Top-level Element: <location>
| Element | <location> |
|---|---|
| Definition | Identifies the institution or repository holding the resource, or the electronic location in the form of a URL where it is available. |
| Attributes | displayLabel; altRepGroup; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration |
| Subelements | <physicalLocation> <shelfLocator> <url> <holdingSimple> <holdingExternal> |
GUIDELINES | EXAMPLES | MAPPINGS
GUIDELINES FOR USE
<location> is a container element; specific data is recorded in the subelements.
Specific DLF/Aquifer Guidelines
The DLF/Aquifer Implementation Guidelines for Shareable MODS Records require the use of at least one <location> element with at least one <url> subelement. See <url> below for additional guidelines on this subelement.
See the <location> entry in the DLF/Aquifer Summary of MODS Requirements and Recommendations Tabble for further information on requirements of this element, its attributes, and subelements.
Aggregator information: Aggregators will use the <location><url usage="primary display"> as the primary or—within a short display—the only link for an end user to access the described digital resource. Aggregators may choose to display additional <location><url> or <location><physicalLocation> links to end users, but generally will not use those within the search or browse functionality. In addition, aggregators may use links provided within <location><url> to collect more information for their service. For example, if a URL is provided to image thumbnails (access="preview"), an aggregator may spider those URLs to collect the thumbnail. These are then displayed with the search results to improve the user's browsing of the results.
The <url> subelement of element <location> is addressed in the "Recommendations for Classes of Data Elements" section under "Identifiers" and "Linking from a Record to a Resource" under the "General Recommendations" section of the DLF/NSDL Best Practices for Shareable Metadata 
.
Element Description
Attributes
altRepGroup; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration; displayLabel
Subelements
The following subelements are described below:
Subelement: <physicalLocation>
| Definition | The institution or repository that holds the resource or where it is available. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | type; authority; authorityURI; valueURI; displayLabel; xlink; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
<physicalLocation> typically includes specific information used to locate a resource within a collection, such as the name or code of an institution/repository, and perhaps subcollection. A shelf number is given in <shelfLocator>.
<physicalLocation> may be expressed as text and/or as a code. Use the authority attribute to designate the source of the code.
The attribute xlink may be used to link to additional information about the entity recorded in <physicalLocation>, e.g. the institution's website.
Specific DLF/Aquifer Guidelines
The DLF/Aquifer Implementation Guidelines for Shareable MODS Records allow the optional use of this subelement to identify the institution or repository holding the resource, or from which it is available. Within these guidelines, it identifies the physical, institutional home of an analog resource that has been digitized. It is not recommended to include, for aggregation, a physical location for the location of digital files.
The displayLabel attribute may be used, optionally, to indicate the preferred labeling when displayed by a metadata aggregator. Metadata aggregators may choose to ignore this attribute.
Permissible values for the authority attribute are "marcorg" and "oclcorg". Use the naming authority appropriate to each value as identified in Organization Code Source Codes.
Element Description
Attributes
type
authority
authorityURI
valueURI
xlink; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration; displayLabel
Subelements
There are no subelements for <physicalLocation>.
Subelement: <shelfLocator>
| Definition | Shelfmark or other shelving designation that indicates the location identifier for a copy. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
If more detailed holdings information is given at the item level, use <shelfLocator> under <holdingSimple>.
Element Description
Attributes
lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration
Subelements
There are no subelements for <shelfLocator>.
Subelement: <url>
| Definition | Contains the Uniform Resource Location of the resource. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | displayLabel; dateLastAccessed; note; access; usage |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
<url> is for an electronic location from which the resource is available.
Note that <identifier> is used for persistent identifiers that may or may not be resolvable.
Specific DLF/Aquifer Guidelines
The DLF/Aquifer Guidelines require one and only one <location><url> subelement with the usage attribute value "primary display". Many aggregators may include only one URL in their brief display. Use of usage="primary display" allows aggregators to easily identify which URL to display for their users. If a record describes multiple items (a multi-volume set, for example), these guidelines strongly recommend identifying a primary entry point for these.
It is recommended that all URLs used with the <location> element be persistent.
The <location> element with the <url> subelement may be used to indicate locations of additional versions of the digital resource such as thumbnails of the digital resource. These guidelines recommend that in these cases the access attribute be used to help an aggregator determine what versions of the resource are available. Best practice is that the "primary display" URL is a link to the resource with its contextual material (for example metadata, navigation to the collection homepage). If the primary link to a resource is to a stand-alone version of the resource (such as a JPEG image only), an end user will have no context except for the metadata on the service provider's site. At a minimum, the URL should point to a page that contains the resource and a navigation bar that allows users to reach the collection homepage. It is highly desirable that this page also include the descriptive metadata for the resource.
The <location> element with the <physicalLocation> subelement may also be used to point to the location of the equivalent analog resource. However, it is not necessary nor always desirable to include the location of all digital and/or analog versions of the described resource. Only include that information which is useful and important to the aggregator and to the end user.
Use of the access attribute is recommended with all instances of <location><url>. This attribute helps a metadata aggregator determine what a URL is likely to link to and can help determine which URL to use for specific purposes.
Use the note attribute only when other attributes (access, usage, or displayLabel) are not appropriate.
These guidelines do not recommend use of the dateLastAccessed attribute. This attribute is unlikely to be useful to an aggregator, and, when persistent URLs are used, this attribute will be of little value.
Element Description
Attributes
dateLastAccessed
note
access
The following values may be used with the access attribute:
- preview – Indicates a link to a thumbnail or snippet of text.
- raw object – Indicates a direct link to the object described (e.g., a jpg or pdf document). Used only when the object is represented by a single file.
- object in context – Indicates a link to the object within the context of its environment (with associated metadata, navigation, etc.)
usage
- primary display – Indicates that the link is the most appropriate to display for end users.
- primary – Added for consistency when usage was defined for several other elements. This value has the same definition as "primary display". The intent is that "primary display" will be depricated in favor of "primary" in a future MODS version. Use of " primary" instead of "primary display" is therefore recommended in this attribute.
displayLabel
Subelements
There are no subelements for <url>.
Subelement: <holdingSimple>
| Definition | General information about what the institution identified in <physicalLocation> holds of the resource and its specific location. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | None |
| Subelements | <copyInformation> |
Guidelines for Use
Holdings information consists of copy-specific information about the resource, information about the specific location within an institution, version information, and other information that is peculiar to the institution. <holdingSimple> is a set of MODS internally defined elements and corresponds roughly to summary holdings information. If more granularity is required, <holdingExternal> may be used in lieu of <holdingSimple> with elements from an external schema.
<holdingSimple> is a container element for the single subelement, <copyInformation> which has several subelements.
<holdingSimple> is not repeatable; if additional holdings statements are needed for the resource, repeat <location> with appropriate subelements. For more information see MODS Holdings Information.
Element Description
Attributes
There are no attributes for <holdingSimple>.
Subelements
The following subelement is enumerated below:
Subelement: <holdingSimple><copyInformation>
| Definition | Information about a specific tangible instance of a bibliographic resource or set which comprises one or more pieces via indication of sublocation and/or locator. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | None |
| Subelements | <form> <subLocation> <shelfLocator> <electronicLocator> <note> <enumerationAndChronology> |
Guidelines for Use
<copyInformation> is a container element. Data is entered in the subelements.
Element Description
Attributes
There are no attributes for <copyInformation>.
Subelements
The following subelements are described below:
Subelement: <holdingSimple><copyInformation><form>
| Definition | Designation of a particular physical presentation of a resource. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | type; authority; authorityURI; valueURI; ID; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
The <form> subelement is equivalent to MODS <physicalDescription><form>. It may be included under <copyInformation> when the MODS record refers to multiple forms and there is different detailed holdings information associated with each form. Form is not repeatable; <copyInformation> is repeated within <holdingSimple> for multiple forms.
Element Description
Attributes
type
<form type="technique>painting</form>
authority
authorityURI
valueURI
ID; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration
Subelements
There are no subelements for <form>.
Subelement: <holdingSimple><copyInformation><subLocation>
| Definition | Department, division, or section of an institution holding a copy of the resource. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
<subLocation> may be repeated for multiple equivalent items in different sublocations within the institution named in <physicalLocation>.
Element Description
Attributes
lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration
Subelements
There are no subelements for <subLocation>.
Subelement: <holdingSimple><copyInformation><shelfLocator>
| Definition | Shelfmark or other shelving designation that indicates the location identifier for a copy. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
<shelfLocator> may be given at the bibliographic description level under <location> (i.e. shelfLocator of the entire resource) or at the item level under <holdingSimple> (when <shelfLocator> may vary by each physical piece).
Element Description
Attributes
lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration
Subelements
There are no subelements for <shelfLocator>.
Subelement: <holdingSimple><copyInformation><electronicLocator>
| Definition | Uniform Resource Location of the resource. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | None |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
This is a copy-specific form of <location><url>, without its attributes.
Element Description
Attributes
There are no attributes for <electronicLocator>.
Subelements
There are no subelements for <electronicLocator>.
Subelement: <holdingSimple><copyInformation><note>
| Definition | Note relating to a specific copy of a document. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | type; displayLabel; xlink; ID; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
Use for notes relating to the specific copy information of a resource that do not fit in one of the other available subelements.
A link may be supplied in lieu of or in addition to the content.
Each note should be entered in a separate <note> subelement.
Element Description
Attributes
type
xlink; ID; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration; displayLabel
Subelements
There are no subelements for <note>.
Subelement: <holdingSimple><copyInformation><enumerationAndChronology>
| Definition | Alpha-numeric identification, such as a volume or issue, and an indication of the date of publication or date of issue of a component of a multi-part resource, distinguishing it from other components of the same resource. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | unitType; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
<enumerationAndChronology> is an unparsed string that comprises a summary holdings statement. If more granularity is needed, a parsed statement using an external schema may be used within <holdingExternal>.
Element Description
Attributes
unitType
- 1 – information is about the basic bibliographic unit
- 2 – information is about supplementary material to the basic unit
- 3 – information is about index(es) to the basic unit
lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration
Subelements
There are no subelements for <enumerationAndChronology>.
Subelement: <holdingExternal>
| Definition | Holdings information that uses a schema defined externally to MODS. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | None |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
<holdingExternal> may include more detailed holdings information than that accommodated by the MODS schema. An example is ISO 20775 and its accompanying schema.
Element Description
Attributes
There are no attributes for <holdingExternal>.
Subelements
There are no subelements for <holdingExternal>.
EXAMPLES
[xlink attribute links to the web page of the institution represented by the value]
<url access="object in context">http://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/lilly/slocum/LL-SLO-000077</url>
<url access="raw object">http://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/lilly/slocum/full/LL-SLO-000077</url>
<url"> http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/dig/chopin/373</url>
<holdingSimple>
<shelfLocator>DAG no. 1410</shelfLocator>
<holdingSimple>
<shelfLocator>QH511.A1J68</shelfLocator>
<enumerationAndChronology unitType="1"> v.1-v.8 1970-1976</enumerationAndChronology>
<holdingSimple>
<subLocation>Chem</subLocation>
<shelfLocator> QD.C454L55</shelfLocator>
<enumerationAndChronology unitType="1"> v. 1-24 1994-2000</enumerationAndChronology>
<copyInformation>
<electronicLocator>http://cisti-icist.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/journal1.html</electronicLocator>
<enumerationAndChronology unitType="1">v. 16-24 1998-2000</enumerationAndChronology>
<holdingExternal>
<typeOrSource>
<physicalLocation>Menlo Park Public Library</physicalLocation>
<physicalAddress>
<electronicAddress>
8%3FB%FaHR0cDovL2NhdGFsb2cucGxzaW5mby5vcmcvc2VhcmNoL2kwMTk1MDM4NjMw%3F%3D
&title=Menlo+Park+Public+Library&linktype=opac&detail=JRF%3AMenlo+Park+Public+Library%3APublic
&app=wcapi&id=OCL-OCLC+Staff+use</text>
<holdingSimple>
<physicalLocation>New York University, E. H. Bobst Library (New York, NY)</physicalLocation>
<url access="raw object">http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/collections/cushman/full/P04995.jpg</url>
MAPPINGS
MARC Mapping (Bibliographic)
<location><physicalLocation> = MARC 21 field 852 subfields a, b, j and e. If information equivalent to these subfields is included, it is given in a string and is not parsed.
<location><physicalLocation> with displayLabel attribute = MARC 21 field 852 subfield 3.
<location><shelfLocator> = MARC 21 field 852 subfields h (Classification part), i (Item part), j (Shelving control number), k (Call number prefix), l (Shelving form of title), m (Call number suffix) and t (Copy number). If information equivalent to these subfields is included, it is merged together as a single string.
<location><url> with displayLabel attribute = MARC 21 field 856 subfields y and 3. There is no MARC equivalent for <url> with the dateLastAccessed attribute.
For the <form> subelement, see the <physicalDescription><form> element.
<location><holdingSimple><copyInformation><subLocation> = MARC 21 field 852 subfields b (Sublocation or collection), c (Shelving location), e (Address), which are expressed together as a string.
<location><holdingSimple><copyInformation><shelfLocator> = MARC field 852 subfields h (Classification part), i (Item part), j (Shelving control number), k (Call number prefix), l (Shelving form of title), m (Call number suffix) and t (Copy number). If information equivalent to these subfields is included, it is merged together as a single string.
<location><holdingSimple><copyInformation><electronicLocator> = MARC 21 field 856 subfield u (in holdings record).
<location><holdingSimple><copyInformation><note> = MARC 21 field 852, with subfield x when type="nonpublic" and subfield z when type="public".
<location><holdingSimple><copyInformation><enumerationAndChronology> = MARC 21 field 866 when unitType = "1".
<location><holdingSimple><copyInformation><enumerationAndChronology> = MARC 21 field 867 when unitType = "2".
<location><holdingSimple><copyInformation><enumerationAndChronology> = MARC 21 field 868 when unitType = "3".
See also MARC Mapping to MODS for the <location> element and for the <holdingSimple> element.
Dublin Core Mapping
The <location><url> subelement, along with the <identifier> element, are both mapped to <dc:identifier> in MODS to Dublin Core Metadata Element Set Mapping.
<location><physicalLocation> does not easily map to any Dublin Core element; the DLF/Aquifer guidelines recommend mapping only the <location><url> if both are available.
MODS example expressed in Dublin Core:
<dc:identifier>http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/cushman/results/detail.do?pnum=P04995</dc:identifier>.
Last Updated: September 22, 2011