[XML4Lib] mods: the new marc?

Tue Dec 18 18:11:59 EST 2007

METS is another important standard that is tailor made to operate as a
structural map for complex works. 

METS works with descriptive metadata extension schemas like MODS, DC,
MARCXML, etc to fully describe the object but the structural map can
take care of the metadata needed to describe a component as page ii or
inside front cover, etc. 

It also has the hooks for extension metadata to describe the technical
characteristics of an object, rights info and provenance info and can be
used as a package for the files themselves. 

With both METS and ORE, you still need a schema like MODS or DC or
MARCXML to describe the work and descriptive content standards like
AACR2 or RDA as well. 

Judith

Judith Pearce
National Library of Australia
Canberra ACT 2602
+61 2 62621425
jpearce at nla.gov.au

-----Original Message-----
From: xml4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:xml4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Kyle Fenton
Sent: Tuesday, 18 December 2007 11:49 PM
To: Deridder, Jody L
Cc: xml4lib
Subject: Re: [XML4Lib] mods: the new marc?

I'm eager to take advantage of the ORE resource map as well.   A large  
part of my work these days is in building out a digital repository
infrastructure.  In practice I plan to use "natively"  whatever
descriptive schema is appropriate to an object, and to break objects out
as atomistically as makes sense (e.g. each page object of a  
scanned book is an image object of its own).   Expressing the  
relationships among objects in a "work" becomes much more important, and
the ORE resource map is tailor made for this kind of expression.

I by no means think MODS is a panacea.   But I think it is a step (or  
two, or three) up from Dublin Core when you need to conduct a search
across a wide diversity of objects (books, images, video, data sets,
finding aids, etc.).

--Kyle

On Dec 17, 2007, at 10:16 AM, Deridder, Jody L wrote:

> Hi Eric --
>  Have you looked at the new ORE docs?
>
>  I know that the move is toward FRBRization of metadata, and revamping

> LCSH (also used in MODS, often) for faceted subject headings -- and 
> that we need to consider usability across arenas (learning objects vs.
> libraries, for example).
>
> As you know, MODS was developed from MARC but still has many of the 
> same drawbacks.  I'm wondering if the best solution at present isn't 
> some combination scheme in RDF format.
>
> --jody
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xml4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
> [mailto:xml4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Eric Lease 
> Morgan
> Sent: Sunday, December 16, 2007 4:34 PM
> To: xml4lib
> Subject: [XML4Lib] mods: the new marc?
>
>
> Is MODS the new MARC?
>
> As you may or may not know, I advocate "catalogs" include content 
> beyond the things a library owns or licenses. Moreover, I advocate 
> libraries take a more active role in collecting and providing services

> against information resources no matter where they reside on a 
> network. Don't get me wrong, I don't advocating "cataloging" the 
> entire Internet, but I do advocate actively collecting materials 
> apropos to the needs of a particular library's patrons.
>
> In an effort to demonstrate such an idea I would like to collect and 
> provide services against a number of different types of data/ 
> information freely available on the 'Net. Some of these things include

> but are not to the following listed in no priority order:
> electronic books/texts (Project Gutenberg, University of Michigan 
> MBooks, Open Content Alliance, etc.), electronic journals from DOAJ, 
> electronic journal articles from DOAJ Articles, pre-prints and post- 
> prints from various OAI repositories, mailing list messages, selected 
> blog postings, theses & dissertations from NDLTD, etc.
>
> Each of the things above can be systematically harvested through the 
> use of OAI, simple Web crawling, or the retrieval of data sets. Once 
> harvested the data could be stored in a database and/or indexed 
> providing the means for discovery and services. The storage of this 
> content in a database begs questions regarding tables, records, and 
> fields. What might they be? Similarly, unless the index is going to be

> 100% free text, the harvest content/metadata will need to mapped to 
> fields. Again, what fields?
>
> I'm not so naive to believe there is such a thing a the perfect 
> database structure for this "catalog", nor do I believe free text 
> indexing is the answer either. So, what sort of data structure should 
> I use? Not MARC. MODS? Some incarnation of RDF?
>
> If I go this route I see the following plan:
>
>   0. Articulate a collection policy.
>   1. Acquire/harvest content in its raw form.
>   2. Convert the raw content into MODS, RDF, or
>      something else.
>   3. Save/archive the raw data because things get lost
>      in translation.
>   4. Save the MODS or RDF to a (XML) database.
>   5. Parse the MODS or RDF and save it to a
>      (relational) database.
>   6. Run scripts against the database to create things
>      like browsable lists, create new relationships
>      between items, or simply enhanced.
>   7. Index the MODS or RDF, or write a report against
>      the database intended for indexing.
>   8. Provide access to the index (via SRU, OpenSearch,
>      or Z39.50).
>   9. Provide services against the search results such
>      as Get It, Review It, Buy It, Bookmark It, Compare It
>      To Other things, etc.
>  10. Got to Step #1.
>
> Assuming there is no single database structure for such a idea, what 
> flavor of XML would you use as your canonical data format? MODS? RDF?
> Something else?
>
> --
> Eric Lease Morgan
> University Libraries of Notre Dame
>
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