Re: Fwd: [MODS] MADS: XML schema for authorities

I just meant that having this data in XML is preferable to having it in 
MARC (or more correctly ANSI/NISO Z39.2) -- a 1960's era binary format that 
used exclusively by the library community and quite complicated to parse. I 
haven't even looked at the MADS schema yet to see if it makes sense. This 
is a draft release out for comment, so we should pass your comments along 
to LC in the fullness of time...

MacKenzie

At 12:18 PM 6/5/2004 +0200, Stefano Mazzocchi wrote:

>MacKenzie Smith wrote:
>
>>FYI -- this is possibly relevant to the work on name matching since much 
>>of the name data comes from MARC name authority records, and this new XML 
>>schema is a substitute for that format. It's still XML, but it should 
>>make conversion to RDF a lot more straightforward if it's adopted for the 
>>big name authority files like the Library of Congresses.
>
>Not sure how "straight forward" this could be.
>
>I've looked at the schema and it's a very general one, it's used to encode 
>a bunch of things with the same exact elements and all the semantic 
>information is encoded in attribute values.
>
>For example:
>
><?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
><mads xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
>       xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="/mads-v.3.xsd">
>         <authority>
>           <topic authority="LCSH">Computer programming</topic>
>         </authority>
>         <refs>
>           <ref relatedType="broader">
>                 <topic>Computers</topic>
>           </ref>
>           <ref relatedType="narrower">
>                 <topic>Programming languages</topic>
>           </ref>
>           <ref relatedType="otherRelated">
>                 <topic>Systems Analysis</topic>
>           </ref>
>         </refs>
></mads>
>
><?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
><mads xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
>       xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="/mads-v.3.xsd">
>         <authority>
>            <geographic authority="naf">Ceylon</geographic>
>         </authority>
>         <refs>
>            <ref relatedType="later">
>                 <geographic>Sri Lanka</geographic>
>            </ref>
>         </refs>
></mads>
>
>All the semantics is in the attribute values relatedType="" and authority="".
>
>relatedType="" values are constrolled by the schema, but the attribute 
>itself is optional.
>
>authority="" values are *not* controlled by the schema and the attribute 
>is optional.
>
>Converting this schema to a useful RDF is algorithmically impossible since 
>too much information is kept implicit and/or optional.
>
>The only graph topology that can be inferred from this MADS schema is that 
>some literals have some sort of relationship with others (optinally 
>labelled) and that this relationship is optionally backed up by a literal.
>
>If all the attributes were required and all the attributes value were 
>controlled and restricted by the schema, then the migration could be 
>straightforward.
>
>HTH
>
>>MacKenzie
>>
>>>Date:         Fri, 4 Jun 2004 09:34:04 -0400
>>>Reply-To: Metadata Object Description Schema List <MODS@loc.gov>
>>>From: "Rebecca S. Guenther" <rgue@loc.gov>
>>>Subject: [MODS] MADS: XML schema for authorities
>>>
>>>In response to numerous requests, the Library of Congress' Network
>>>Development and MARC Standards Office has drafted an XML schema for an
>>>authority element set that may be used to provide metadata about agents
>>>(people, organizations), events, and terms (topics, geographics, genres,
>>>etc.).  This Metadata Authority Description Schema (MADS) was created to
>>>serve as a companion to the Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS).
>>>As such, MADS has a relationship to the MARC 21 Authority format, as MODS
>>>has to MARC 21 Bibliographic-- both carry selected data from MARC 21.
>>>There is a high level of compatibility between the MADS and MODS schemas.
>>>MADS is expressed using the XML schema language of the World Wide Web
>>>Consortium.  Note that once the schema is finalized, a few changes may be
>>>made to MODS for consistency. An example is that MADS uses the term
>>>"event" instead of "conference".
>>>
>>>The MADS draft schema is now available for broad review to inform its
>>>completion. Based on input from prospective users, the schema will be
>>>revised and made available for experimentation. The review period will be
>>>between June 4 and July 16, 2004.
>>>
>>>The Web site is at:
>>>http://www.loc.gov/mads
>>>Included is the XML schema itself, a document describing the purpose of
>>>MADS and details about definitions of the most important elements, and an
>>>outline of elements and attributes. A mapping to the MARC 21 Authority
>>>Format will be available shortly.
>>>
>>>We look forward to comments from prospective users about this new schema.
>>>
>>>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>>^^  Rebecca S. Guenther                                   ^^
>>>^^  Senior Networking and Standards Specialist            ^^
>>>^^  Network Development and MARC Standards Office         ^^
>>>^^  1st and Independence Ave. SE                          ^^
>>>^^  Library of Congress                                   ^^
>>>^^  Washington, DC 20540-4402                             ^^
>>>^^  (202) 707-5092 (voice)    (202) 707-0115 (FAX)        ^^
>>>^^  rgue@loc.gov                                          ^^
>>>^^                                                        ^^
>>>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Received on Saturday, 5 June 2004 09:09:50 UTC