I sent a note to Corey, but maybe this ought to go to the list too.

I've been testing v3 of MODS to enter references, and have been struck
with the observation that it would make my life a lot easier to make
extensive use of links.  For example, why not have separate xml files
that store names and publishers?

What I want to know is, can I do this, and if so how best to do it?

I basically want to just have:

<name [insert appropriate attribute(s) to point to name record in
separate file]/>

If I need to run an xslt on the records, the engine would then
correctly find the full name record.

Also, say I am entering individual chapters from an edited book. I'd
like to also link to the host record, but then add the chapter-specific
"part" info.  Something like:

<relatedItem type="host" [insert appropriate attribute(s) to point to
host record in separate file]>
    <part>
        <range unit="page">
                <start>22</start>
                <end>34</end>
        </range>
     </part>
</relatedItem>

On this one, can I even do this: refer to another record, but then add
the record-specific part element?

Bruce