Summary reaction to: Using the Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS) for resource description: guidelines and applications

Citation:

Guenther, Rebecca. S. (2004). "Using the Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS) for resource description: guidelines and applications." Library Hi Tech 22(1): 89-98.

MODS will be easier for the library community to embrace because of the origin and support of the schema from Library of Congress. Guenther points out LC’s history of maintaining standards and providing outstanding documentation to ensure the viability of supported formats. I’ve found that people are pleasantly surprised that MODS is maintained by the MARC Standards Office.

Guenther outlines the need for MODS and user guidelines. Her article serves as an excellent road map and preparatory reading before examining and using the MODS user guide. The second half of the article addresses MODS implementations at various institutions and the Minerva project. Reading about a specific MODS implementation is very helpful in gaining an understanding of how MODS interacts with MARC in a library setting. MODS is derived from MARC, but it’s hard to conceptualize the interoperability without a detailed description of a live implementation. This article will be very helpful in planning the MODS implementation for the Hope Library.

Summary reaction to: An introduction to the Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS)

Citation:

McCallum, Sally H. (2004). "An introduction to the Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS)." Library Hi Tech 22(1): 82-88.

McCallum provides an excellent section defining terms commonly used while discussing metadata schemas and relates them to the terms used in traditional MARC cataloging. This is very helpful because many traditional catalogers are intimidated by the “tech talk” and acronyms of metadata. Unfortunately, the discussion on XML is not so clear.

A trained MARC cataloger will feel comfortable with the elements defined in MODS. Many are familiar with a few additions for handling electronic formats. As a MARC cataloger, I can understand the objection to a simpler metadata model. Many traditional catalogers fear that access points will not be provided and the catalog will cease to be a useful tool.

Some catalogers fear that their jobs will no longer be valued, and more importantly, will no longer be professional positions. McCallum states in this article, “An accompanying concern was that MODS should be simple enough for original description of a resource by non-professionals, with adequate guidance.” If MODS was designed with this in mind then I would say that the cataloger does have a legitimate concern. This statement indicates to me that the job duties of catalogers will begin to shift from creating records, to managing and overseeing those who create records. I would like to think that controlled access points and subject analysis will still be provided by professional catalogers and subject experts.

Although many catalogers wish to provide the most complete record possible and provide every possible access point for a resource, modern realities simply will not allow this to continue. Various groups have discussed ways to improve cataloging efficiency and many institutions currently outsource bibliographic records to various companies, like Serials Solutions and Marcive.

MODS provides a solution to the current explosion of online materials and shrinking budgets. Current MARC catalogers can be easily trained to provide MODS records for digital materials and other items. Libraries will need to decide which collections merit full MARC records and for which collections a MODS record would suffice. MARC and MODS records, due to their similarities, can be used in tandem to provide an interoperable solution to our current challenges in providing bibliographic access.

The Jane Hope Libary

The Jane Hope library is located in 40 miles south of Chicago, Illinois. This academic library serves a large university with 23,000 students, 5,000 faculty members, and 7,000 staff members. The Hope library serves a private university; therefore the general public is not included in the patron base. The library consists of 200 staff members, 45 of which are located in the technical services department.

The technical services department includes several divisions listed below:

• Cataloging: 15
• Acquisitions: 10
• Physical Processing: 3
• Digital Initiatives/Electronic Resource Management: 10
• Metadata: 5
• Programmer/Interface Design Specialist: 2

Many staff are cross trained in order to accommodate large projects, both traditional and digital, to utilize individual subject expertise. Our staff members are at least required to hold an undergraduate degree, and our librarians often hold an additional masters degree. Although we have specific job titles separating the catalogers and metadata specialists, the catalogers often work with Dublin Core and MODS.

Technical services staff work in an advanced computing environment. Our department has numerous resources and training opportunities for staff to develop technology skills. Two full time employees provide programming expertise and interface design skills to the department, specifically the digital initiatives unit. The cooperative nature of the unit has resulted in many successful digital library projects.

The main focus of the digital initiatives unit for the last few years has been to digitize our local unique collections that are at risk of becoming unusable. These collections are primarily print documents, but do include audio visual materials. Many of the items are suitable for full MARC records, but the library has decided to provide bibliographic access to this collection through MODS records.

I will be reading two articles to guide implementation of MODS at the Hope Library. Stay tuned for a summary reaction for two articles:

McCallum, Sally H. (2004). "An introduction to the Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS)." Library Hi Tech 22(1): 82-88.

Guenther, Rebecca. S. (2004). "Using the Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS) for resource description: guidelines and applications." Library Hi Tech 22(1): 89-98.

These articles should provide needed background information to get the MODS up and running at our library!