Relation

Definition

Information about another resource that is related to the current resource.

Where Can the Relation Information be Found?

  • Relation information provides a reference to a related resource which may be found on:

    • a title page

    • accompanying or supplementary information

How Relation Works in the Metadata Form

Screenshot of relation element in metadata editing system.
Parts:

  1. Relation type – drop-down menu

  2. Relation – text field

Repeatable?

Yes - to include multiple relationships, click ‘Add’ to repeat all field parts

Required?

No (more information)

How Should the Relation be Filled in?

  • Enter information about known relationships in the records for both items

  • It is not necessary to do research to find related resources

  • If the relationship is unclear, uncertain, or otherwise questionable, the information may be entered into a note instead

Guideline

Examples

  • Include the title of the related item

Experiment Station Record Volume 61

  • Optionally, include a unique identifier or additional information if it is important to identify the item

    • If one item has multiple identifiers, both can be included together

81-01796a-20_02 and 81-01796b-20_02

  • Include the permalink (ARK) from the related item

  • Since ARKs are assigned at the time of upload, they cannot be added until after items are online

  • When an ARK is added to the relation field, the system will automatically create a link to that item

ark:/67531/metapth38109

  • Choose the appropriate relation qualifier from the controlled vocabulary

  • Generally both halves of the reciprocal relation should be represented so that each record references the other

    • In some cases, if there are a large number of related items on one side (usually has part/is part of), the child items should all reference the parent, but the reciprocal may be eliminated

    • The direction of the relationship should reflect which of the items was created first or is a more original version

    • If you cannot determine which is the more original/first created item, default to the one uploaded first (first ARK, sequentially)

  • If more than one qualifier applies (e.g., transcription and translation), choose one and explain as needed in a display note

  • If none of the qualifiers applies to the items, the qualifier can be left blank, but consider whether the information might be more appropriate in another field such as:

Relationship

Description

Examples

Is based on / Is basis for

To show that an item has an intellectual relation to another

Is based on

Is basis for

A creative adaptation or modernization

An original, creative work

An executive summary

A separately-published report or document

A linguistic analysis

An original text or transcript

Is format of / Has format

To show that the item has the same content in a different format

Is format of

Has format

A photographic print

An original negative

A print manuscript

A born-digital text file

Is part of / Has part

  • To show that the item is part of a larger resource

  • To show that the item is a duplication of partial content from another resource

Is part of

Has part

A chapter from a book or report

The complete volume

An individual map

A book or atlas containing the same map

Is version of / Has version

To show that an item has multiple identical or near-identical copies in the same format

Is version of

Has version

An annotated legal document

A plain copy of the same document

Identical copies of a postcard, perhaps with different notes

Multiple prints of the same photo image with different cropping/enlargement

References / Is referenced by

  • To show that an item is intellectually interrelated

  • To show that an item is cited or sourced in the content of another resource

References

Is referenced by

A letter

Separated, cited enclosures

A news script

An accompanying video clip

A report

Separately-published appendices, figures, or indexes

A research publication

A separate dataset analyzed in the document

Replaces / Is replaced by

To show that a later version overrides an earlier one

Replaces

Is replaced by

A revised policy

An older version of the same policy

Any updated document

A previous version/edition

Requires / Is required by

To show that an item needs another component

Has transcription / Is transcription of

To show that a handwritten item has a transcript

Has transcription

Is transcription of

Any handwritten document, e.g., letter, ledger, organizational minutes, etc.

A typed version of the same content

A printed document written in calligraphy or fancy script, such as German Fraktur

A plain-text or simple type version

Has translation / Is translation of

To show that an item has versions in different languages

Has translation

Is translation of

Any item written in any language (e.g., pamphlet, letter, book, etc.)

The same document or content published or made available in another language

Conforms to

To show that an item is compliant with a set of standards

  • This relationship is not currently used; see the Comments section below

Other Examples:

Detailed volumes with a separate summary

The summary report:
Is based on: Texas House Legislative Budget Estimates: 2016-2017 Biennium, Articles 1-3, ark:/67531/metapth641220
Is based on: Texas House Legislative Budget Estimates: 2016-2017 Biennium, Articles 4-10, ark:/67531/metapth640727

Each complete report:

Is basis for: Summary of Texas House Legislative Budget Board Estimates: 2016-17 Biennium, ark:/67531/metapth839391

Map with copies in multiple formats

Map of North Park Addition to Abilene, Texas [#1]:
Has format: Map of North Park Addition to Abilene, Texas [#2], OKHPB_0470, ark:/67531/metapth77939
Has format: Map of North Park Addition to Abilene, Texas [#3], OKHPB_0491, ark:/67531/metapth77960

Map of North Park Addition to Abilene, Texas [#2]:
Is format of: Map of North Park Addition to Abilene, Texas [#1], OKHPB_0468, ark:/67531/metapth77936
Is format of: Map of North Park Addition to Abilene, Texas [#3], OKHPB_0491, ark:/67531/metapth77960

Map of North Park Addition to Abilene, Texas [#3]:
Is format of: Map of North Park Addition to Abilene, Texas [#1], OKHPB_0468, ark:/67531/metapth77936
Is format of: Map of North Park Addition to Abilene, Texas [#2], OKHPB_0470, ark:/67531/metapth77939

Application materials with photos duplicated as separate items

For complete application document:
Has part: [Alexander Lowe House Photograph #1], ark:/67531/metapth495135
Has part: [Alexander Lowe House Photograph #2], ark:/67531/metapth495293

For each individual photo:

Is part of: [Historic Marker Application: Alexander Lowe House], ark:/67531/metapth477613

City ordinances repeated in multiple volumes

For ordinances 1-20:

Has version: [City of Clarendon Ledger: Ordinances 1-103], ark:/67531/metapth38109

For ordinances 1-103:

Is version of: [City of Clarendon Ledger: Ordinances 1-20], ark:/67531/metapth38130

A series of volumes with a cumulative index

For the general index:
References: Experiment Station Record Volume 61, ark:/67531/metadc5095
(repeated with information for each volume)

For each volume:

Is referenced by: Experiment Station Record General Index to Volumes 61-70, ark:/67531/metadc5055

A handwritten letter with a typed transcription

Original letter:

Has transcription: [Transcript of letter from Josephus Moore to Charles Moore, February 16, 1865], CBM_2079-019-004, ark:/67531/metapth203126

Transcription:

Is transcription of: [Letter from Josephus Moore to Charles Moore, February 16, 1865], CBM_2079-019-004, ark:/67531/metapth203348

A Texas document published in both English and Spanish

For the English version:

Has translation: Boletín de Noticias, Primavera 2013, ark:/67531/metapth640173

For the Spanish version:

Is translation of: Texas Talking Book News, Spring 2013, ark:/67531/metapth653584

Comments

  • To make observations about related subject matter in the intellectual content of another resource (for example, photographs of the same storm-damaged building taken from different viewpoints), use the Note element.

  • Items may also have other content-based connections that are not represented best by a formal “Relation.” For example, materials may have topical, geographic, or temporal relationships represented in the Date, Coverage, Subject, or other appropriate fields.

  • Relationships are drawn primarily from Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) standards (a full list of fields and controlled vocabulary terms can be accessed here.

    • The relationships for transcription and translation are locally added

    • We include “Conforms To” within our controlled vocabulary as a DCMI relationship, but it is not currently used within the system.

  • Local practice is to use the Relation field specifically for reciprocal references between items in the Digital Collections, rather than describing relationships between an item in the Digital Collections and an external resource.

  • Although only the ARK is technically required to establish a relationship, it is highly encouraged to include a title or other identifying information for clarity and to increase metadata shareability (e.g., for harvesting)

Resources

More Guidelines: