The MODS/MADS Editorial Committee and the Library of Congress are pleased to announce a new version of the Metadata Authority and Description Schema, MADS version 2.0. This is the first major revision of MADS since its initial release in 2005.

Major changes in MADS 2.0 are:

• Elimination of dependence on the MODS schema
• Updated elements that are the same in MODS to reflect version 3 (e.g. added additional subelements under hierarchicalGeographic, added descriptionStandard under recordInfo
• Addition of authority URI and value URI for controlled lists
• Addition of <classification> and <language> elements
• Addition of an otherType attribute on <related> for relationship types not enumerated in the schema
• Ability to specify if a subject heading can be subdivided geographically

A complete list of changes in MADS 2.0 may be found here.

MADS user guidelines are under development and will be made available soon.

Please direct any comments or questions on the MADS 2.0 Schema, or MODS/MADS developments in general, to the MODS Listserv.