One of the problems in collaborative networks of documentation centers is the lack of interoperability between the different types of systems and applications used. The metadata is created in various places, time and using a number of tools and applications, data structures, content types, formats, and standards that may vary according to local needs. Exchange specifications that identify a minimum set of common requirements can be used for to facilitate the exchange and re-use of data.

This paper summarizes FAO’s experience in the efficient management and use of multilingual bibliographic CDS/ISIS databases, applying DC metadata standards and tools for search and exchange of bibliographic metadata.

It explains in detail different approaches on how the bibliographic data from the CDS/ISIS databases can be converted and exported according to the Dublin Core (DC) and Agricultural Metadata Element Set (AgMES) based metadata set for cohesive and efficient platform-independent exchange of metadata. The second point is how different database applications can be united in a common search interface using DC elements. In addition, export features of & nbsp;DOS-, WINDOWS- and WEB-based CDS/ISIS application systems tools are compared. A number of & nbsp;examples & nbsp;on how the & nbsp;data in various input and storage formats can be reformatted without any modifications to the existing CDS/ISIS database and applications.