In its blog post, "A Simple Guide to Digital Metadata," Amigos vendor partner Backstage Library Works outlines high-level aspects of digital metadata. It can be stored inside or outside of an image and consists of several different attributes; you've probably heard of administrative, descriptive, structural, and technical metadata, for example. We use it in file names and use it to enrich Digital Asset Managers (DAMs). What you collect will depend on your project's end goal.
The post by Backstage also emphasizes that there is no single "right" way to collect metadata. The amount and type of information needed depends on how the digital materials will be used - whether for public access, internal research, or long‑term storage. Planning metadata early in a project and checking it regularly helps avoid mistakes and protects digital files from becoming confusing or unusable in the future. In short, good metadata saves time, improves access, and helps preserve knowledge. If you have a digitization project coming up, contact mds@amigos.org for details on how to receive an Amigos member discount from Backstage Library Works.