About textMD
textMD is a XML Schema that details technical metadata for text-based digital objects. It most commonly serves as an extension schema used within the Metadata Encoding and Transmission Schema (METS) administrative metadata section. However, it could also exist as a standalone document. In the future textMD can be used within the PREMIS element <additionalTechnicalCharacteristics>, an extension for format-specific metadata within the PREMIS preservation metadata Object XML Schema version 2.0.
The textMD schema allows for detailing properties such as:
- encoding information (quality, platform, software, agent)
- character information (character set and size, byte order and size, line terminators)
- languages
- fonts
- markup information
- processing and textual notes
- technical requirements for printing and viewing
- page ordering and sequencing
The Library of Congress Network Development and MARC Standards Office (LoC) serves as the maintenance agency for textMD, although the majority of the qualitative work on the schema will come from the larger METS community and textMD implementers external to LoC.
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textMD was originally created by the New York University Digital Library Team (NYU), and had been maintained by NYU through the current version (2.2). In October 2007, LoC assumed maintenance of textMD. This has entailed creating a listserv for fostering discussion, authoring this official web site, as well as working on updates to the textMD schema that will offer new elements.