Answers.Body: <p>This field comes from the Dublin Core (DC) metadata standard, which is useful for interoperability between software and databases. I don't think there has emerged an accepted way to use DC metadata for ebook reading systems.   </p>
  
  <p>One idea might be to go with BISAC categories (as <a href="https://bisg.org/page/bisacedition" rel="nofollow noreferrer">listed here</a>). My memory could be mistaken, but I don't think the reading systems process these values in any meaningful way, (wouldn't that be nice if they did!) BTW, I seem to recall that Google Play required that you use BISAC codes when selling through them. For the DC metadata, don't use the alphanumeric value of the BISAC,  just use a simple phrase based on BISAC values. </p>
  
  <p>Here's a <a href="https://k-lytics.com/bisac-codes-vs-amazon-kindle-storefront-categories/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">book marketing guy explaining BISAC vs. Amazon's categories</a>. Here's  <a href="https://kindlepreneur.com/how-to-choose-the-best-kindle-ebook-kdp-category/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">more by this same book marketing guy.</a> </p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-12-28T13:39:37.073Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-12-28T13:50:13.690Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2019-12-28T13:50:13.690Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: idiotprogrammer
Body: <p>What is the proper way to define genre in epub's metadata? (in <code>OEBPS/content.opf</code> file.)</p>
  <p>I can't google the definition, just some obviousness mentions like &quot;<em>It may also include many other things such as ... the genre</em>&quot; (<a href="https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Metadata" rel="nofollow noreferrer">link</a>)</p>
  <p>And, by the way, where can I find the current list of literary genres? (I found one in the <a href="https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literary_genre" rel="nofollow noreferrer">wiki</a>, but I'm not sure, is it applicable here or not.)</p>
  <p><strong>UPD</strong> 28.12.2019</p>
  <p>I found in some downloaded epubs that genres are listed in several tags called <code>subject</code> from <strong>DDI-Codebook</strong> namespace, e.g.:</p>
  <pre><code>    &lt;package xmlns:dc=&quot;http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/&quot; ...&gt;
      ...
      &lt;dc:title&gt;A Journey to the Centre of the Earth&lt;/dc:title&gt;
      ...
      &lt;dc:subject&gt;Science fiction&lt;/dc:subject&gt;
      &lt;dc:subject&gt;Adventure stories&lt;/dc:subject&gt;
      &lt;dc:subject&gt;Earth (Planet) -- Core -- Fiction&lt;/dc:subject&gt;
      &lt;dc:subject&gt;Voyages, Imaginary -- Fiction&lt;/dc:subject&gt;
  </code></pre>
  <p>On the ddialliance.org I found a <a href="https://ddialliance.org/Specification/DDI-Codebook/2.5/XMLSchema/field_level_documentation_files/schemas/dc_xsd/elements/subject.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">corresponding page</a> with this obscure description:</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>Namespace: <a href="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/</a></p>
  <p>Type: SimpleLiteral, inherited from any</p>
  <p>Content: mixed (allows character data), 1 attribute</p>
  <p>Subst.Gr: may substitute for element any</p>
  <p>Defined: globally in dc.xsd; see XML source</p>
  <p>Used: never</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>Is it really correct to define genres in this tags? Or is it &quot;de facto&quot; standard without strict rule?</p>
  
Tags: <epub><metadata>
Title: Genres/ Subjects/ Categories in epub's metadata
UserDisplayName: viktorkho
ThreadText: # Genres/ Subjects/ Categories in epub's metadata
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2019-12-26)
  
  What is the proper way to define genre in epub's metadata? (in OEBPS/content.opf file.)
  I can't google the definition, just some obviousness mentions like "It may also include many other things such as ... the genre" (link)
  And, by the way, where can I find the current list of literary genres? (I found one in the wiki, but I'm not sure, is it applicable here or not.)
  UPD 28.12.2019
  I found in some downloaded epubs that genres are listed in several tags called subject from DDI-Codebook namespace, e.g.:
      
      ...
      A Journey to the Centre of the Earth
      ...
      Science fiction
      Adventure stories
      Earth (Planet) -- Core -- Fiction
      Voyages, Imaginary -- Fiction
  
  On the ddialliance.org I found a corresponding page with this obscure description:
  
  Namespace: http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/
  Type: SimpleLiteral, inherited from any
  Content: mixed (allows character data), 1 attribute
  Subst.Gr: may substitute for element any
  Defined: globally in dc.xsd; see XML source
  Used: never
  
  Is it really correct to define genres in this tags? Or is it "de facto" standard without strict rule?
  
  **Tags:** epub, metadata
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2019-12-28. Score: 2
  
  This field comes from the Dublin Core (DC) metadata standard, which is useful for interoperability between software and databases. I don't think there has emerged an accepted way to use DC metadata for ebook reading systems.
  
  One idea might be to go with BISAC categories (as [listed here](https://bisg.org/page/bisacedition)). My memory could be mistaken, but I don't think the reading systems process these values in any meaningful way, (wouldn't that be nice if they did!) BTW, I seem to recall that Google Play required that you use BISAC codes when selling through them. For the DC metadata, don't use the alphanumeric value of the BISAC, just use a simple phrase based on BISAC values.
  
  Here's a [book marketing guy explaining BISAC vs. Amazon's categories](https://k-lytics.com/bisac-codes-vs-amazon-kindle-storefront-categories/). Here's [more by this same book marketing guy.](https://kindlepreneur.com/how-to-choose-the-best-kindle-ebook-kdp-category/)
  
  
  ---
  
  