Title	Agricultural Metadata Element Set (AGMES). Namespace Documentation for Document-likeInformation Objects
Date Issued	2003-02
Identifier	http://www.fao.org/agris/agmes/Documents/AgMESv1.1.html
Supersedes
Latest version	http://www.fao.org/agris/agmes/Documents/AgMESv1.1.html
Translations
Status of document:	This is an AgMES Recommendation.
Description of document	The Agricultural Metadata Element Set (AgMES), which is an extension to the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative, defines new elements required for describing resources in the domain of agriculture. It was created and is currently maintained by the AGRIS/CARIS Secretariat of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Version	1.1
Rights	http://www.fao.org/copyrigh.htm

Introduction

The AgMES (Agricultural Metadata Element set) initiative aims to encompass issues of semantic standards in the domain of agriculture with respect to description, resource discovery, interoperability and data exchange for different types of information resources. AgMES is aimed to act as an umbrella under which namespaces can be defined for newly declared elements that are deemed necessary and are used for different resources (Document like Information Objects or DLIOs, projects, fishing gear presentations, images, technologies, practices, maps etc.) in all areas relevant to food production, nutrition and rural development.

This document refers to metadata elements suitable for describing information objects such as websites, documents, pictures, databases etc. In the description of such resources, the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) [1] is an example of a format that supports a variety of purposes and business models; not surprisingly, it is an increasingly popular candidate for use in resource description and primary resource discovery. However, in the context of agricultural resources, the elements and qualifiers supported by DCMI do not suffice. In light of these additional requirements, new elements, refinements and schemes have been created.

This document is designed to give details of newly defined elements, qualifiers, schemes, and controlled lists required to describe DLIOs in agricultural resources.

There are many more controlled vocabularies or classification schemes in the domain of agriculture that are not yet identified in this document but will be added as they are approved. Here are some standards homepages for easy reference.

Agricultural Metadata Element Set http://www.fao.org/agris/agmes
Dublin Core Metadata Element Set http://www.dublincore.org/
Australian Government Locator Service http://www.naa.gov.au/recordkeeping/gov_online/agls/summary.html

The Elements

Element Name: titleSupplement

	Name:	titleSupplement
	Label:	Title Supplement
	Definition:	Secondary information related to the title.
	Comment:	Title Supplement should be used sparingly and only in conjunction with Title element. It should be used to enter: a) elements on the title page that do not properly belong to the title and subtitle but that are appended to it; and b) elements taken from elsewhere than the title page that constitute useful additional information to the title. Supplementary title information includes such phrases as: Presented at a meeting of... Proceedings of a conference held... Based on the work of...
	Element Refined:	DC.Title
	Scheme:	free-text

Element Name: creatorCorporate

	Name:	creatorCorporate
	Label:	Corporate Creator
	Definition:	Organization or a group of people identified by a name responsible for creating or making contributions to the intellectual content of the resource.
	Comment:	It is preferred that the value for Corporate Creator is taken from an authority file. If a file is used, in XML one can indicate this by using the attribute “scheme” and in RDF by using “rdf:isdefinedby”.
	Element Refined:	DC.Creator
	Scheme:	free-text or value from an authority file

Element Name: creatorPersonal

	Name:	creatorPersonal
	Label:	Personal Creator
	Definition:	Person responsible for creating or making contributions to the intellectual content of the resource.
	Comment:	It is preferred that the value for Corporate Creator is taken from an authority file. If a file was indeed used, in XML one can indicate this by using the attribute “scheme” and in RDF by using “rdf:isdefinedby”.
	Element Refined:	DC.Creator
	Scheme:	free-text or value from an authority file

Element Name:creatorConference

	Name:	creatorConference
	Label:	Conference as Creator
	Definition:	Conferences are named meetings of individuals or representatives of various bodies for the purpose of discussing and acting on topics of common interest, or meetings of representatives of a corporate body that constitute its legislative or governing body.
	Comment:	Conferences almost always have a place and date attached to them, and often a number. If a file was indeed used, in XML one can indicate this by using the attribute “scheme” and in RDF by using “rdf:isdefinedby”.
	Element Refined:	DC.Creator
	Scheme:	free-text or value from an authority file

Element Name:publisherName

	Name:	publisherName
	Label:	Name of the Publisher
	Definition:	A publisher is the individual, group, or organization named in the document as being responsible for that document’s publication, distribution, issuing, or release.
	Comment:	This element provides the name of the individual, group, or organization which controls or publishes the item. It allows for identification of a resource.
	Element Refined:	DC.Publisher
	Scheme:	free-text or value from an authority file

Element Name: publisherPlace

	Name:	publisherPlace
	Label:
	Definition:	The place of publication of an item is the city, town, or other locality associated with the name of the publisher entered in the Publisher Name field.
	Comment:	Normally, the place of publication should be accompanied by the country name. The names may come from a recognized scheme such as AGROVOC ,TGN , or ISO3166 . If a scheme is used, in XML one can indicate this by using the attribute “scheme” and in RDF by using “rdf:isdefinedby”.
	Element Refined:	DC.Publisher
	Scheme:	free-text

Element Name:subjectClassification

	Name:	subjectClassification
	Label:	Subject Classification
	Definition:	The systematic arranging into classes (classifying), according to common characteristics or affinities, things, topics, themes or notions which are the subject of any branch of science or of a methodical inquiry.
	Comment:	Below are some possible schemes that may be used for expressing the values of subject Classification. If you wish to use one that has not been listed here, simply indicate the correct reference URI, in XML one can indicate this using the attribute “scheme” and in RDF by using “rdf:isdefinedby”.
	Element Refined:	DC.Subject
	Scheme:	(AGS) ASC AGRIS Subject Categories are subject categories for indexing of agricultural resources developed and maintained by FAO. (AGS) CABC CABI Codes are the main subject headings derived from the classification schemes used in the AGRICOLA and AGRIS databases, to group resources in to a specific subject maintained by CAB International. (DC) DDC Dewey Decimal Classification (DC) LCC Library of Congress Classification (DC) UDC Universal Decimal Classification

Element Name: subjectThesaurus

	Name:	subjectThesaurus
	Label:	Subject Thesaurus
	Definition:	A classified list of terms or keywords, in a particular field, for use in indexing and information retrieval.
	Comment:	Below are some possible schemes that may be used for expressing the values of subject Classification. If you wish to use one that has not been listed here, simply indicate the correct reference URI, in XML one can indicate this using the attribute “scheme” and in RDF by using “rdf:isdefinedby”.
	Element Refined:	DC.Subject
	Scheme:	Here are some possible Schemes. (AGS) AGROVOC Multilingual agricultural thesaurus produced by FAO, and used for indexing and cataloguing. (AGS) CABT A controlled vocabulary of terms, especially key words, in agricultural sciences for use in indexing and information retrieval created and produced by CAB International. (AGS) ASFAT A controlled vocabulary of terms, especially key words, in fisheries for use in indexing and information retrieval created by ASFA (Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts). (AGS) NALT A controlled vocabulary of terms, especially key words, in agricultural sciences for use in indexing and information retrieval created by National Agricultural Library (NAL) of United States. (DC) MeSH Medical Subject Headings (DC) LCSH Library of Congress Subject Headings

Element Name: descriptionNotes

	Name:	descriptionNotes
	Label:	Notes
	Definition:	Brief statement, annotation, comment, or/and elucidation concerning any aspect of the resource.
	Comment:	Typically, this would contain information such as illustrations, tables, references and any other information that is important for describing the resource.
	Element Refined:	DC.Description
	Scheme:	free-text

Element Name:descriptionEdition

	Name:	descriptionEdition
	Label:	Edition statement
	Definition:	The formally designated version of the resource.
	Comment:	An edition is known by a word or phrase appearing in the item that normally indicates a difference in either content or form, and it denotes the existence of other versions of the work.
	Element Refined:	DC.Description
	Scheme:	free-text

Element Name: relationIsTranslationOf

	Name:	relationIsTranslationOf
	Label:	is Translation of
	Definition:	The described resource is a translation of the referenced resource.
	Comment:	It is useful to link the two resources using a stable Identifier such as URI, URL, ISSN, ISBN, Report Number, Job Number etc. If a scheme is used, in XML one can indicate this using the attribute “scheme” and in RDF by using “rdf:isdefinedby”.
	Element Refined:	DC.Relation
	Scheme:	free-text or a link to the resource using a stable Identifier such as URI, URL, ISSN, ISBN, Report Number, Job Number etc.

Element Name: relationHasTranslation

	Name:	relationHasTranslation
	Label:	has Translation
	Definition:	The described resource has a translation, namely, the referenced resource.
	Comment:	It is useful to link the two resources using a stable Identifier such as URI, URL, ISSN, ISBN, Report Number, Job Number etc. If a scheme is used, in XML one can indicate this using the attribute “scheme” and in RDF by using “rdf:isdefinedby”.
	Element Refined:	DC.Relation
	Scheme:	free-text or a link to the resource using a stable Identifier such as URI, URL, ISSN, ISBN, Report Number, Job Number etc.

Element Name: rightsStatement

	Name:	rightsStatement
	Label:	Rights Statement
	Definition:	Written assertion of ownership rights relating to resource.
	Comment:	Contains management statement for the resource or references a service providing such information. Also encompasses Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). If the Rights element is absent, no assumptions can be made about the status of these and other rights with respect to the resource.
	Element Refined:	DC.Rights
	Scheme:	free-text or a link to the rights statement (URI).

Element Name: rightsTermsOfUse

	Name:	rightsTermsOfUse
	Label:	Rights Terms of Use
	Definition:	Extent and manner of use permitted to, and restrictions covering use of resource by the public.
	Comment:	If the Rights element is absent, no assumptions can be made about the status of these and other rights with respect to the resource.
	Element Refined:	DC.Rights
	Scheme:	free-text or a link to the rights statement (URI).

Element Name:availabilityNumber

	Name:	availabilityNumber
	Label:	Availability Number
	Definition:	An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context.
	Comment:	Recommended best practice is to identify the resource by means of a string or number conforming to a formal identification system.
	Element Refined:	AGLS.Availability
	Scheme:	free-text; Here are some possible encoding schemes for local numbers. AN Accession Number is a unique number assigned to each record in a database or at an organization. Accession number should always be accompanied by the holding place information. > MN Microfiche Number is a unique number identifying a microfiche, i.e. document photographed in reduced size for viewing on projector. > CN Call Number

Element Name: availabilityLocation

	Name:	availabilityLocation
	Label:	Availability Location
	Definition:	An unambiguous reference to the location of the resource.
	Comment:	Recommended best practice is to identify location with a stable address.
	Element Refined:	AGLS.Availability
	Scheme:	free-text

Element Name: citation

	Name:	citation
	Label:	Citation
	Definition:	Citation information of a journal.
	Comment:
	Element Refined:	-
	Scheme:	free-text

Element Name: citationTitle

	Name:	citationTitle
	Label:	Title of the Serial
	Definition:	The serial title, also known as the key-title, is a name ascribed to a serial publication and is inseparably associated with its ISSN.
	Comment:	The purpose of serial title is to ensure that users can find all issues of a serial under one form of the serial title. If the title is taken from an authority file, in XML one can indicate this by using the attribute “scheme” and in RDF by using “rdf:isdefinedby”.
	Element Refined:	AGS.Citation
	Scheme:	free-text

Element Name: citationIdentifier

	Name:	citationIdentifier
	Label:	Identifier of the Serial
	Definition:	A global standard identifier of a journal. This would usually be an ISSN, but may follow some other standards such as CODEN.
	Comment:	This is a unique identifier of the serial.
	Element Refined:	AGS.Citation
	Scheme:	free-text or a link to the resource using a stable Identifier such as ISSN

Element Name: citationNumber

	Name:	citationNumber
	Label:	Number of the issue
	Definition:	The issue, part or number which denotes a particular issue of a journal, as it appears on the cover. In many cases this indicates a part of a journal volume.
	Comment:	Issue numbers are denoted differently in different journals, eg. `part'. Some journals are arranged by year, eg. 12/1999, in which case the year is effectively the volume.
	Element Refined:	AGS.Citation
	Scheme:	free-text

Element Name: citationChronology

	Name:	citationChronology
	Label:	Chronological designation of the issue
	Definition:	Chronology is the formal date of a particular issue of a journal, as it appears on the cover in conjunction with the serial title.
	Comment:	This date provides additional details about the resource. This may be different from the actual date of publication of the issue, which should be encoded in dc:date/dcterms:issued.
	Element Refined:	AGS.Citation
	Scheme:	free-text