--- title: Using Structural Metadata to Enhance Newspaper Digitization description: Discover the benefits of using ALTO/METS Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standards for newspaper digitization, ensuring long-term sustainability. image: https://veridiansoftware.com/hubfs/VeridianSoftware_July2025/images/Choice.png --- - [![facebook](https://veridiansoftware.com/hubfs/VeridianSoftware_July2025/images/facebook.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/VeridianSoftware) - [![linkedin](https://veridiansoftware.com/hubfs/VeridianSoftware_July2025/images/linkedin.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/dlconsulting-veridian-software) --- [![Veridian](https://veridiansoftware.com/hubfs/VeridianSoftware_July2025/images/veridian-logo.svg "Veridian")](https://veridiansoftware.com) - [About](https://veridiansoftware.com/about) - [Accessibility](https://veridiansoftware.com/accessibility-statement-conformance-report) - [Services](https://veridiansoftware.com/services) - [Scanning](https://veridiansoftware.com/services/scanning) - [Data Conversion](https://veridiansoftware.com/services/data-conversion) - [Presentation Software](https://veridiansoftware.com/services/presentation-software) - [Projects](https://veridiansoftware.com/collections) - Knowledge Base - [Articles & Case Studies](https://veridiansoftware.com/knowledge-base) - [Archival Metadata Standards | Guide](https://veridiansoftware.com/archival-metadata-standards-guide) - [WCAG and Accessibility | Guide](https://veridiansoftware.com/wcag-accessibility-compliance-guide-acr-vpat-for-libraries-archives) - [Contact](https://veridiansoftware.com/contact) - - - - # Using Structural Metadata to Enhance Newspaper Digitization # Using Structural Metadata to Enhance Newspaper Digitization December 19, 2024 [Digitization & Preservation](https://veridiansoftware.com/knowledge-base/tag/digitization-preservation) [Metadata & Standards](https://veridiansoftware.com/knowledge-base/tag/metadata-standards) We list the benefits that come with conforming to recognized structual metadata standards like METS and ALTO, as used by existing, well-established projects. ### Recap: What is structual metadata? Structural metadata describes how digital files relate to one another, such as the order of pages in newspaper, or the relationship between files and descriptive metadata. The two most common types of structural metadata used in the preservation of historic newspapers are:  - **METS** Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard: This is an XML schema maintained by the Library of Congress. It provides a framework for describing the structure of a digital object and showing how different types of metadata (technical, administrative, descriptive) relate to the files within it. In digitized newspapers, METS defines the hierarchy (issue → page → article) and links each level to the corresponding image and text files - **ALTO** Analyzed Layout and Text Object: This is also an XML schema maintained by the Library of Congress. It encodes the layout and content of digitized text, particularly the output of OCR (Optical Character Recognition). ALTO includes details such as word coordinates on a page, font styles, and the recognized text itself—making it essential for supporting online search functions. > **Related reading:** [Practical Guide to Archival Metadata Standards](https://veridiansoftware.com/archival-metadata-standards-guide)  ### The benefits of using METS/ALTO - The long-term sustainability of your digital objects is greatly enhanced. If METS/ALTO ever becomes obsolete it is certain that a suitable migration path will be developed for the many hundreds of millions of digitized pages already in this format, for large projects at the Library of Congress and elsewhere. - If it’s ever desirable to share content between projects it’s easy to do so, when those projects use the same open standards. - Projects using METS/ALTO benefit from the knowledge and tools created by/for other projects using the same standards. In addition to the above [METS/ALTO](https://veridiansoftware.com/knowledge-base/mets-alto) is simply a better, richer format for capturing digitized newspapers than any currently available alternative. - Not only does ALTO store the full-text content of each page and word, it also captures structural information like column, line, and word locations. - METS has the capability to support [article segmentation](https://veridiansoftware.com/knowledge-base/newspaper-article-segmentation-pros-cons), so articles, headlines, bylines, and other article-level metadata can be captured. - The combination of METS and ALTO captures very “rich” data, allowing the development of innovative discovery and delivery interfaces. - Both METS and ALTO are open XML standards — no proprietary software is required to read or transform the digitized objects. ### Related reading - [Meet Stefan - Veridian Managing Director](https://veridiansoftware.com/knowledge-base/meet-stefan-veridian-managing-director) — Stefan founded Veridian in 2006. Two decades on, he’s proud of the smart, loyal team behind... - [Converting Digitized Newspapers to METS ALTO: Is It Possible?](https://veridiansoftware.com/knowledge-base/mets-alto-migration) — If your digitized newspapers are to be used and shared across platforms and survive into the future... - [Boosting Visibility: Marketing Strategies for Digital Collections](https://veridiansoftware.com/knowledge-base/marketing-digital-collections) — Libraries spend lots of time and money building digital cultural heritage collections yet all too... ## Our newsletter Keep up with digitization best practices, case studies, Veridian feature updates and more. Each month, straight to your inbox. 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