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 > [log in to unmask] > scrc.syr.edu