Hi Michele,

Yes, I believe the prefixes are required to distinguish which tags are MODS and which are METS. This helps for keeping the files valid and conformant to the XML standard.

Best,
Lisa

> On Dec 15, 2014, at 6:23 AM, "Michele R Combs" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> I have a METS file. In it I have mdWrap sections, e.g. Dublin Core and MODS:
>
> <mets:mdWrap MDTYPE="MODS">
> <mets:xmlData>
> <mods:identifier displayLabel="ID Number" type="local">8094</mods:identifier>
> <mods:typeOfResource>still image</mods:typeOfResource>
> <mods:titleInfo>
> <mods:title>Addendum for U.C. Chapel Hill</mods:title>
> </mods:titleInfo>
> </mets:xmlData>
> </mets:mdWrap>
>
> Since I've declared MDTYPE="MODS" for the mdWrap, do I still need the mods: namespace identifiers in the subelements, or are they assumed and therefore optional? Does the answer vary depending on what's processing the mets document?
>
> Thanks
>
> Michele
> +++++++++++++++
> Michele Combs
> Lead Archivist
> Special Collections Research Center
> Syracuse University Libraries
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