Description:
Attribute dateType classifies by named type the date-related data of the element or other attributes. e.g., availableStart or availableEnd.
XPATH LOCATIONS USED:
- /pbcoreDescriptionDocument/pbcoreAssetDate
- /pbcoreDescriptionDocument/pbcoreInstantiation/instantiationDate
VOCABULARIES:
- PBCore dateType
It seems to me that this attribute should be mandatory in many cases to avoid ambiguity: pbcoreAssetDate is a good example for that. As long as this element describes a date of creation or representation or “other types of dates associated with an asset”, shouldn’t it be specified what the date refers to?
Often, in real world cataloging scenarios, it’s impossible to know the meaning of a date associated with an item — imagine a collection of tapes inside a box with a date written on it. Although you may question the value of even recording that date, we’ve learned that many catalogers believe this data is worth capturing.