Top-level Element: <classification>

Element	<classification>
Definition	A designation applied to a resource that indicates the subject by applying a formal system of coding and organizing resources according to subject areas.
Attributes	authority; authorityURI; valueURI; edition; displayLabel; usage; altRepGroup; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration; generator
Subelements	None

GUIDELINES | EXAMPLES | MAPPINGS

GUIDELINES FOR USE

<classification> contains the classification or call number of a resource.

Specific DLF/Aquifer Guidelines

The DLF/Aquifer Implementation Guidelines for Shareable MODS Records state that the use of the <classification> element is optional.

The DLF/Aquifer guidelines recommend that <classification> contain only classification numbers and call numbers whose authorities are referenced in Classification Scheme Source Codes maintained by the Library of Congress. It is left to the institution's discretion whether to truncate assigned call numbers to just the formal classification segment (for example, QA76.17), or to include the full call number (for example, QA76.17 .T55).

The authority attribute is required. All occurrences of the MODS <classification> element should contain the attribute authority to indicate the name of the classification scheme used in the element. Values for this attribute should come from the Library of Congress Classification Scheme Source Codes. The edition attribute is recommended if applicable.

See the <classification> entry in the DLF/Aquifer Summary of MODS Requirements and Recommendations Table for further information on requirements of this element, its attributes, and subelements.

Aggregator information: <classification> is not generally used for searching or browsing by aggregators, but may appear in the record display.

Although related to the section, "Recording Subjects in OAI Records," classification of resources is not directly addressed in the DLF/NSDL Best Practices for Shareable Metadata .

Element Description

Attributes

authority

Definition

The controlled list from which the value is taken.

Application

Consult Classification Scheme Source Codes for a list of possible authorities and their source codes.

authorityURI

Definition

A URI uniquely identifying the vocabulary from which the controlled term has been selected, as assigned by the body responsible for the maintenance of the vocabulary.

Application

URIs identifying authorities may or may not be dereferenceable to human- or machine-readable information on the authority file, controlled vocabulary, or thesaurus.

valueURI

Definition

A URI uniquely identifying the term or controlled value from a vocabulary, as assigned by the body responsible for the maintenance of the vocabulary.

Application

URIs identifying terms may or may not be dereferenceable to human- or machine-readable records for the term.

edition

Definition

Designates the edition of the particular classification scheme as indicated in the scheme's authority.

Application

Use for those schemes that are issued in editions (e.g., DDC).

usage

Definition

Strength of the classification vis-a-vis the resource.

Application

This attribute is used with usage="primary" when the main classification oif the resource is specified in the element.

generator

Definition

The value of this attribute indicates that the classification number was automatically generated and, if appropriate, how.

Application

This attribute is used with generator="lcc2ddc-software v.1.2"

altRepGroup; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration; displayLabel

See the Attributes used throughout the schema for descriptions of each.

Subelements

There are no subelements for <classification>.

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EXAMPLES

<classification authority="lcc">JK609.M2</classification>

<classification authority="lcc" displayLabel="Library of Congress classification">ML410.B3</classification>

<classification authority="cacodoc">CA2 PQ C07 81P52</classification>

<classification authority="lcc">TH6493</classification>

<classification authority="ddc" edition="11">683</classification>

<classification authority="nlm">QW 161.5.S8</classification>

<classification authority="udc">669.183.211.18</classification>

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MAPPINGS

MARC Mapping (Bibliographic)

<classification> = MARC fields 050, 060, or 08X (depending on authority), subfields a and b.

<classification> with displayLabel attribute = MARC 21 field 050 subfield 3.

Dublin Core Mapping

The MODS to Dublin Core Metadata Element Set Mapping recommends mapping the <classification> element to <dc:subject>.

MODS examples expressed in Dublin Core:

<dc:subject>JK609.M2</dc:subject>
<dc:subject>QW 161.5.S8</dc:subject>
<dc:subject>669.183.211.18</dc:subject>

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Last Updated: February 21, 2013