The ADS will ensure all data is accompanied by rich metadata that aids discovery and re-use, and to make this metadata freely available in a variety of formats and external portals and aggregators.

The ADS metadata policy is based on the following principles:

Metadata Standards

• The ADS will use well defined community standards for the classification of metadata.
• The ADS will follow a clear and well defined structure, that aligns itself with leading international standards and facilitates maximum interoperability with heritage standards and partner organisations.
• The ADS will use relevant controlled vocabularies, thesauri, and controlled lists to populate our data structure standard.

Application of Metadata

• The ADS will collect and curate metadata for all digital objects.
• The ADS will collect and curate metadata for all archive collections.

Cataloguing

• The ADS will have  a Cataloguing Policy that ensures that Metadata Standards are consistently followed.
• The ADS Cataloguing Policy allows the enhancement of the metadata for each resource and object we hold.
• Wherever possible, the ADS will develop projects that facilitate enhancement and annotation of metadata.

Curatorial Strategy

• Approaches to our metadata will be defined by a Curatorial Strategy, so as to define a vision and pathway to achieving a richer value-added archive through more efficient and effective metadata collection, creation, and use.

Clear and Open Licencing

• To make our metadata available to a wide audience, and to encourage re-use and innovation, all ADS metadata is distributed under a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) in line with existing open metadata services.

Persistent Identifiers

• A Digital Object Identifier (DOI) will be created for each Archive.
• A Digital Object Identifier (DOI) will also be created for all unpublished reports, Journal articles, and Monographs.
• ORCID Identifiers will be collected to accurately define current Creators and Authors.
• WikiData Q Codes will be collected to define past and present Creators and Authors.

Machine Access

• The ADS will maintain technical services that facilitate machine access to our metadata.

Human Access

• Archive-level metadata will be clearly displayed with each Collection.
• Object level metadata will either be clear displayed with each object, or available as a download.

Linked Data

• Present and future ADS use, and production of, Linked Data is steered by a Linked Data Strategy.