http://www.niso.org/framework/framework2.html

A Framework of Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections

The Framework is organized around indicators of goodness for four core entities:
• Collections (organized groups of objects)
• Objects (digital materials)
• Metadata (information related to objects)
• Projects (initiatives to create or manage collections)

Collections Principles
1. A good digital collection is created according to an explicit collection development policy that has been agreed upon and documented before digitization begins.
2. Collections should be described so that a user can discover characteristics of the collection, including scope, format, restrictions on access, ownership, and any information significant for determining the collection’s authenticity, integrity, and interpretation.
3. A collection should be sustainable over time.
4. A good collection is broadly available and avoids unnecessary impediments to use.
5. A good collection respects intellectual property rights.

Some tools supporting interoperability include:
• Dublin Core Metadata Initiative. In addition to the element set, DCMI is developing registries for metadata interoperability.

Digital Objects Principles
1. A good digital object will be produced in a way that ensures it supports collection priorities, while maintaining qualities contributing to interoperability and reusability.
2. A good object is persistent. That is, it will be the intention of some known individual or institution that the good object will remain accessible over time despite changing technologies.
3. A good object is digitized in a format that supports intended current and likely future use or that supports the derivation of access copies that support those uses.
4. A good object will be named with a persistent, unique identifier that conforms to a well-documented scheme.
5. A good object can be authenticated in at least three senses. First, a user should be able to determine the object’s origins, structure, and developmental history (version, etc.). Second, a user should be able to determine that the object is what it purports to be. Third, a user should be able to determine that the object has not been corrupted or changed in an unauthorized way.
6. A good object will have associated metadata.

Metadata Principles
1. Good metadata should be appropriate to the materials in the collection, users of the collection, and intended, current, and likely future use of the digital object.
2. Good metadata supports interoperability.
3. Good metadata uses authority control and content standards such as controlled vocabularies that are in line with user expectations to describe the content of objects and collocate related objects.
4. Good metadata includes a clear statement on the conditions and terms of use for the digital object.
5. Good metadata supports the long-term management of objects in collections.
6. Good metadata records are objects themselves and therefore should have the qualities of good objects, including authority, authenticity, archivability, persistence, and unique identification.