Top-level Element: <name>
| Element | <name> |
|---|---|
| Definition | The name of a person, organization, or event (conference, meeting, etc.) associated in some way with the resource. |
| Attributes | type; authority; authorityURI; valueURI; usage; displayLabel; nameTitleGroup; altRepGroup; xlink; ID; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration; etal |
| Subelements | <namePart> <displayForm> <affiliation> <role> <description> <etal> |
GUIDELINES | EXAMPLES | MAPPINGS
GUIDELINES FOR USE
<name> is a container element that contains all subelements related to name information.
Role values are used to indicate the particular relationship between the name and the resource. Some implementors have used the <role> subelement with the value "creator". to retain the concept of main entry.
In addition to describing creators, <name> is used as a subelement of <subject>. For names used as subjects, see the <subject> section of the guidelines.
A name may be linked to a uniform title in the record using the nameTitleGroup attribute. A name may be designated as the citation or "main" entry name using the usage attribute.
Specific DLF/Aquifer Guidelines
The DLF/Aquifer Implementation Guidelines for Shareable MODS Records recommend the use of at least one <name> element to describe the creator of the intellectual content of the resource, if available.
Include as many <name> elements for contributors as are readily available. (Do not be constrained by the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2nd edition (AACR2) practice of limiting authors or contributors to three or fewer names.) For textual materials, include the names of all known authors, translators, and/or editors.
For images, include the name of the creator of the original intellectual content (photographer, painter, architect, etc.) and the name of anyone capturing that content in a new medium (for a photograph of a building, include both the architect and the photographer). If the creator is unknown or anonymous, do not include "unknown," "anonymous," or a similar indication in the MODS records for aggregation.
The DLF/Aquifer guidelines recommend the use of the type attribute with all <name> elements whenever possible for greater control and interoperability.
The authority attribute is also recommended. Use the form of a name taken from the authority file most appropriate to the resource and intended audience. The value for the authority attribute should come from the Name and Title Authority Source Codes maintained by the Library of Congress. Use the value "local" if a locally-developed name authority file is in use. If there is no name authority file in use, the authority attribute should not be used.
See the <name> 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: Aggregators commonly use the <name> field as a target for author or subject searching. Even the simplest interfaces offer an author/creator search. In cases of unknown or anonymous creators of resources, aggregators generally remove values indicating this and rely on institutions' local records to convey this information if necessary.
The "Name Practices" section in the DLF/NSDL Best Practices for Shareable Metadata 
discusses the use of names.
Element Description
Attributes
type
- personal – Indicates the name is that of a person.
- corporate – Indicates the name is that of a company, institution, or other organization.
- conference – Indicates the name is that of a conference or related type of meeting.
- family – Indicates the name is that of a family.
authority
authorityURI
valueURI
usage
nameTitleGroup
etal
altRepGroup; xlink; ID; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration; displayLabel
Subelements
The following subelements are described below:
- <namePart>
- <displayForm>
- <affiliation>
- <role>
- <description>
Subelement: <namePart>
| Definition | The individual parsed parts that together make up the full name. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | type; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
The name itself is always contained in a <namePart> element. MODS allows for either breaking up parts of the name (given and family, for example) in different <namePart> elements or enclosing the entire name in one element. Use of the former method affords more control in sorting and display and should be used if the data is readily available. Either method is acceptable.
For greater interoperability, name elements should appear in the same order as in their authorized form (the authority cited in the <name> authority attribute). If no authority is used for personal names, last name or family name should appear first, followed by a comma, followed by first or given names.
Parsing can be used to indicate a date associated with the name, to parse the parts of a corporate name, or to parse parts of a personal name if desired.
Specific DLF/Aquifer Guidelines
The DLF/Aquifer Implementation Guidelines for Shareable MODS Records require the use of <namePart> as a subelement of <name>.
Element Description
Attributes
type
- date – Used to parse dates that are not integral parts of a name. Dates that are part of a name, e.g. dates within a conference name, do not use this attribute to separate the date, since it is an integral part of the name string. The birthdate associated with a personal name, however, is not an integral part of the name but added to distinguish the name from others, so it does include a separate <namePart> with type="date". This attribute is not used when parsing the components of a corporate name.
- family – Used for the surname used to identify members of the same family.
- given – Used for a forename or first name.
- termsOfAddress – Used to record titles and enumeration associated with a name, such as Jr., II, etc.
lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration
See the Attributes used throughout the schema for description for each.
Subelements
There are no subelements for <namePart>.
Subelement: <displayForm>
| Definition | The unstructured form of the name as given on the resource. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
The <displayForm> element makes it possible to display personal names in direct order rather than inverted.
For some applications, contractual agreements require that the form of the name provided on the resource be provided.
If the display name is an entire statement of responsibility, <displayForm> may be indicated in a note (with type="statement of responsibility") along with any other text in the statement of responsibility and also repeated here if desired.
Specific DLF/Aquifer Guidelines
The DLF/Aquifer guidelines allow the use of <displayForm> if desired.
Element Description
Attributes
lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration
See the Attributes used throughout the schema for description for each.
Subelements
There are no subelements for <displayForm>.
Subelement: <affiliation>
| Definition | The name of an organization, institution, etc. with which the entity recorded in <name> was associated at the time that the resource was created. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
<affiliation> may also contain other elements that are part of the affiliation, such as email address, street address, job title, etc.
Specific DLF/Aquifer Guidelines
If the information is readily available, <affiliation> may optionally be included.
Element Description
Attributes
lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration
See the Attributes used throughout the schema for description for each.
Subelements
There are no subelements for <affiliation>.
Subelement: <role>
| Definition | Designates the relationship (role) of the entity recorded in name to the resource describedin the record. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | None |
| Subelements | <roleTerm> |
Guidelines for Use
<role> is a container element for the role recorded in one or more <roleTerm> subelements.
If there are different roles, repeat <role><roleTerm> as needed.
Specific DLF/Aquifer Guidelines
The DLF/Aquifer Implementation Guidelines for Shareable MODS Records recommend using this element primarily with personal names. The DLF/Aquifer guidelines leave it up to the institution whether or not to generate "creator" as a <roleTerm>.
Element Description
Attributes
There are no attributes for <role>.
Subelements
The following subelement is described below:
- <roleTerm>
Subelement: <role><roleTerm>
| Definition | Contains the textual or coded form of a relator/role. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | type; authority; authorityURI; valueURI; lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
An authority attribute should be indicated if the role is in coded form or in textual form from a controlled term list. The Library of Congress maintains a list of sources for codes and terms, Relator and Role Code and Term Source Codes, and a relator code and term value list, MARC Code list for Relators.
If both a code and a term are given that represent the same role, use one <role> and multiple occurrences of <roleTerm>. If different roles are given, repeat <role><roleTerm>.
Specific DLF/Aquifer Guidelines
The DLF/Aquifer guidelines leave it up to the institution whether or not to generate "creator" as a <roleTerm> and recommend that, if <role> is used, that at least a textual version of the role is given using type="text".
Element Description
Attributes
type
- text – This value is used to express a role in a textual form. The authority attribute may be used to indicate the source of the term.
- code – This value is used to express a role in a coded form. The authority attribute should be used to indicate the source of the code.
authority
authorityURI
valueURI
lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration
See the Attributes used throughout the schema for description for each.
Subelements
There are no subelements for <roleTerm>.
Subelement: <description>
| Definition | A textual description for a name when necessary, for example, to distinguish from other names. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
Used for job titles for persons or other information about the name entity.
Specific DLF/Aquifer Guidelines
Use of this subelement is not recommended in the DLF/Aquifer guidelines.
Element Description
Attributes
lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration
See the Attributes used throughout the schema for description for each.
Subelements
There are no subelements for <description>.
Subelement: <etal>
| Definition | Indicates that there are one or more names that, for whatever reason, cannot be explicitly included in another name element. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
Used for one of more names that, for whatever reason, cannot be included in another name element.
Specific DLF/Aquifer Guidelines
None.
Element Description
Attributes
lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration
See the Attributes used throughout the schema for description for each.
Subelements
There are no subelements for <etal>.
EXAMPLES
<namePart>Brown, B. F.</namePart>
<affiliation>Chemistry Dept., American University</affiliation>
<role>
<roleTerm type="code" authority="marcrelator">cre</roleTerm>
<role>
<roleTerm type="code" authority="marcrelator">aut</roleTerm>
<description>American artist, 20th c.</description>
<displayForm>Eric Alterman</displayForm>
<role>
<roleTerm type="code">cre</roleTerm>
<namePart type="family">Huston</namePart>
<role>
<roleTerm type="text" authority="marcrelator">director</roleTerm>
<role>
<roleTerm type="text" authority="marcrelator">Photographer </roleTerm>
<namePart type="termsOfAddress">II</namePart>
<namePart type="termsOfAddress">Pope</namePart>
<namePart type="date">1920-</namePart>
<namePart type="given">Douglas E.</namePart>
<namePart type="given">(Douglas Ernest)</namePart>
<namePart type="date">1947-</namePart>
<namePart type="family">May</namePart>
<namePart type="termsOfAddress">I</namePart>
<description>District Commissioner</description>
<description>Préfet de région</description>
<namePart>Court of Appeals (2nd Circuit)</namePart>
<namePart type="date">1882-1941</namePart>
MAPPINGS
MARC Mapping (Bibliographic)
<name> = MARC 21 fields 1XX and 7XX
When used with <name type="personal">, <namePart> = MARC 21 fields 100, 700
When used with <name type="family">, <namePart> = MARC 21 fields 100, 700
When used with <name type="corporate">, <namePart> = MARC 21 fields 110, 710
When used with <name type="conference">, <namePart> = MARC 21 fields 111, 711
<name><namePart type="termsOfAddress"> ≈ MARC X00 subfields b and c
<name><displayForm> ≈ MARC 21 field 245 subfield c (This subfield may include other information in addition to the display form of the name.)
<name><role> = MARC relator code or its textual form.
See also MARC Mapping to MODS for the <name> element.
Dublin Core Mapping
The MODS to Dublin Core Metadata Element Set Mapping recommends mapping <name><namePart> to either <dc:creator> or <dc:contributor> in Dublin Core.
The DLF/Aquifer guidelines recommend mapping <name> elements to <dc:contributor> as the default, using <dc:creator> only if the source data clearly identifies the name as creator.
MODS example expressed in Dublin Core:
<dc:contributor>Mattox, Douglas E. (Douglas Ernest), 1947-</dc:contributor>
<dc:contributor>Digital Library Federation</dc:contributor>
Last Updated: July 12, 2013