「文物」是指人類在歷史發展過程中遺留下來具有歷史、藝術及科學價值的遺物和遺蹟。文物資源的描述一向是文化資產典藏單位（亦即圖書館、檔案館及博物館等）共同的工作重點。為求作業標準化以交換及分享資訊資源，有史以來，資料標準存在已久。尤其越來越多文化資訊以電子形式出現於網際網路，將更凸顯文物描述資料標準的重要性。2006年，美國圖書館協會（American Library Association）出版文化資產界關於文物描述的第一套資料內容標準Cataloguing Cultural Objects: A Guide to Describing Cultural Objects and Their Images，簡稱CCO。為進一步了解此項工具，筆者試從相關文獻探討其歷史發展背景、範圍及組織結構，並與其他資料內容標準比較，包括圖書館界廣泛使用的編目規則《中國編目規則》、《英美編目規則》（Anglo-American Cataloging Rules,AACR）及檔案界的《檔案描述內容標準》（Describing Archives: A Content Standard, DACS），擬找出CCO的特色及可應用性，供台灣之圖書館、博物館或檔案館相關人士參考。 Cultural objects are relics that have remained historical, artistic and scientific values after experiencing human development processes. Cultural objects cataloging has been a common main point for works of culture heritage related institutions such as library, archives and museum. To standardize operations of exchanging and sharing information resources, data description standards have existed since the beginning of recorded history. Especially, the more electronic cultural information emerges over the internet, the more important cultural objects description standards are. In 2006, American Library Association published Cataloging Cultural Objects: A Guide to Describing Cultural Objects and Their Images, as known as CCO, the first set of data content standards for cultural objects. In order to get further information about this tool, the author explored the historical background, characteristics, and importance of CCO by making comparisons with other data content standards (including CCR, AACR2R and DACS) for those who work for domestic museums, libraries and archives.
