Appropriateness of MODS for 3 collections

In your journal, write an analysis of each of the following collections, describing the strengths and weaknesses of MODS for describing items in that collection.

Charles W. Cushman Photograph Collection, Indiana University

This collection consists of digitized slides and notes from the slides and a notebook maintained by the photographer. The collection is presented as a partnership between the digital library and the archives at Indiana University. The archival community typically focuses on collection level access while the digital library community focuses on item level description. Each image is digitized and presented as a single item within a collection, therefore EAD would not be the best choice for describing the items in this collection.

Due to the nature of the item level description a standard like DC or MODS would be more appropriate. Each of the records contains a small number of elements and the collection is browsable by a limited number of indexes. MODS provides a great deal of specificity which is more than is needed for the data provided.

MODS is well suited for providing access to corporate names and personal names, but the rest of the search index listed on the site would be covered adequately by Dublin Core, or a slightly extended version of Dublin Core.

Overall MODS would not be used to the fullest advantage in this collection.


After the Day of Infamy: 'Man on the Street' Interviews Following the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Library of Congress

This collection consists of audio files and transcripts of interviews after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The browse features rely on fields that are accommodated well in MODS and DC. Once a record is viewed it becomes clear that more information is needed than can be provided in simple Dublin Core. This project requires the ability to use role terms for the interviewer, interviewee, and the collector. The site appears not to provide searching on these elements, but these are important to the the description of the materials in the collection.

MODS will provide the granular access to role terms and permit greater search capabilities. However this collection is probably browsed more often than searched. Providing several access points with a record as detailed as a MODS record may become too time consuming. There is a trade off to be made between the number of records that need to be produced and the level of detail. The uses of the collection must be considered and basic functional requirements must be determined and met through an appropriate metadata description practice.


Jerome Hill Papers, Minnesota Historical Society

This site is an elaborate finding aid for the papers of Jerome Hill. The website does not appear to be searchable through a site search engine. The user is guided to browse features based on chronology of his life and his role as a composer. While browsing through the various sections a link listing records related to the specific topic was found. Brief item level descriptions are included as well as the occasional link to a digitized image.

MODS would be too robust to apply to all of the items in this collection. EAD was likely used to describe the various elements of this collection. EAD provides the archivist with the framework to describe the collection down to the lowest level of hierarchy. MODS cannot handle the description of various levels of hierarchy in one record. There are conventions to identify related items, but this is insufficient for use in this application.