The way in which people acquire knowledge and skills has changed dramatically with the development of new technologies. One concept, the Learning Object, has the potential to revolutionize learning. A learning object can be described as a self-standing, discrete piece of instructional content (such as a Java Applet on triangles, an interactive map, or a course module) that helps to meet a learning objective. These learning objects can be made available in digital format through digital libraries. Resources on learning object metadata (titles, copyright, intended audience, grade level, curriculum area, etc.), metadata standards to ensure reuse across systems, and research are presented in this area.