NC ECHO has adopted Dublin Core because it is a non-resource specific metadata standard that provides adequate description of resources found in the library, archival, museum and other cultural heritage institutions that form the collective NC ECHO community. Dublin Core represents the lowest common denominator for creating metadata to facilitate maximum accessibility of resources across a broad spectrum of institution types. Format-specific metadata standards exist that may be more appropriate for an institution's digital material. Institutions are encouraged to use other metadata systems as appropriate and apply the use of crosswalking (mapping from one metadata system to another) to provide multiple metadata expressions for digital objects. These other standards either have established or have in-process interpretations for North Carolina. As a standard, Dublin Core provides very loose guidelines for its interpretation in the hopes of being inclusive for those institutions that have just begun the transformation to the digital environment.

The NCDC Implementation Guidelines have been developed in consultation with members from NC ECHO's partner institutions and reflect a community understanding of the most useful implementation of Dublin Core standard. Questions or comments can be forwarded to the NC ECHO Metadata Coordinator: