1. A computer system for storing metadata comprising: a processor; a memory operatively coupled to the processor; a database including a database schema, wherein the database schema includes a table with rows, each row having a generic metadata field and at least one numeric metadata field, wherein the generic metadata field is programmed to store data corresponding with any arbitrary type of metadata and the numeric metadata field is programmed to store data referencing another row of the table to establish a metadata categorization hierarchy between generic metadata stored in different rows in the same table; and a data access API in the memory programmed to translate, using the processor, a query for metadata of a specified type into a database query of the generic metadata field for data matching the metadata of the specified type.