The Metadata Handbook: A Book Publisher's Guide to Creating and Distributing Metadata for Print and Ebooks

For book publishers large and small: the #1 guide to creating and distributing metadata for maximum sales.

The Metadata Handbook shows how metadata works, enhancing findability, discoverability, and, of course, book sales. It introduces industry standards (think ONIX!) and best practices, and outlines the essential components for successful metadata creation and distribution. This handbook is a must for every publisher, both for print books and for ebooks.

The second edition, published in 2015, is fully updated and expanded to include the most recent information on metadata standards, practices, and use in the publishing industry.

Topics covered include:

• Essential metadata elements
• Metadata best practices and certification programs
• A focus on ONIX, but a broad view of how metadata works for book publishers
• Also covers ISBN, ISNI, ISTC, LCCN, MARC and DOI
• Metadata and the future of publishing
• Includes a comprehensive glossary of industry & technical terms

Reviews

"It is a key handbook for all book publishers to use within their respective businesses and to train all of their team members, and should be placed on every desk to answer everyday questions."
— Darrell W. Gunter, Learned Publishing

"Coauthor Thad McIlroy sums it up best: '... I won’t guarantee that metadata will sell your book, but I guarantee that your book won’t sell without metadata'."
— Kimberly Lew, Publishing Trends

"The Metadata Handbook is essential documentation for publishing today. I really love it."--Laura Dawson, Member, Board of Directors, International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI)
"The Metadata Handbook is an indispensable resource for the Metadata Millennium. It has everything you need to know about metadata--and you DO need to know it!"--Bill Kasdorf, General Editor, The Columbia Guide to Digital Publishing
"What do we want? Good metadata! When do we need it? Now! Start with The Metadata Handbook. It tells you how to make good metadata a regular practice."--Brian O'Leary, Executive Director, Book Industry Study Group