NC ECHO strives to provide a full range of metadata initiatives to address the variety of institutions and materials in the cultural institutions that form its partnership.

North Carolina Dublin Core (NCDC)
The North Carolina Dublin Core (NCDC) Working Group established best practice guidelines for the implementation of Dublin Core for all metadata initiatives for NC ECHO partner institutions. NCDC includes a web template for the creation of Dublin Core metadata, information and tools for the crosswalking and harvesting of more sophisticated metadata standards to Dublin Core for browser and search compatibility.

NC ECHO Preservation Metadata for Digital Objects (PMDO)
Preservation Metadata for Digital Objects (PMDO) is a content standard designed to assist in maintaining appropriate and comprehensive metadata about digital objects. Preservation metadata forms the first important step in ensuring longevity for the long term. In addition, information and tools are available for use by repositories that do not have preservation metadata integrated in their current metadata systems.

North Carolina Encoded Archival Decription (NCEAD) Project
The North Carolina Encoded Archival Description (NCEAD) Working Group adapted EAD to create best practice guidelines, tools, and other resources specific to North Carolina institutions. The overall goal of NCEAD is to encourage standardization throughout North Carolina’s encoded archival finding aids to enable inter-institutional searching of cultural heritage materials

North Carolina Encoded Archival Context (NCEAC) Project
North Carolina Encoded Archival Context (NCEAC) is a working group within NC ECHO that examines the implementation of EAC for North Carolina. A union model has been adopted to provide a central location for information on the people, families and corporate bodies that have created the records held within cultural heritage institutions throughout the state. This information is located in NCBHIO (North Carolina Biographical and Historical Information Online) on the DigitalNC portal. Content guidelines, web contributions forms, and policy documentation form the heart of the project.

North Carolina Museums Council Metadata Working Group
NCMC Metadata working group was formed to address the commmonalities of museum metadata practices and to express that metadata in an online environment.

Oral History Working Group
The Oral History Working Group was formed to examine the needs of cultural institutions holding or acquiring oral history collections and to address the issues of curation for oral histories. A November 2007 report "Oral History Collections in North Carolina’s cultural heritage institutions", available in Adobe PDF (250 KB), provides the results of an online survey conducted by NC ECHO Oral History Working Group members Katie McCormick and Katherine M. Wisser in January 2007.