# Presentation: 495388

- The Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS)
- NISO Metadata Workshop
- May 20, 2004

- Rebecca Guenther
- Network Development and MARC Standards Office
- Library of Congress

## What is MODS?

- Metadata Object Description Schema
- Descriptive metadata standard (not for document markup)
- Initiative of Network Development and MARC Standards Office at LC
- Uses XML Schema
- Originally designed for library applications, but may be used for others
- A derivative of MARC

**Notes:**
Element set: list of elements that can be used; list that must be used; other standards/policies define levels
Semantics=meaning of fields
Syntax: defines Leader, Directory, tags, indicator structure
AACR2-- traditional use, now broadened
Other metadata conent standards can use MARC (e.g. archival rules)

## Why MODS?

- XML (Extensible Markup Language) is the markup for the Web
- Investigating XML as a new more flexible syntax for MARC element set
- Need for rich descriptive metadata in XML but simpler than full MARC, especially for complex digital library objects

## Potential Uses of MODS

- As a rich (but not too rich) XML metadata format for emerging initiatives
- Z39.50 Next Generation specified format
- extension schema to METS
- to represent metadata for harvesting (OAI)
- As an interoperable core for convergence between MARC and non-MARC XML descriptions
- For original resource description in XML syntax using language based tags

## Advantages of MODS

- Element set is richer than Dublin Core
- Hierarchy allows for rich description, especially of complex digital objects
- Element set is compatible with existing descriptions in large library databases
- Rich description that works well with hierarchical METS objects

## Features of MODS

- Uses language-based tags
- Elements generally inherit semantics of MARC
- Elements particularly applicable to digital resources
- MODS does not assume the use of any specific rules for description
- Element descriptions are reused throughout the schema
- Use of XML schema allows for flexibility and availability of freely available tools

## MODS high-level elements

- Title Info
- Name
- Type of resource
- Genre
- Origin Info
- Language
- Physical description
- Abstract
- Table of contents
- Target audience

- Note
- Subject
- Classification
- Related item
- Identifier
- Location
- Access conditions
- Extension
- Record Info

## Status of MODS

- Open listserv collaboration of self-selected possible implementors, LC coordinated (1st half 2002)
- First comment and use period: June – December 2002
- Version 2.0 Feb. 2003-Dec. 2003
- MODS version 3.0 now available
- Version 3.0 includes corrections and citation information for journal article
- Registration submitted to NISO, now being balloted
- Coming: a MODS for authorities called MADS

## LC uses of MODS

- Describing electronic resources
- AV project, web archiving
- Incorporation with XML resources
- METS projects for digital resources (e.g. IHAS, Blackmun)
- OAI collections
- LC offers MODS, MARCXML, DC simple
- Further use planned for lightweight descriptions for Web resources

## MINERVA at LC

- MINERVA: LC’s web archiving project (based on specific themes)
- Exploring issues with born digital resources
- MODS used for descriptive metadata
- Election 2002 Web archive
- Collaboration with Internet Archive, Webarchivist.org
- Selective collection of archived sites July-Nov. 2002
- MODS records for each site
- Other collections: 9/11, 107th Congress
- Plan to use METS and develop profile for Web sites for 107th
- Metadata done in-house, more controlled

## Fields used in Minerva project

- Title
- Name (structured form)
- Abstract
- Date captured
- Genre (value always “Web site”)

- Physical description (file formats)
- Identifier (base URL)
- Language
- Access conditions/rights management
- Subject (keyword or LCSH if possible)

## Sample MODS record for Election 2002

- _[Fran Ulmer web site](file:///1405.xml)_ record (XML)

## Slide 13

## Slide 14

## MODS projects

- AV Prototype Project (Library of Congress)
- Digital preservation for audio and video
- Uses METS and MODS with focus on metadata
- University of California press
- Using METS with MODS for freely available ebooks
- California Digital Library
- Digitization of archival materials
- Other METS projects as descMD section
- MusicAustralia
- MODS as exchange format between National Library of Australia and ScreenSoundAustralia

## Bibliographic citations

- Additions to MODS 3.0 to allow for output of bibliographic citations
- Parsed elements to generate OpenURL
- Stylesheet to output citation in particular citation format
- <part>
- <detail>
- <extent>
- <date>
- <text>

## Differences between MODS and Dublin Core

- MODS has structure
- Names
- Publication information (originInfo)
- Related item
- Subject
- MODS is more compatible with library data
- Semantics
- Conversions
- Relationships between elements
- Includes record management (administrative metadata) information

## Choosing MODS for descriptive metadata

- MODS is particularly useful for
- compatibility with existing bibliographic data
- embedded descriptions in relatedItem
- Rich, hierarchical descriptions that work well with METS structural map
- “out of the box” schema; can use <extension> for local elements and to bring in external elements from other schemas

- Conclusions

- MODS was developed as a rich descriptive metadata standard that works well with other XML standards/initiatives
- Provides a descriptive metadata standard intermediate in richness between Dublin Core and MARC 21 (or other specialized descriptive metadata standard)
- Although a derivative of MARC, MODS has wide potential application as a rich descriptive metadata standard for various needs
- XML tools allow for easy transformations (made available by LC)

- For further information

- http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods