Abstract: The idea of a resource profile is that it is a multi-faceted, wide ranging description of a resource. A resource profile conforms to no particular XML schema, nor is it authored by any particular author. Additionally, unlike traditional resource descriptions, which are presumed to be instantiated as a single digital file and located in a particular place, a resource profile may be distributed, in pieces, across a large number of locations. And there is no single canonical or authoritative resource profile for a given resource. This paper describes the need for resource profiles, outlines their major conceptual properties, describes different types of constituent metadata, and examines the use of resource profiles in practice.