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Please note that as of the Nolana release (Q3 2022) the Codex app was retired - these pages may still reference the app and associated modules. |
Codex
Codex is a normalization and virtualization layer that allows Folio to integrate metadata about various resources regardless of format, encoding, or storage location. It is the piece that allows disparate resources to be surfaced using a common vocabulary and description.
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The initial model consists of 5 objects (in orange). It is anticipated that more objects will be added to the model. Some of the future objects are already known (in blue): Work and Subject.
This model is only inspired by BIBFRAME 2, it does not strictly adhere to BIBFRAME2. A key concept is the similar central stack consisting of Work - Instance - Item. Although in this case, which object contains specific properties may differ. This model includes an object not found in BIBFRAME: the Package. The Location and Coverage objects are shown broken out as separate objects. This is to illustrate their reusability for other parts of Folio. They are represented using distinct JSON schema definitions, but in practice they will be found nested within higher level objects such as Item or Package.
Instance
The Instance object represents the generalized abstraction of a resource, Out of necessity this object also takes on some of the properties which BIBFRAME 2 might place in the Work.
The Instance object consists of the following fields.
| Field | Type | Required | Repeatable | Description | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| id | string | Y | The internal id of the Instance record (UUID) | |||||
| title | string | Y | The primary title (or label) associated with the resource | |||||
| altTitle | string | An alternative title for the resource. (e.g. original language version title of a Movie) | ||||||
| series | string | A series title associated with the resource (e.g. Harry Potter) | ||||||
| contributor | string | Y | A set of secondary authors/creators tied to the resource | |||||
| publisher | string | The publisher, or provider, of the resource | ||||||
| date | string | A date associated with the resource (e.g. publication date) | ||||||
| type | string | The resource type. (e.g.: serial; monograph; audio recording; etc..) | ||||||
| format | string | The material type or distribution format of the resource. (e.g.: hardcover; cassette tape; dvd; etc..) | ||||||
| identifier | object | Y | An extensible set of name-value pairs of identifiers associated with the resource | |||||
| type | string | identifier type : e.g. ISSN | ||||||
| value | string | identifier value | ||||||
| source | string | a link back to the source record for this metadata | ||||||
| language | string | Y | the set of languages used by the resource | |||||
| rights | string | Access rights associated with the resource | ||||||
| version | string | This is where the edition can be found in the case of a monograph | ||||||
| lastModified | string | Adminstrative field indicating date at which the resource was added to the Codex. | ||||||
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This objects represents two distinct concepts: (1) an Item in the sense of a specific copy of an Instance; (2) a Holding which describes the relationship of the library or institution to the Item. From a data modeling point of view there is so much overlap in the set of metadata needed to describe them both, that it only makes sense to use a single object to represent both concepts together. The term Item in the rest of this document should be understood to be interchangeable with Item/Holding.
Also note that what is discussed in this document is as a “holding” is slightly different from what is known as a holding in the context of a MARC holdings record (MFHD). In this context, a “holding” represents the possession of (or access to) a resource by the library: what is being held.
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There is however the ability to override these inherited fields at the Item level. On the surface, this feature doesn’t make much sense when one thinks of a Codex Item and Instance representing a resource described in the Inventory domain. However, it does make more sense when one considers Referential Cataloging. If the master bibliographic description is being maintained in a system external to Folio, such as in a knowledgebase, there is an expectation that corrections and updates will be made in the external system. Since there is no direct control as to when those may be made, the override allows for a temporary update to be applied by the local library directly and immediately. When the changes are eventually made in the remote system, the local overrides can be removed and the fields will revert to their inherited values which reference the master bibliographic record.
| Field | Type | Required | Repeatable | Description | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| id | string | Y | The internal id of the Item record (UUID) | ||||
| instanceid | string | Y | Link back to the parent Instance | ||||
| description | string | Free-form description of the resource | |||||
| title | string | Y | Inherited from Instance: see above | ||||
| altTitle | string | Inherited from Instance: see above | |||||
| series | string | Inherited from Instance: see above | |||||
| contributor | string | Y | Inherited from Instance: see above | ||||
| publisher | string | Inherited from Instance: see above | |||||
| date | string | Inherited from Instance: see above | |||||
| type | string | Inherited from Instance: see above | |||||
| format | string | Inherited from Instance: see above | |||||
| identifier | object | Y | Inherited from Instance: see above | ||||
| type | string | Inherited from Instance: see above | |||||
| value | string | Inherited from Instance: see above | |||||
| source | string | Inherited from Instance: see above | |||||
| language | string | Y | Inherited from Instance: see above | ||||
| rights | string | Inherited from Instance: see above | |||||
| copyNumber | number | the "bad old" copy number. Required for backwards compatibilityThe Codex Metadata Model. | |||||
| barcode | string | barcode on the Item | |||||
| vendorPackage | string | name of vendor package associated with item. (Not to be confused with the Codex Package object.) | |||||
| coverage | object | See Coverage object | |||||
| location | object | Y | See Location object. There can be multiple locations associated with an Item: e.g. Permanent and Termporary | ||||
| itemStatus | string | Item state: e.g. on order | |||||
| isSelected | boolean | Holding property. Selection state ("is it held?") of the Item. Mostly relevant for e-resources | |||||
| isCustomized | boolean | Administrative flag to indicate that inherited fields have been overwritten | |||||
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The Package represents a container of either Instances and/or Items. As such it provides the ability to group these together for any number of reasons. A given Instance or Item may be placed in any number of Packages since these are ostensibly independent groupings and there are many possible ways to group resources.
The Codex Package should not be confused with the more familiar package object found in a typical electronic resource knowledgebase. The latter is a bundling mechanism used by vendors for commercial purposes. The former is a much broader notion which can be used to represent all sorts of groupings. Obviously, the commercial package from a vendor will find itself represented in the Codes as a Package object of a particular type. However, it is only one of many possible types of Packages.
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| Field | Type | Required | Repeatable | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| id | string | Y | The internal id of the Package record (UUID) | |||
| identifier | string | An external identifier used to track the Package (e.g. a barcode) | ||||
| name | string | A name (or label) associated with the Package | ||||
| description | string | A free-form description of the Package | ||||
| type | string | The type of package - what sort of collection does it represent. (e.g. DVD box set; boundwidth; archival cardboard box; etc..) | ||||
| vendorid | string | Link to vendor object associated with this resource (could be in another domain) | ||||
| vendor | string | Name of vendor for display purposes | ||||
| platform | string | Platform hosting the e-resource. | ||||
| items | array | Y | Array containing Instance or Item objects | |||
| itemCount | number | Number of items found in the itemsArray | ||||
| selectedCount | number | Number of items in the ItemsArray that are selected ("are held"). Mostly relevant for e-resources | ||||
| coverage | object | Coverage object for the package itself, rather than its contents. See Content object | ||||
| isSelected | boolean | Selection state ("is it held?") of the package itself, rather than its contents. Mostly relevant for e-resources |
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To support the needs of electronic resources the Location object provides a Platform field and a URI field
| Field | Type | Required | Repeatable | Description | |||||
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| id | string | Y | The internal id of the Location record (UUID) | ||||||
| institution | string | Top level administrative organization (e.g. University) | |||||||
| campus | string | Geographic level (e.g. City) | |||||||
| library | string | Building level (e.g. individual libraries) | |||||||
| parking | object | Y | Extensible collection of name value pairs. Can represent common location properties (e.g. cal numbers) or library specific location details (e.g. shelf number or department) | ||||||
| name | Name of the parking value (e.g. LCCallNumber or ShelfLocation) | ||||||||
| value | Value tied to the specific parking name | ||||||||
| platform | string | Delivery platform (for e-resources) | |||||||
| uri | string | URI to access a resource (for e-resources) | |||||||
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The Coverage object also provides support for embargoes and a free-form coverage statement.
| Field | Type | Required | Repeatable | Description | |||||
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| id | string | Y | Y | The internal id of the Coverage record (UUID) | |||||
| range | object | Y | A set of ranges to describe coverage for the resource
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| begin | string | Beginning point in a range | |||||||
| end | string | Ending point in a range | |||||||
| statement | string | A free form text statement to describe coverage for the resource | |||||||
| embargo | object | Y | A set of ranges to describe embargo periods for a resource | ||||||
| begin | string | Beginning of embargo | |||||||
| end | string | End of embargo | |||||||
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