R³ Recycling: Metadata Schema

R³ Recycling utilizes the Data Catalog Vocabulary (“DCAT”) metadata schema (W3C, 2014). All metadata elements in use by the Repository are listed below, with complete information, including the element class, optionality, cardinality, vocabulary restrictions, notes on R³'s decision to use the element, and an example of the element as applied to a repository dataset provided in the table available here.

R³ DCAT Metadata Elements:

• dcat:accessURL
• dct:issued
• dct:modified
• dcat:distribution
• dct:rights
• dct:license
• dcat:byteSize
• dct:identifier
• dct:title
• dct:description
• dct:publisher
• dcat:contactPoint
• dct:temporal
• dcat:landingPage
• dcat:keyword
• dcat:theme
• dct:accrualPeriodicity
• dct:spatial
• dct:hasVersion
• dct:creator

Controlled Vocabularies

Three metadata elements, dcat:keyword, dcat:theme, and dct:spatial, are restricted to controlled vocabularies. The dct:spatial controlled vocabulary permits only vocabulary that specifies a jurisdiction within Washington state, including city names, municipality names, county names, and state names. Vocabulary will be written following the geographic abbreviations set forth in R³’s file-naming policy.

More complex custom controlled vocabularies were prototyped for the dcat:keyword and dcat:theme elements per the table below. The vocabularies are intended to be extensible, such that they can expand as the repository expands to include additional datasets.