This document proposes core attributes that should be included in a community-defined information specification for biological databases. It lists attributes such as database name, contact information, date established, conditions of use, scope, standards, taxonomic coverage, data accessibility options, data release frequency, documentation, user support options, and data submission policy. It also provides information on the working group that started developing these guidelines shortly after the ISMB conference in July 2010, with over 30 members from 27 institutions. The group has formed a core part and is looking at implementing and publishing the proposed "BioDBcore" guidelines in the NAR 2011 issue and the DATABASE journal.