Open Metadata Policy for the CU Boulder Libraries

Overview

The University of Colorado Boulder Libraries are committed to the free and open dissemination of information to support scholarship, research, and innovation. In alignment with the CU Boulder Libraries’ commitment to open models of access, and to support advances in the broader library and academic community, our guiding principle is for metadata to be as widely available as possible. 

The University of Colorado, as represented by The Regents of the University of Colorado, retains ownership of metadata created by CU Boulder Libraries. While this metadata is made openly available for public use, users are encouraged to provide appropriate attribution when reusing or redistributing it. A recommended attribution format is: 

© 2026 The Regents of the University of Colorado

CU Boulder Libraries Open Metadata Statement 

Open sharing and reuse of library metadata improves the discoverability and usefulness of library resources. Toward this end, CU Boulder Libraries will not place restrictions on the metadata it creates about its library resources. We will openly disseminate library metadata, subject to practical, contractual, and privacy considerations. 

Metadata are provided under a Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication, unless otherwise noted and excepting where restrictions apply. This means that metadata may be freely used, modified, and shared by anyone for any purpose without restriction. 

While attribution is not legally required under CC0, users are encouraged, as a matter of best practice, to acknowledge the source of the metadata using the recommended attribution: 

© 2026 The Regents of the University of Colorado 

This statement pertains only to bibliographic and descriptive metadata and does not apply to patron or user data.

Platforms and Access Methods 

The University of Colorado Boulder Libraries maintains several platforms containing metadata that are available for public access. 

Library Catalog 

Bibliographic metadata for the library catalog can be accessed through the z39.50 protocol. 

CU Scholar 

CU Scholar is the institutional repository for the University of Colorado Boulder libraries. Metadata in the repository can be accessed via its SOLR endpoint or through OAI-PMH. 

CU Digital Library

The CU Digital Library contains digitized resources from the Library’s archives and special collections, as well as distinct collections from other units in the university. Its metadata can be accessed via OAI-PMH and is also stored in Github. 

ArchivesSpace

Finding aids from the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries archives instance of ArchivesSpace can be accessed via OAI-PMH.