Use metadata collections

For every label listed under metadata in canopy.yml, Canopy creates derived IIIF Collections: one per label and one per label/value pair. These files power /metadata, related sliders, and the home-page highlights. You can also reference them directly in MDX components like <Viewer /> and <Slider />.

1. Configure metadata labels

Add the labels you want to browse to the metadata array. This example uses the Indian Paintings on Mica Collection from the British India art demo.

collection:  - https://api.dc.library.northwestern.edu/api/v2/collections/7ac5769f-a1d9-4227-a350-bf8bd8b1cddc?as=iiifmetadata:  - Subject  - Date  - Genre

The labels must match the manifest metadata labels (case-insensitive during the build). After editing canopy.yml, restart npm run dev so the IIIF cache refreshes.

2. Verify the generated collections

The build creates a Collection for the subject “Mica.” Open its URL in your browser to check the included Manifests:

/api/facet/subject/mica.json

If you run the project at a subpath via CANOPY_BASE_PATH, prepend it when viewing the JSON in your browser (e.g., /canopy/api/facet/subject/mica.json). Delete .cache/iiif and rebuild if you change the metadata list but still see stale output.

3. Embed a collection in MDX

Use the generated collections to power sliders or viewers on custom pages. For example, to add a carousel of Manifests whose subject is “Mica”:

---title: Paintings on Mica--- # Paintings on Mica Explore watercolors from Northwestern University Libraries' Indian Paintings on Mica Collection. <Slider iiifContent="/api/facet/subject/mica.json" />

You can swap <Slider /> for <Viewer /> to render a browsable IIIF collection instead of cards. <ReferencedItems /> continues to use the referencedManifests field, so use it when you need a hand-picked bibliography rather than an automatically generated list.

4. Tips

• Keep label names short but descriptive; they appear verbatim in UI headings.
• Removing a label from canopy.yml deletes the associated /api/facet/** files on the next build.
• Use metadata labels consistently across manifests. Sparse or inconsistent values make facets less useful, even though the collections will still be generated.