Dear METS community,

The METS Editorial Board is currently considering changes to the METS Profile Schema and creation mechanisms. We are pleased to announce the availability of a draft 2.0 METS Profile Schema and corresponding documentation for community comment. These documents and additional information on changes considered to METS Profiles can be found at <http://www.socialtext.net/mim-2006/index.cgi?mets_profiles_discussion_page>. 

We welcome and encourage comment from the METS community on these proposed changes. Please send comments to the METS listserv by September 15, 2009. We look forward to discussion of these proposed changes to METS Profiles.

Primary changes from the current Profile Schema include:

    * Changing terminology from "extension schema" to "external schema" in keeping with a parallel change to METS documentation.
    * Allow for no content as a means of indicating when the Profile makes no statement about the usage of an area in the Profile.
    * Add the ability to state requirements in machine-readable ways.
    * Add a Document Model section. This section will be made up of simple text describing what the objects are that the Profile deals with, and could include information such as whether the profile is intended for an OAIS SIP, AIP, or DIP).
    * {file: 00000013.xml}Add a Use Cases section. This section would either link to descriptions already posted online by the Profile creator, or embed within the Profile documentation such as a diagram of a business process that uses a METS document conforming to the profile. It would primarily be used to describe different requirements for METS documents at different points in their project lifecycle with a single profile, connecting a processing action with a specific feature of a METS document.
    * Allow some XHTML markup inside elements of the Profile intended for textual documentation.
    * Allow the expression of requirements for a profile in multiple languages.
    * Add the ability to attach XML snippets as examples to requirements specified in the Profile.
    * Add the ability to express** levels (should, must, may, etc. from RFC 2119) on requirements.
    * Make separate elements for a URI supplied by the creating institution vs. the one supplied for registered profiles by LC

Jenn

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Jenn Riley
Metadata Librarian
Digital Library Program
Indiana University - Bloomington
Wells Library W501
(812) 856-5759
www.dlib.indiana.edu

Inquiring Librarian blog: www.inquiringlibrarian.blogspot.com