Introduction to MARC21

1. Topic
Muhammad Rafique
Khaskheli (MRK)

2. Machine-Readable Cataloging (MARC)
An international standard digital format for the description of bibliographic items
developed by the Library of Congress during the 1960s to facilitate the creation and
dissemination of computerized cataloging from library to library within the same
country and between countries. By 1971, the MARC format had become the
national standard for dissemination of bibliographic data and by 1973, an
international standard.
There are several versions of MARC in use in the world, the most predominant
being MARC 21, created in 1999 as a result of the harmonization of U.S. and
Canadian MARC formats, and UNIMARC, widely used in Europe. The MARC 21
family of standards now includes formats for authority records, holdings
records, classification schedules, and community information, in addition to formats
for the bibliographic record.
Widespread use of the MARC standard has helped libraries acquire predictable and
reliable cataloging data, make use of commercially available library
automation systems, share bibliographic resources, avoid duplication of effort, and
ensure that bibliographic data will be compatible when one automation system is
replaced by another.

3. 1) Record structure - an implementation of national and international standards, such as the Information
Interchange Format ANSI Z39.2 and Format for Information Exchange ISO 2709
2) Content designation - codes and conventions that explicitly identify and characterize the data elements
within a record to facilitate the manipulation of data, defined in the MARC 21 Format for
Bibliographic Data and other MARC 21 formats maintained by the Library of Congress
3) Data Content - defined by external standards such as AACR2, Library of Congress Subject Headings
(LCSH), etc.
The MARC record is divided into fields, each containing one or more related elements of bibliographic
description. A field is identified by a three-digit tag designating the nature of its content. Tags are
organized as follows in hundreds, indicating a group of tags, with XX in the range of 00-99:
0XX fields - Control information, numbers, codes
1XX fields - Main entry
2XX fields - Titles, edition, imprint
3XX fields - Physical description, etc.
4XX fields - Series statements (as shown in item)
5XX fields - Notes
6XX fields - Subject added entries
7XX fields - Added entries other than subject or series
8XX fields - Series added entries (other authoritative forms)
9XX fields – Locally Defined
The MARC record has three components:

4. Main Purpose of MARC
The purpose of MARC is to provide a standard
format for the Global Exchange of
Bibliographic Information available in Machine
Readable Format in the libraries worldwide

6. HISTORY
• Libraries had shared cataloguing information before the
arrival of computers.
• Computer scientist Henritte Avram who worked in library of
congress created MARC in 1966.
• Originally the library of congress program was called LC
MARC.
• 1969 British library, UK started with UKMARC.
• 1980s – MARCII becomes USMARC
• 1968 to 98 – over 50 MARC formats developed.
• MARC21 is not a new format. It is a continuation of both
USMARC and CANMARC. It was published in 1999 under a
new name MARC21.

7. Koha MARC21 Structure
• =LDR 008630000a00002890004500
• =001 18160607
• =003 MUETLibrary&OnlineInformationCenter
• =005 20140716093415.0
• =008 140522t20132013pk0010urd
• =010 $a 2013420233
• =020 $a9789693530339 (hbk.)
• =050 $aPK1976$b.A95
• =082 $a954.91$bNAD
• =100 $aNadiem, Ihsan H.
• =245 $aA brief history of Pakistan :$bfrom the earliest times /$cIhsan H. Nadeem.
• =260 $aLahore :$bSang-e-Meel Publications,$cc2017.
• =300 $a309 p. ;$c25 cm.
• =504 $aIncludes bibliography.
• =650 $aPakistan Studies.
• =650 $aPakistan History.
• =852 $aMUET Library & Online Information Center$bWRM01
• =910 $a94779
• =938 $aGLO/K$p900.00$p900.00
• =942 $CBK
• =952 $p94779$o954.91 NAD$YBK
• =999 $c187$d187

8. Reference
• https://products.abc-
clio.com/ODLIS/odlis_m.aspx#machinecat
• https://www.loc.gov/marc/