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
> 315-443-2081
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