Building image repository of Indian cultural and heritage materials adopting Dublin Core metadata standards

A collection of cultural heritage materials, either the photographs or any other form, which are of historical importance, or are nearly unapproachable, or in low use because of their rare availability and lack of a centralized access point. Digitization of these materials will increase their reachability, value and create new stakeholders. Metadata plays a vital role in facilitating resource discovery and interoperability in networked environments. The present paper emphasizes the importance of metadata in constructing an image repository for Indian cultural heritage materials through DSpace Digital Library Software confining to Dublin Core Metadata Standards. The paper also describes that metadata is primary requirement for effective image retrieval and use of digital materials. Apart from that, metadata has a lot of importance in representation, interoperability, technical management, performance of an image repository. Further, it also enunciates that there is ample scope for further research in the area of developing a national repository for Indian cultural and heritage materials with OAI (Open Archives Initiative) Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI–PMH) for the purpose of interoperability.