Top-level Element: <location>
| Element | <location> |
|---|---|
| Definition | The institution or repository holding the resource, the physical location of the resource, and/or the electronic location for a digital resource in the form of a URL. |
| Attributes | Common: Language-related: lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration Linking: ID; IDREF; altRepGroup Miscellaneous: displayLabel Specific: None |
| Subelements | <physicalLocation> <shelfLocator> <url> <holdingSimple> <holdingExternal> |
| Examples | EXAMPLES |
| Mappings | MAPPINGS |
Guidelines for Use
<location> is a container element; specific data is recorded in the subelements.
Subelement: <physicalLocation>
| Definition | The institution or repository that holds the resource or where it is available. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | Common: Authority: authority; authorityURI; valueURI Language-related: lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration External Linking: xlink:href Miscellaneous: displayLabel Specific: type |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
This subelement identifies the physical, institutional home of a resource. <physicalLocation> typically includes specific information used to locate a resource, such as the name or code of an institution/repository, and perhaps a 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. Recommended values for the authority attribute are "marcorg" or "oclcorg". Use the naming authority appropriate to each value as identified in Organization Code Source Codes. If the the authority attribute is not used, the <physicalLocation> value is assumed to be a textual, natural language name and/or address.
Specific Attribute Information
type
Subelement: <shelfLocator>
| Definition | Shelfmark or other shelving designation that indicates the location identifier for a copy. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | Common: Language-related: lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration Specific: None |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
If more detailed holdings information is given at the item level, use <shelfLocator> under <holdingSimple>.
Subelement: <url>
| Definition | Contains the Uniform Resource Location of the resource. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | Common: Miscellaneous: displayLabel; usage Specific: dateLastAccessed; note; access |
| 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.
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. 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. When <physicalLocation> and <url> appear within the same <location> element, then the <url> is understood to point to the corresponding digitized version of the physical copy held by that institution. If the url points to a digital version originating from a different institution, a separate <location> element should be used. 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.
Specific Attribute Information
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.)
Subelement: <holdingSimple>
| Definition | Additional specific summary holdings information about the item. |
|---|---|
| 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.
Subelement: <holdingSimple><copyInformation>
| Definition | Information about a specific tangible instance of a resource or set comprised of one or more pieces. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | None |
| Subelements | <form> <subLocation> <shelfLocator> <electronicLocator> <note> <enumerationAndChronology> <itemIdentifier> |
Guidelines for Use
<copyInformation> is a container element. Data is entered in the subelements.
Subelement: <holdingSimple><copyInformation><form>
| Definition | Designation of a particular physical presentation of a resource. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | Common: Authority: authority; authorityURI; valueURI Language-related: lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration
Specific: type |
| 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. When using the authorities attribute, it is recommended to use a code from the list of Genre/Form Code and Term Source Codes maintained by the Library of Congress.
Specific Attribute Information
type
<form type="technique>painting</form>
Subelement: <holdingSimple><copyInformation><subLocation>
| Definition | Department, division, or section of an institution holding a copy of the resource. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | Common: Language-related: lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration Specific: None |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
<subLocation> may be repeated for multiple equivalent items in different sublocations within the institution named in <physicalLocation>.
Subelement: <holdingSimple><copyInformation><shelfLocator>
| Definition | Shelfmark or other shelving designation that indicates the location identifier for a copy. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | Common: Language-related: lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration Specific: None |
| 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).
Subelement: <holdingSimple><copyInformation><electronicLocator>
| Definition | Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the resource. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | Common: None Specific: None |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
This is a copy-specific form of <location><url>, without its attributes.
Subelement: <holdingSimple><copyInformation><note>
| Definition | Note relating to a specific copy of a document. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | Common: Language-related: lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration Linking: ID; IDREF xlink:href Miscellaneous: displayLabel Specific: type |
| 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.
Specific Attribute Information
type
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 | Common: Language-related: lang; xml:lang; script; transliteration Specific: unitType |
| 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>.
Specific Attribute Information
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
Subelement: <holdingSimple><copyInformation><itemIdentifier>
| Definition | Contains a unique standard number or code that distinctively identifies a resource. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | Common: None Specific: type |
| Subelements | None |
Guidelines for Use
MODS makes a distinction between a persistent identifier and its electronic location. This element is used for the former.
Specific Attribute Information
type
Subelement: <holdingExternal>
| Definition | Holdings information that uses a schema defined externally to MODS. |
|---|---|
| Attributes | Common: None Specific: 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.
EXAMPLES
[Linked data example - with link to id.loc.gov]
[Linked data example - with link to id.loc.gov]
[xlink attribute -- with link 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)
See MARC Mapping to MODS for the <location> element.
Dublin Core Mapping
See MODS to Dublin Core Metadata Element Set Mapping.
Last Updated: November 3, 2022