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Standards for Digital Information

The National Diet Library (NDL) has applied or maintained the standards of digital information technology for collecting, preserving, and providing access to digital resources, aiming at the efficient management of digital resources and improvement of interoperability between internal and external systems.

Resource Description Standards

Metadata Standards

The NDL has maintained a description metadata standard, "National Diet Library Dublin Core Metadata Description (DC-NDL)."

The DC-NDL is compliant with the recommendations of the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) such as "DCMI Metadata Terms," "Singapore Framework" and "Guidelines for Dublin Core Application Profiles."

The DC-NDL is implemented in the integrated search system "NDL Search," "NDL Great East Japan Earthquake Archive" and so on, as a common communicative metadata format.

Cataloging Standards

The NDL uses several different cataloging standards depending on the type of material as well as the time of cataloging. Please refer to the following link for details.

JPS-RDF Schema

Japan Search is a national platform for aggregating metadata of digital resources and is operated by the National Diet Library, Japan, in cooperation with several other organizations in Japan under policies established by the Working Group Steering Committee of the Digital Archives Japan Promotion Committee.
Japan Search provides metadata from digital resources both in its original format as transferred by the data provider and in a converted format based on a schema called the Japan Search RDF (JPS-RDF). JPS-RDF is an RDF schema designed to enhance universal utilization of metadata via SPARQL Endpoint. The NDL maintains the JPS-RDF schema. Please refer to the following link for more information on the JPS-RDF schema.

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Linked Open Data (LOD)

The NDL provides some kinds of data as Linked Open Data (LOD). Please see the following pages for further details about our LOD:

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International Standard Identifiers

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • Japanese National Centre for ISSN
    International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSN) comprise an international numbering system for serial publications. The NDL operates the National Centre for ISSN in Japan.

International Standard Identifier for Libraries and Related Organizations (ISIL)

  • Japanese National Agency for ISIL
    International Standard Identifier for Libraries and Related Organizations (ISIL) are identifiers which can be allocated to libraries and other relevant organizations, such as archives and museums. ISO 15511 specifies that the ISIL structure be administrated by national allocation agencies in each country. The NDL operates the National Agency for ISIL in Japan.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

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Digitization of Library Materials

The NDL, in digitizing its materials, compiles the handbook for the purpose of ensuring the quality of data and enhancing the efficiency of digitization by establishing a standard through sharing common specifications and technology.

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Usability and Web Accessibility

For the NDL's activities of usability and web accessibility, please see Web Accessibility.

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Documents on Standards for Digital Information

Japanese Translations of Documents on Standards for Digital Information

The NDL provides Japanese translations of English versions of standards for digital information. These translations are available at the following link.

A questionnaire survey for the International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI)

International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI) is an international as well as disciplinary identifier assigned to individuals and organizations related to creative works. It is maintained by an organization comprising national libraries and standard bibliographic organizations, but as of August 2022, there are no Japanese organizations participating.
The NDL conducted a questionnaire survey of national libraries and other organizations from around the world to obtain detailed information on their motives for introducing ISNI and what changes in the management of data about authors of domestic publications or in the creation of bibliographic sources have come about due to the introduction of ISNI.

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Contact for inquiries about Standards for Digital Information

Standardization Section, Digital Information Distribution Division,
Digital Information Department, National Diet Library
E-mail: standardizationat n d l dot g o dot j p

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