatives and view modes through the use of Contexts. It is a controlled list and new values should only be added when required (i.e. new behaviors are made available and these values are created to trigger them).
Machine Name
field_model
Drupal Field Type
Entity reference
Required
yes
Repeatable
no
Taxonomies
Islandora Models (pre-populated/controlled)
Audio
Binary
Collection
Compound Object
Digital Document
Image
Newspaper
Page
Paged Content
Publication Issue
Video
Create Referenced Entities
no
CSL Citation Mapping
type
Alternatives
You could model your different types as separate content types. This way, they could have different sets of metadata fields.
If the full resource title is longer than 255 characters and you truncated it in the required Title field above, record the full title here.
Machine Name
field_full_title
Drupal Field Type
Text (plain, long)
Required
no
Repeatable
no
RDF Mapping
rdau:P60515
XPath MODS
mods/titleInfo/title[1] + subfields[1] where [1] means first of their name (see possible concatenation under Title)
Alternatives
as mentioned under Title, the Title Length module extends the length of the title and could make this field irrelevant.
Alternative Title
Varying form of the title if it contributes to the further identification of the item.
Machine Name
field_alt_title
Drupal Field Type
Text (plain)
Required
no
Maximum Length
255
Repeatable
yes
RDF Mapping
dcterms:alternative
XPath For MODS
mods/titleInfo[@type="alternative" or @type="abbreviated" or @type="uniform"]
Alternatives
If you need to keep the information about what type of alternative title is being recorded, you could create multiple specific alternative title fields, or create a compound element using Paragraphs.
Names of entities having some relationship to the resource, and, optionally, the relationship to the resource. If a relationship is not specified, it will be recorded as Associated Name in the system's linked data representation.
This field does not allow creating names of entities on the fly. First create a term in either the person, family, or corporate body taxonomies, then link it here.
Field name changed from "Linked Agent" 09/23.
Machine Name
field_linked_agent
Drupal Field Type
Typed Relation [link to https://islandora.github.io/documentation/user-documentation/metadata/#typed-relation]
Required
no
Maximum Length
255 (system limit for Taxonomy terms)
Repeatable
yes
Taxonomies
Corporate Body; Family; Person
Create Referenced Entities
no
Relators
Starter Site includes 269 terms from the MARC Relators list. Further terms from the list, or custom terms, can be added in the configuration for this field. Publisher has been removed from this list to encourage use of the Publisher field.
Create custom facets using the "Typed Relation filtered by type" Search API processor. This would allow you to separate out, for instance, creator|author|photographer from the other types of relators as a Search API field/facet.
The general nature or genre of the content of the resource. To describe the digital or physical format of the resource, use Form instead. In contrast with Model, which is system-actionable, this field is designed to record the Type purely as a metadata element.
You may be required to use the Dublin Core types (for compatibility/harvesting); in that case you can replace the current Type vocabulary contents with the desired values.
Genre
A term or terms that designate a category characterizing a particular style, form, or content, such as artistic, musical, literary composition, etc.
Plain text field to describe the place of publication in full or transcribed from an item \
\
See also the entity reference field Place Published Country.
Machine Name
field_place_published
Drupal Field Type
Text (plain)
Required
no
Maximum Length
255
Repeatable
yes
CSL Citation Mapping
publisher-place
RDF Mapping
relators:pup
XPath For MODS
mods/originInfo/place/placeTerm [@type = 'text'] OR [not(@type)]
Country of Publication
Entity reference field to singularly describe the country (or jurisdiction) of publication. Connected to the unpopulated Country taxonomy by default, which can be used for terms or codes from MARC Code List for Countries or elsewhere. Disabled, by default, on Metadata Display and Metadata Form.
Machine Name
field_place_published_country
Drupal Field Type
Entity reference
Required
no
Maximum Length
255 (system limit for Taxonomy terms)
Repeatable
no
Taxonomies
Country
Create Referenced Entities
no
RDF Mapping
relators:pup
XPath For MODS
mods/originInfo/place/placeTerm[@type="code"]
Publisher
New field added 04/2024. Previously the Contributors/Linked agent field (with a relator value of Publisher) was used for this content.
Date of formal issuance of the resource. This includes publication dates.
Machine Name
field_edtf_date_issued
Drupal Field Type
EDTF
Required
no
Maximum Length
128
Repeatable
yes
CSL Citation Mapping
issued
Facet
Year (string converted to a simple year value for field_edtf_year and then used for Year facet. A range is converted to multiple years.)
RDF Mapping
dcterms:issued
XPath For MODS
mods/originInfo/dateIssued
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource
Machine Name
field_edtf_date_created
Drupal Field Type
EDTF
Required
no
Maximum Length
128
Repeatable
yes
Facet
Year (string converted to a simple year value for field_edtf_year and then used for Year facet. A range is converted to multiple years.)
RDF Mapping
dcterms:created
XPath For MODS
mods/originInfo/dateCreated
Date (Unspecified)
A date without a type or relationship to the resource specified
Machine Name
field_edtf_date
Drupal Field Type
EDTF
Required
no
Maximum Length
128
Repeatable
yes
Facet
Year (string converted to a simple year value for field_edtf_year and then used for Year facet. A range is converted to multiple years.)
RDF Mapping
dcterms:date
XPath For MODS
mods/originInfo/dateOther
Copyright Date
Date of copyright of the resource.
Machine Name
field_copyright_date
Drupal Field Type
EDTF
Required
no
Maximum Length
128
Repeatable
yes
Facet
Year (string converted to a simple year value for field_edtf_year and then used for Year facet. A range is converted to multiple years.)
RDF Mapping
dcterms:dateCopyrighted
XPath For MODS
mods/originInfo/copyrightDate
Date Valid
Date (often a range) of validity of a resource.
Machine Name
field_date_valid
Drupal Field Type
EDTF
Required
no
Maximum Length
128
Repeatable
yes
RDF Mapping
dcterms:valid
XPath For MODS
mods/originInfo/dateValid
Date Captured
The date on which the resource was digitized or a subsequent snapshot was taken.
Machine Name
field_date_captured
Drupal Field Type
EDTF
Required
no
Maximum Length
128
Repeatable
yes
RDF Mapping
premis:creation
XPath For MODS
mods/originInfo/dateCaptured
Date Modified
Date on which the original resource being represented in Islandora was changed. Typically modification dates of digital representations of the resource stored in Islandora will be recorded on the relevant Media instead of here. This field is not populated automatically by any Drupal functionality.
Machine Name
field_date_modified
Drupal Field Type
EDTF
Required
no
Maximum Length
128
Repeatable
yes
RDF Mapping
dcterms:modified
XPath For MODS
mods/originInfo/dateModified
Edition Statement
Information identifying the version of the resource.
Machine Name
field_edition
Drupal Field Type
Text (plain)
Required
no
Maximum Length
255
Repeatable
yes
RDF Mapping
rdau:P60329
XPath For MODS
mods/originInfo/edition
Mode of Issuance
A term that designates how the resource is issued. MODS standards limit the values of this field to monographic, single unit, multipart monograph, continuing, serial, and integrating resource, but there are no such limitations in Islandora and the “Issuance Mode” vocabulary is empty on initial installation.
Machine Name
field_mode_of_issuance
Drupal Field Type
Entity reference
Required
no
Maximum Length
255 (system limit for Taxonomy terms)
Repeatable
yes
Taxonomies
Issuance Mode
Create Referenced Entities
yes
RDF Mapping
rdau:P60051
XPath For MODS
mods/originInfo/issuance
Frequency
The publication frequency, in textual form. Can be based on MARC Frequency terms.
The physical format of the original resource being described. If the resource is a physical object, the physical form is recorded here. If the resource is born-digital, the original digital form is recorded here. Details of the formats of resource representations stored in Islandora should be recorded on the relevant Media files.
Machine Name
field_physical_form
Drupal Field Type
Entity reference
Required
no
Maximum Length
255 (system limit for Taxonomy terms)
Repeatable
yes
Taxonomies
Physical Form
Create Referenced Entities
yes
Facet
Physical Form
RDF Mapping
dcterms:format
XPath For MODS
mods/physicalDescription/form
Extent
The size or duration of the resource in its original form. Extent of representations of the resource stored in Islandora should be recorded on the relevant Media files.
Description of the resource. Description may include but is not limited to: an abstract, a table of contents (alternately its own field), a graphical representation, or a free-text account of the resource.
Machine Name
field_description
Drupal Field Type
Text (plain, long)
Required
no
Repeatable
no
CSL Citation Mapping
abstract
RDF Mapping
dcterms:description
XPath For MODS
mods/abstract (xpath could also map to Abstract; do not map same values to both)
Abstract
Supplementary to the Description field, for including descriptions that more fit the definition of Abstract as it refers to ETDs, journal articles, or other scholarly publications.
Machine Name
field_abstract
Drupal Field Type
Text (formatted, long)
Required
no
Repeatable
no
RDF Mapping
dcterms:abstract
XPath For MODS
mods/abstract (xpath could also map to Description; do not map same values to both)
Table of Contents
Supplemental to Description, for breaking out specific Table of Contents information separate from a summary description of the object. Allows formatting.
Machine Name
field_table_of_contents
Drupal Field Type
Text (formatted, long)
Required
no
Repeatable
no
RDF Mapping
dcterms:tableOfContents
XPath For MODS
mods/tableOfContents
Note
General textual information relating to a resource, not described in other fields.
Machine Name
field_note
Drupal Field Type
Text (formatted, long)
Required
no
Repeatable
yes
RDF Mapping
skos:note
XPath For MODS
mods/note (with [@displayLabel] or [@type] prepended with ': ' to the note)
General subjects which may be constructed from topical, geographic, temporal, and genre subdivisions. If you wish to manage these types of subjects separately, use the more specific Subject fields below.
This field can be used if you are storing composed subject strings rather than component headings/subdivisions in their own fields.
For use when using separate fields to record topical, geographic, name, and temporal terms. Topical subject terms would be recorded here.
Machine Name
field_subject
Drupal Field Type
Entity reference
Required
no
Maximum Length
255 (system limit for Taxonomy terms)
Repeatable
yes
Taxonomies
Subject
Create Referenced Entities
yes
RDF Mapping
dcterms:subject
XPath For MODS
mods/subject/topic
Subject (Geographic)
For use when using separate fields to record topical, geographic, name, and temporal terms. Geographic subject terms would be recorded here.
Machine Name
field_geographic_subject
Drupal Field Type
Entity reference
Required
no
Maximum Length
255 (system limit for Taxonomy terms)
Repeatable
yes
Taxonomies
Geographic Location
Create Referenced Entities
yes
RDF Mapping
dcterms:spatial
XPath For MODS
mods/subject/geographic
Subject (Name)
For use when using separate fields to record topical, geographic, name, and temporal terms. Names of individuals, organizations, or families would be recorded here.
Machine Name
field_subjects_name
Drupal Field Type
Entity reference
Required
no
Maximum Length
255 (system limit for Taxonomy terms)
Repeatable
yes
Taxonomies
Corporate Body; Family; Person
Create Referenced Entities
yes
Store New Items In
Person
Facet
Subject (name)
RDF Mapping
dcterms:subject
XPath For MODS
mods/subject/name/namePart
Subject (Temporal)
For use when using separate fields to record topical, geographic, name, and temporal terms. Temporal subject terms would be recorded here.
Must be formatted either in decimal (51.47879) or sexagesimal format (51° 28' 43.644")
Machine Name
field_coordinates
Drupal Field Type
Geolocation
Required
no
Repeatable
yes
RDF Mapping
dcterms:spatial
XPath For MODS
mods/subject/cartographics/coordinates
Coordinates (Text)
A plain text field meant as an alternative to the Coordinates field, for values that do not meet the requirements of the Drupal geolocation field type.
Free text field for information about restrictions imposed on, and/or rights to, access to a resource, particularly a digital resource. It is not connected to any access control functionality within Drupal.