Bibliographic Metadata Correction Policy

HathiTrust bibliographic metadata management assumes that the definitive bibliographic record resides in contributors’ respective catalogs and/or OCLC. Therefore, it is the general policy of HathiTrust not to correct or update the content of contributors’ records, except where necessary to assure the coordination of functions in the HathiTrust metadata management system.

In most cases, contributing institutions will be encouraged to correct their records in response to observed metadata errors or deficits and re-submit the records. However, when time is an issue and incorrect metadata has led to the inappropriate exposure of an in-copyright resource, HathiTrust staff (including staff at institutions working directly in support of HathiTrust activities) will make provisional metadata corrections to fix a bibliographically-determined rights attribute. In any case where a contributor’s record has been corrected as described, the affected contributing institution(s) will be alerted and asked to provide a new or corrected record to the system.

This policy acknowledges HathiTrust’s investment and interest in ensuring that public domain resources are made available whenever possible and does not preclude processes employed to remedy the misidentification of resources that should be in the public domain, such as government documents.