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Proposed New Version of METS Schema Released (March 17, 2003)

A proposed new version of the METS XML schema (version 1.2) has been drafted by the METS Editorial Board and is now available at the METS web site at http://www.loc.gov/standards/mets/mets.xsd.

This new version makes a variety of changes to the schema, including:

1. Adding a "USE" attribute to FileGrp, File, FLocat and FContent to specify the intended use of a file. This is similar to the USE attribute on the older MOA2 DTD;
2. Making the FLocat repeatable, so that identical copies of a single file may be referenced from a single element (e.g., when you have one copy online and one in an off-line backup tape);
3. FContent now mimics mdWrap in using separate binData/xmlData sections;
4. Both a FLocat and a Fcontent are allowed in single file element;
5. behaviorSec elements may now be grouped through a GROUPID attribute;
6. descriptive and administrative metadata sections may also be grouped through a GROUPID attribute;
7. <file> elements can now point to descriptive metadata via a DMDID attribute;
8. descriptive metadata and all forms of administrative metadata can now point to administrative metadata via ADMID attribute; and
9. CREATED and STATUS attributes have been added to all descriptive and administrative metadata sections.

Most existing METS documents should validate against the new schema. The exception will be METS documents employing the FContent element, which will need to be rewritten to make use of the new subsidiary binData and xmlData elements.

The METS Editorial Board is now calling for comments on this proposed schema. Comments may either be publicly posted to the METS mailing list at mets@loc.gov or, send privately to Jerome McDonough, the METS Editorial Board Chair, at jerome.mcdonough@nyu.edu. Comments need to be submitted by March 28, 2003.

If the Board does not receive any objections before March 28th, the new proposal will become the official current version of METS.

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