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====== Metadata Q&A ======
{{  :dubois_hammock.jpg?200|Du Bois in Hammock}}
This page is a place to list questions and answers about creating metadata for the Du Bois Papers.  Feel free to add to the list of topics and post any questions you like.  This is also a good place to make notes about topics for our Metadata Meetups.  Put a :?: in front of your question if you're noting something to discuss at an upcoming meeting so we can make sure we address them and include the answers.

===== Topics =====

==== Geography ====

**Q:** If there is only a state name in the address of a letter and no city, should I encode it using the AACR2 state abbreviation or write out the full name?

**A:** Write out the full name.  The state abbreviations are used only when you have a city and state.


----


**Q:** Should I enter the location as "unknown" even if I'm 90% sure that the letter was written in a certain place?

**A:** If you are pretty confident of a location, go ahead and enter it and make a note in the abstract that the place of creation is inferred.
If you have a guess, though are not completely confident, do not enter a location and remove the <place> element completely.

----

:?:**Q:** If a letter is addressed using, for example, the colonial name of an African country and the authorized name for the country reflects the independent entity, which version should I use in <place> and <subject>?

**A:** Use the name that best reflects the name on the letter.  If your letter is addressed, "Gold Coast," which is authorized as Ghana, use the historic heading for Gold Coast as listed in the authority record for Ghana in the <place> element.  If you are tracing the place as a subject, use the current authorized heading, Ghana in our example, and mention the historic entity in the abstract.  

==== MODS ====
:?:**Q:** Should we be including publishers if they are relevant, for example when encoding a pamphlet or booklet with a publisher noted?  If so, we'll need to add the <publisher> element to <originInfo>.

:?:**Q:** How should we describe sheet music?  

==== Names ====

**Q:** For letters that involve an organization, when should I encode the organization as the creator and when should the creator be the person who signed the letter?

**A:** The answer depends on the content and context of the letter.  If the letter is written //ex-officio//, that is, on behalf of an organization, then the creator should be the organization and the person who holds the office or has signed the letter is included in a name field without a role.  In the abstract, the signer's name and role can be described.  If the organization member is writing a personal note on company letterhead, then the member is the creator and, unless it somehow plays into the letter's creation, the organization does not need to be traced at all.  For example:

<code xml>

<mods:titleInfo>
        <mods:title>Letter from George W. Jacobs &amp; Co. to W. E. B. Du Bois</mods:title>
</mods:titleInfo>
    
<mods:name type="corporate" authority="naf">
        <mods:namePart>George W. Jacobs &amp; Co.</mods:namePart>
        <mods:role>
            <mods:roleTerm type="text">creator</mods:roleTerm>
            <mods:roleTerm type="code">cre</mods:roleTerm>
        </mods:role>
</mods:name>
    
<mods:name type="personal" authority="naf">
        <mods:namePart type="family">Du Bois</mods:namePart>
        <mods:namePart type="given">W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt)</mods:namePart>
        <mods:namePart type="date">1868-1963</mods:namePart>
        <mods:role>
            <mods:roleTerm type="text">recipient</mods:roleTerm>
            <mods:roleTerm type="code">rcp</mods:roleTerm>
        </mods:role>
</mods:name>
    
<mods:name type="personal" authority="naf">
        <mods:namePart type="family">Oberholtzer</mods:namePart>
        <mods:namePart type="given">Ellis Paxson</mods:namePart>
        <mods:namePart type="date">1868-1936 </mods:namePart>
</mods:name>

<mods:abstract>Signed by Ellis P. Olberholtzer, editor, wondering why he has not heard from Du Bois about his manuscript on John Brown for the "American Crisis Biographies" series and stating that he is very anxious to have it.</mods:abstract>    

</code>

Another good practice is to pay attention to context and stay consistent with a series of letters.  No matter how you decide to encode this situation, as long as you have all the relevant names in the record, the item will be found.


----


**Q:** Who is the creator if a letter is transcribed by Du Bois's secretary?

**A:** Treat the letter as if it was the original document and note that it is a transcription in the abstract. 


----


**Q:** What if I can't read a name on a letter or the creator/recipient is unknown?  

**A:** If it is impossible to figure out the name on a letter, indicate in the title that the letter is to/from an unidentified correspondent, do not trace the name in a name field and mention in the abstract that the name is illegible or unknown.  For example:

<code xml>

<mods:titleInfo>
        <mods:title>Letter from W. E. B. Du Bois to unidentified correspondent</mods:title>
</mods:titleInfo>

<mods:name type="personal" authority="naf">
        <mods:namePart type="family">Du Bois</mods:namePart>
        <mods:namePart type="given">W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt)</mods:namePart>
        <mods:namePart type="date">1868-1963</mods:namePart>
        <mods:role>
            <mods:roleTerm type="text">creator</mods:roleTerm>
            <mods:roleTerm type="code">cre</mods:roleTerm>
        </mods:role>
</mods:name>

<mods:abstract>Regarding a lost puppy, discovered by Du Bois outside his Atlanta home.  Recipient's name is illegible.</mods:abstract>

</code>

----

**Q:** How do I separate the name parts of a corporate entity?

**A:** Just like with personal names, the corporate names still have namePart attributes to separate sub-fields. Corporate names however do not have a @type attribute for the element. For example: 

<code xml>
    <mods:name type="corporate" authority="naf">
        <mods:namePart>Harvard University</mods:namePart>
        <mods:namePart>President's Office</mods:namePart>
    </mods:name>
</code>

----

**Q:** If a letter is a fragment do I indicate this in the item title?  This question was inspired by items mums312-b002-i176 and mums312-b002-i177. 

**A:** Yes, put [fragment] at the end of the item title for an incomplete item. Note the extend of the fragment in the abstract if possible.

----

Name authority update: Danielle changed the authorized name heading for Yolande Du Bois Williams (Du Bois's grandaughter) from "Williams, Yolande Du Bois to "Irvin, Du Bois Williams." The latter is the name she goes by presently and since we may get her papers, I'd like to make sure our references to her now match those to her in the future.

----

**Q:** Who is the "creator" of a clipping?

**A:** If there is an author listed, trace the author's name with a role type "author."  If no author is listed, no creator is necessary.  In both cases, add the newspaper's name (if available) to the abstract. 

----
**Q:** Under what circumstance do we apply for a NAF record and who do we talk to?

**A:** Response quoting July 2010 email from Aaron:
<code>
The kind folks in the cataloging department downstairs are willing to make NAF records for us 
if there is a name we would like to add.  In general, the criteria for creating name authorities are like this:

- If we need to add, e.g dates to a name, because there is a conflict with an existing name authority.

- If we need to make a cross reference in Aleph (which, I'm assuming, doesn't really apply to us).

- If it is, in our humble opinion, an egregious oversight (see, Niagara Movement).

If you have a name you would like to add, call/email Sarah Thomson (sarah.thomson@library.umass.edu, 7-2632) or Barbara Stewart (stew@library.umass.edu, 7-2634).

I think it makes sense to try and keep these to an absolute minimum, especially if the names fit into the 3rd category above.  
Feel free to ask Sarah or Barbara if you're not sure about whether a name is worth creating a NAF record for or not.
</code>

==== Subject Headings ====

**Q:** Is it ok to use unauthorized names as subjects?

**A:** Absolutely.  There will be a lot of names that are the main topic of a letter that don't have an entry in the Name Authority File that we'll want to trace.  When we use them, just make sure to set the @authority attribute to "local".  For example:

<code xml>
<mods:subject>
        <mods:name type="personal" authority="local">
            <mods:namePart type="family">Burghardt</mods:namePart>
            <mods:namePart type="given">Tom</mods:namePart>
        </mods:name>
</mods:subject>
</code>


==== Titles ====

**Q:** Should Du Bois's retained copies of correspondence be described as such or is no special treatment necessary?

**A:** Retained copies should be treated like original letters.  If there is another copy in the collection, indicate that a particular version is a copy in the abstract.
----


**Q:** How is everyone else abstracting the book title for Souls of Black Folk? In our online sample exhibit (http://www.library.umass.edu/spcoll/digital/)one example has the title in quotes, another does not.

**A:** In general, any title should be enclosed in double quotes.  It is also helpful to include a descriptor before the title, e.g. Du Bois's book, "The Souls of Black Folk"; Thomas Fortune's article, "May the Best Man Win"; the novel, "Quest of the Silver Fleece."   

==== Items ====

**Q:** If I combine an item into one that was originally scanned as two separate items, is it ok if the renaming leaves a blank item number? 

**A:** Yes, missing item numbers are fine.  The goal is to create unique IDs for each item, not necessarily to preserve the physical arrangement in the digital versions.  

----

**Q:** Should I create a separate metadata record for enclosures our should they be part of the metadata record for the letter?

**A:** In the majority of cases, enclosures should be described as a separate item with reference in the MODS records connecting the letter to the enclosure.  When the enclosure is really an extension of the letter, for example a letter about a committee with a list of proposed members at the end, one record for the letter is sufficient.  There will likely be a lot of gray area so if you're ensure, find a staff member to discuss the issue with.  

When encoding an enclosure as a separate item, use the <relatedItem> element.  For the item that has the enclosure: 

<code xml>
<mods:relatedItem displayLabel="Enclosure" xlink:href="LEAVE BLANK">
  <mods:titleInfo>
    <mods:title>Shall we have democracy at home through mutual understanding?</mods:title>
  </mods:titleInfo>
  <mods:identifier type="local">mums312-b013-i451</mods:identifier>
</mods:relatedItem>
</code>

For the item that was enclosed:

<code xml>
<mods:relatedItem displayLabel="Enclosed in" xlink:href="LEAVE BLANK">
  <mods:titleInfo>
    <mods:title>Letter from William R. Stewart to W. E. B. Du Bois</mods:title>
  </mods:titleInfo>
  <mods:identifier type="local">mums312-b013-i047</mods:identifier>
</mods:relatedItem>
</code>
----

**Q:** What should I do when I have a letter that includes the response handwritten on the original?

**A:** Create a metadata record for the response (encoding the responder as 'creator') and describe the relationship of the response to the original in the abstract.  

----

**Q:** Is there a way to relate a letter in a foreign language with a translation if one exists?

**A:** A connection between a letter and its translation can be made using the <relatedItem> as you would for an enclosure.  For example, in the foreign language letter:

<code xml>
<mods:relatedItem displayLabel="Translation" xlink:href="LEAVE BLANK">
  <mods:titleInfo>
    <mods:title>Letter from W. E. B. Du Bois to Henri Barbusse</mods:title>
  </mods:titleInfo>
  <mods:identifier type="local">mums312-b016-248</mods:identifier>
</mods:relatedItem>
</code>

and in the translation, pointing back to the original:

<code xml>
<mods:relatedItem displayLabel="Translation of" xlink:href="LEAVE BLANK">
  <mods:titleInfo>
    <mods:title>Letter from W. E. B. Du Bois to Henri Barbusse</mods:title>
  </mods:titleInfo>
  <mods:identifier type="local">mums312-b016-372</mods:identifier>
</mods:relatedItem>
</code>

----
**Q:** If a letter has been transcribed should we scan both the original and the copy.  If so, what should the metadata records look like?

**A:** Scan the original and the copy and mention in the title and/or abstract that the copy is a transcription.
----

**Q:** When a letter is scanned with text going in two directions should I fix it by cutting the image? What is the scanning best practice for this situation? I've fixed three instances of this so far. (most recently mums312-b002-i212 and 213). ASB

**A:** It's ideal to try and reflect the original as much as possible.  For this case, there is no need to cut and rotate, just leave the scan as is.

----

**Q:** How are we handling speeches? (see mums312-b005-i065). ASB

**A:** Speeches should be described using the ephemera template.  The creator is the author of the speech and the title is either taken from the document itself or supplied.
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