Re: coyle/hillman article from dlib [mods]

From: Eric Lease Morgan <emorgan_at_nyob>
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:57:44 -0500
To: NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu
On Jan 17, 2007, at 2:20 PM, Julie Moore wrote:

> I am a "classical" cataloger, coming from an AACR and MARC
> background. I don't know much about XML or MODS. However,  I have
> heard so many positive things about MODS for a number of years now,
> I would be very interesting in learning more about MODS and also,
> what it would take to make the move from MARC to MODS. It will not
> surprise me if MODS becomes the new way that we catalog. Where
> would you suggest that someone like me begin to explore learning
> opportunities? Is there some sort of online MODS tutorial?


The canonical site for all things MODS is at the LOC. [1] From the
next URL you can garner the mapping of MARC to MODS. [2] As a part of
one of my tutorials, I *briefly* described MODS. [3]

Finally, I agree with Jonathan Rochkind when he says, "I don't
personally think that a change in
encoding-and-transmission-format is what we need anyway." While
moving from one data structure (MARC) to another (MODS) is a step in
the right direction, it is only one question in an entire set of
issues. Other questions include but are not limited to:

   * What is the purpose of this thing?
   * Who are the user's of this thing?
   * What does it contain?
   * What functions does it support?
   * What skills are required to create & maintain it?

[1] http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods/
[2] http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods/mods-mapping.html
[3] http://infomotions.com/musings/getting-started/getting-
started.html#id2527603

--
Eric Lease Morgan
University Libraries of Notre Dame

(574) 631-8604
Received on Wed Jan 17 2007 - 14:10:56 EST