Initially the meta data of a track or an album in the archive is very rudimentary. We use Cultlib meta data that are embedded in the sound file (FLAC) or playlist file (XSPF). This type of meta data is very minimalistic. Its main features are:

• keyboard_arrow_downMeta Data in the Public Domain

All meta data are published under a CC0 license by the authors. They may be freely copied, cited, etc.

• keyboard_arrow_down Meta Data Can Be Changed Any Time

Meta data can be updated when more knowledge about a work becomes available.

• keyboard_arrow_down Work and Representation

Distinction of abstract "work" (UUID) and concrete (file-) representation (identified by message digest over the primary data). E.g. Two different resolutions of the same picture have the same ID but different Digests. Two different editions of the same book have the same ID but different Digests. Two different codings (MP3/FLAC) of the same sound track have the same ID but different Digests.
This meta data editor does not permit changing the Work ID.

• keyboard_arrow_down Performances (Recordings) are Works

Every performance is considered to be a "work". (Here the Cultlib concept differs from many legal frameworks and definitions.) The creators of a performance are the performers. If they interpret the music or the play that somebody else wrote, it is a derived work - just like a translation of a text into another language. (Almost all works are "derived" from other works in some way or another.)

• keyboard_arrow_down Meta Data Independent from National Jurisdictions

No legal status is mentioned in the meta data, because the various national definitions are incompatible and change all the time. However, a license (e.g. a Creative Commons license) bestowed on a work by its creators can be stored.

• keyboard_arrow_downPublication date is a  terminus ante quem

Publication dates are stored as termini ante quem. It is often very difficult to determine, when a work (or a specific version) was recorded. It is, however, often possible to indicate a point in time, when the work certainly did exist.

- If one only knows, that a work was created in Twenties of the twentieth century, its useful terminus ante quem is "1929-12-31".

- If one knows, it was published in the year 1925, one uses "1925-12-31".

- If one knows, it was published in June 1946, one uses "1946-06-30".

All tracks from digitized shellac records initially have the date "1961-12-31", because (practically) no shellac records were produced after this point in time. Publication or creation dates may be important for determining the legal status of a work according to some legislation. It is important to pinpoint them as exactly as possible.

• keyboard_arrow_downCollections and Containers

Tracks and albums are examples of containment of one "work" in another. This relationship is noted by including all contained works as "sources" in the meta data of the container. Thus the "sources" of a record side are the tracks contained in it. The "sources" of an album are the record sides contained it it. If the contained work (track) is extracted from the container (record side), the container is listed as "origin". (Any technical derivation like resampling etc. of one representation from another one should also list its original as "origin".)
In this meta data editor it is not possible to edit the original ID or the sources.

• keyboard_arrow_downMultilingual Titles and Descriptions

Title, subject and description may be added in multiple languages and scripts. They are used for full text searches. Descriptive texts should be short and succinct. A long comment should be published externally as a "work" on its own and may then be referenced in the description. In the shellac archive the description usually renders the text on the disk label. Additional information about the circumstances of the recording should be entered after the label text.
This editor does not support the possibility of entering meta data in more than one language. Also it only accepts the three national languages of Switzerland als well as English. All other languages are stored as English.

• keyboard_arrow_downEnglish as Basis for Transcribed Names

The names of creators, contributors and provenances are stored only in one language and script. The shellac archive uses English as a basis. Even then, names like Tchaikovsky can be entered in many different transliterations. Therefore it is useful to identifiy creators additionally by the ID of some database of creators (e.g. the Musicbrainz ID).

Keyword values that were present in the track file ((e.g. added by the digitizer)) before Cultlib meta data were added are listed here. They serve as a reference for filling in Cultlib meta data. They cannot be changed.

When you save your changes, they will be submitted to the archive. The archive will review, embed and publish them soon, if it agrees with them.

Discard deletes all changes of the embedded meta data .

The randomly generated Work ID identifies the abstract "work" and cannot be changed in this meta data editor.

The Digest cannot be overwritten, because it identifies the given track uniquely.

If this track is computed (resampled, extracted) from another one, its Digest is displayed here.
In this meta data editor it cannot be changed.

Publication dates are stored as termini ante quem. It is often very difficult to determine, when a work (or a specific version) was recorded. It is, however, often possible to indicate a point in time, when the work certainly did exist.

- If one only knows, that a work was created in the second decade of the twentieth century, its useful terminus ante quem is "1920-12-31"".

- If one knows, it was published in the year 1925, one uses "1925-12-31".

- If one knows, it was published in June 1946, one uses "1946-06-30".

All tracks from digitized shellac records initially have the date "1961-12-31", because (practically) no shellac records were produced after this point in time. Publication or creation dates may be important for determining the legal status of a work according to some legislation. It is important to pinpoint them as exactly as possible.

If no license was explicitly bestowed on the work (usually the case for shellac records), choose "Proprietary", even if the work is in the Public Domain in some jurisdiction. For that status can change tomorrow due to the lack of legal certainty of copyright.

All tracks and albums in this archive are works of type Audio.

Here the language of the record label and the content description is to be selected. If this language is not German, French, Italian or English, sooner or later an English translation will be created.
Meanwhile the meta data language English is selected for all other languages.
In this meta data editor it is not possible to enter other languages.

The title of a track should match the title on the record label.

The content field is strictly regulated for tracks in this archive. It should contain exactly two slashes ("/").
Before the first slash the SFPD ID of the track must be entered in the format "SFPD:YY-RRRRRRD" (YY=Year of inventarization, RRRRRR=record number, D=A or B for the side of the record). Between the two slashes the record label and the order number of the record must be given. After the second slash the order number of the track or the matrix number must be entered.
Example for the content line: SFPD:19-003210A / Columbia 9133 / AX 1972.
The content line should only be changed, if they contain a mistake.

Initially the description contains the text on the record label. That text should only be changed, if the text on the record label was not copied correctly. After the label text, additional information may be added.
However, the description should not become very long. If more needs to be said about a track, publish a separate article and record its link here.

Text authors, composers, performers, bands are the creators of a work. Only humans must be listed here as creators. It is customary to list the conductor of large orchestras or choirs as creator.

The creator's role is to be selected.

Contributors may have financed the creation or in other ways contributed to it. Humans or institutions can be contributors to a work.

The kind of contribution is to be entered.

Supporters can be publishing companies, archives, sponsors which helped creating or preserving this particular copy of the work. Humans or institutions can be listed as supporters of a work's copy.

The type of support is to be entered.

If this work is derived from another work, its ID must be entered here. In particular, the IDs of works contained in this one are listed here.
In this meta data editor sources cannot be entered or changed.

If this work is derived from another work, its Digest is displayed here. In particular, the Digests of works contained in this one are listed.
In this meta data editor sources cannot be entered or changed.