diff --git a/arches_vue_utils/src/arches_vue_utils/types.ts b/arches_vue_utils/src/arches_vue_utils/types.ts
index 77fbde1..9a49008 100644
--- a/arches_vue_utils/src/arches_vue_utils/types.ts
+++ b/arches_vue_utils/src/arches_vue_utils/types.ts
@@ -22,3 +22,10 @@ export interface WithValues {
 }
 
 export type Labellable = WithLabels | WithValues;
+
+export interface Descriptors {
+    [key: string]: {
+        name: string;
+        description: string;
+    };
+}
diff --git a/arches_vue_utils/src/arches_vue_utils/utils.ts b/arches_vue_utils/src/arches_vue_utils/utils.ts
index f063c27..50e53aa 100644
--- a/arches_vue_utils/src/arches_vue_utils/utils.ts
+++ b/arches_vue_utils/src/arches_vue_utils/utils.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { ALT_LABEL, PREF_LABEL } from "@/arches_vue_utils/constants.ts";
 
 import type {
+    Descriptors,
     Label,
     Labellable,
     WithLabels,
@@ -66,3 +67,20 @@ export const getItemLabel = (
             rankLabel(a, preferredLanguageCode, systemLanguageCode),
     )[0];
 };
+
+export const getDescriptors = (
+        data: Descriptors,
+        systemLanguageCode: string,
+    ): Descriptors => {
+    if (!data) {
+        return {
+            name: "",
+            description: "",
+        };
+    }
+    const descriptors = data[systemLanguageCode] ?? data[Object.keys(data)[0]];
+    return {
+        name: descriptors.name ?? "",
+        description: descriptors.description ?? "",
+    };
+};