Metadata Guide & Worksheet

Metadata plays a key role in describing and organizing content within the Digital Bible Library (DBL). It provides essential details that help define, categorize, and reference Scripture content while also supporting visibility and licensing processes.

To support you in gathering the essential information for uploading content to DBL, we have created a Metadata Worksheet. Completing the worksheet will facilitate the collection of crucial details about the Scripture you intend to upload and publish. It will also help you collaborate with others to ensure accuracy, keep a local copy for reference, and periodically update information to maintain relevance.

Download the worksheet: Metadata Worksheet

What is metadata?

Metadata is information about your Scripture content that facilitates identification, organization, and discoverability within DBL. It includes details such as:

Identifiers and titles
Language, script, and country information
Licensing and ownership rights
Structural and formatting details

DBL’s metadata framework categorizes and describes content systematically, allowing contributors and distributors to manage and locate resources efficiently.

Get ready to publish

Before starting, make sure your organization, files, and team are ready to publish. Taking the time to review the following checklist will help streamline the process and ensure accuracy.

Organizational requirements

❏ Only upload content that your organization owns or is permitted to contribute to the DBL

❏ Is your organization’s contact information is up to date?

Content

❏ Are content and support files formatted, organized, and prepared for upload?

❏ Does your Scripture content uploaded follow the FOBAI standards?

Team support

❏ Have you identified the individual(s) responsible for uploading content details?

❏ Do you have sufficient knowledge of the content to enter it accurately?

Metadata overview

Category	Description	Steps
Content information	Provide basic content details, such as title, description, and copyright	- Details - Publications - Rights
Content files	Upload and structure content, including Scripture and supporting files	- Format - Scripture - Files
Content management	Set connections and visibility, ensuring the content is accessible to the intended audience	- Connections - Visibility

Content information

Content information metadata is divided into three steps: Details, Publications, and Rights.

The Details step helps to uniquely distinguish one piece of content from another through basic information like title, language, and country. In the Publications step, individual booklists can be managed, with the ability to optionally add additional publications if needed. The Rights step allows for the addition of copyright information.

Content information metadata provides attributes about the data overall and is primarily used for data identification, organization, and discovery, making it easier to find specific content.

Details

Content overview

DBL ID – Unique identifier for the content item generated by DBL. This cannot be changed.
Title in English – Title name in English
Title in content language – Title name in original language
Title abbreviation in English – Short abbreviation in English
Title abbreviation in content language – Abbreviated name in original language
Description in English – Summary of the content in English
Description in content language – Summary of the content in original language
Promotional description in content language – Brief promotional description for the content in original language
Scope – The canon of scripture that the content covers (e.g., Old Testament, New Testament)
Completion Date – The anticipated date of completion or initial publication date

Content language

Language — Search for language or select from a list to add language name and ISO code

Language name – ISO 639-3 full name for the language
Language ISO code – International three-letter ISO 639-3 code used for language identification
Local language name – Autonym, or the name of the language in the language itself
Unicode language identifier (LDML) – Used to distinguish the language of the content from another piece of content in the same language but from another region, or using another writing system
Dialect (ROLV) identifier –A unique code used to identify a specific dialect, based on the Harvest Information System (HIS) Registry of Language Varieties. Use the language search to find the correct ROLV code.

Script — Search for script or select from a list to add script name and code

Script name – Script used for composing the content
Script code – Four-letter ISO 15924 script code
Script direction – Text orientation: RTL (right-to-left) or LTR (left-to-right)
Numeral system – Preferred number format to display digits like chapter and verse numbers

Country

Country — Search for country or select from a list to add country name and ISO code. Multiple countries can be added if the content language is used in more than one country.

Country name – ISO 3166 full name of the country where the content language is used
Country ISO code – ISO 3166 country code where the content language language is used
Local country name – Country name in the content language

Publications

Publication ID – Unique identifier for each publication automatically generated and assigned by DBL. This cannot be changed.

Rights

Copyright

Full copyright or attribution statement – Full copyright statement that can be edited and previewed in HTML format.
Short copyright or attribution statement – Short copyright statement that can be edited and previewed in HTML format.

Content files

Content files metadata describes the attributes, organization and structure, and formatting of data and is divided into three steps: Format, Scripture, and Files.

The Format step is where distribution file attributes are added based on the selected format type (i.e., audio, text, video, print). Then in the Scripture step, publications are structured with divisions or books of the Bible. In that step, you’ll add information to each division like book names and scripture references which help distributors when connecting content to Scripture passages. Finally, the Files step is when you’ll upload distribution files, or the Scripture files that make up the content. Optionally, companion files can be uploaded to support the main content and archive files can be stored for future updates or recovery.

Format

Each format requires different content file details to be added.

Scripture

Content order – The arrangement the content follows (Canonical: a standard or traditional order of books in the Bible or Other: a chronological, narrative, or modern arrangement by story or theme)
Canon type – Selection of books and their order (e.g., OT, NT, Deuterocanonical)
Canon components – The tradition that the selected books and their order follow (e.g., Western OT, Ethiopian OT)
Divisions – Add and manage divisions for the content item. Each division can represent a book of Scripture. Each added publication must be structured with at least one division to allow for content publishing..
- Book – Selected three-letter code and name for the book (e.g., Genesis (GEN)). Automatically assigned by DBL if the divisions are auto generated.
- Long name – Long name (book title) in the content language
- Short name – Short name (book title) in the content language
- Abbreviation – Abbreviated name (book title) in the content language
- Scripture reference – Associated reference to help others understand its relation to Scripture passages
  - Book – Book title selected from list that the division is associated with. Automatically assigned if the content is auto generated.

Files

Folders and files structure

Under the distribution files section, the structured publication(s) will be displayed. The publication must have at least one division added to be able to have distribution files uploaded to it. Each division acts as a folder, where then individual distribution files can be uploaded directly to a division. The reference from the direct relationship between folder (division) and file (distribution file in division) helps with accurate distribution.

Distribution files – also known as Scripture files, or files that make up the sum of the content. One distribution file per publication is required to publish. Each distribution file can be edited to include a scripture reference:
- Scripture reference – Associated reference to help others understand its relation to Scripture passages. Multiple scripture references can be added to a single distribution file.
  - Book – Book title selected from list that the division is associated with.
  - Chapter and verse – (e.g., 3:16-17)

Optional file sections

Companion files – Files that enhance or support the main content, like rendering instructions, formatting rules, or additional metadata
Archive files – Original files uploaded and securely stored for future recovery or reference

Content management

Content management metadata provides information regarding relationships and access settings within DBL in two steps: Connections and Visibility.

The Connections step documents which external systems interact with the data and links related items using item IDs, revision numbers, relationship types, and medium format. The Visibility step allows for the setting of access permissions in DBL and maintains a record of progress using revision comments.

Connections

Systems – External platforms or databases where the content may also be managed
Related content – Linked relationship to existing content in DBL

Visibility

Content visibility and access:
- Public – Anyone can view the content and distributors can request access
- Unlisted – Not publicly searchable. Restricted access to select organization roles or licensed distributors with current agreements.
- Private (previously confidential) – Only the primary content organization can view and access the content
Revision comment – Description of the changes made that’s saved to the revision history

For more information, contact support@library.bible or visit library.bible.