TechEssence.info

Executive Summary

XML is the most important technology for libraries since the Internet. It provides a means to create a structured syntax for encoding information. XML-encoded information can be processed by software, similar to the way a MARC record can be processed by software. It is increasingly a part of nearly every software application that libraries buy -- from desktop applications to enterprise-class server systems.

What It Is

XML is a general-purpose encoding standard for creating application- or domain-specific markup languages created by the W3C.

Domain specific markup languages are defined by a schema that specifies tags, attributes, and values for a specific purpose. A schema is a set of rules that defines what ttags can be used, in which contexts they can be used, perhaps what values they can specify, and what attributes they can be assigned.

What Can Be Done With It

The possible applications are virtually endless. Some that are specific to libraries include:

• Bibliographic Metadata - MARC can be expressed in XML or translated into another format such as MODS
• Publishing - The eScholarship Editions web site demonstrates how the California Digital Library is using XML to publish UC Press books online.

Also, most software systems (including integrated library systems) increasingly offer an XML encoding for importing or exporting data, communicating with other applications, and various other tasks.

Who Should Be Using It

• Large Libraries: Should be using XML extensively, with staff able to write sophisticated XSLT transformations.
• Medium Libraries: Should be able to use XML-encoded data, with staff able to write or modify XSLT transformations.
• Small Libraries: Should know what it is and how it is being used in systems upon which they depend.

More Information

The following resources have been selected as specifically helpful for going the next step in learning about XML and its use in libraries.

• Getting Started with XML — A workshop by Eric Lease Morgan
• Fun with XML — by Eric Lease Morgan
• XML in Libraries — a book edited by Roy Tennant that describes thirteen specific uses of XML in libraries.