Inclusive Metadata for a Diverse Digital Future: Designing Interoperable and Culturally-responsive GLAM Systems

Abstract

This study advances metadata design in the galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAM) sector by developing a unified, ethically grounded, and technically interoperable framework tailored to the ASEAN cultural heritage context. Addressing persistent challenges in metadata interoperability, the research integrates international standards—such as Dublin Core, CIDOC-CRM, PREMIS, EAD, and FOAF—with culturally-responsive innovations, including indigenous protocols, inheritor fields, and post-custodial metadata practices. A hybrid methodology was employed, combining thematic analysis of existing ASEAN GLAM metadata practices with case studies involving Indonesian colonial records and Thai multilingual archives. The ASEAN GLAM Repositories system was developed as a prototype validation platform to operationally test the proposed metadata framework, featuring modular metadata categories (core, geo spatial, technical, temporal), multilingual and script-aware display, and technologies such as OAI-PMH, JSON API integration, and blockchain-based provenance tracking. Results show the framework preserved 98 percent metadata integrity and supported 47 minority languages across six scripts while improving user engagement and institutional interoperability. Although initially developed for the ASEAN region, the framework’s modular architecture and adherence to global standards indicate strong potential for adaptation in diverse international contexts. This research contributes a scalable, culturally-inclusive solution for digital heritage management, enhancing equitable access, ethical stewardship, and long-term preservation of global cultural memory.