1. MARC
Machine Readable Cataloging
& MARC family
Reference: Rebecca Guenther (2004) New and traditional descriptive
formats in the library environment
2. Timeline comparing creation of MARC to major developments in software, networking, and
data representation between 1960 and 1980
Jason Thomale. 2010. Interpreting MARC: Where’s the Bibliographic Data? Code {4} Lib Journal. Issue 11, 2010-09-21
http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/3832
3. 3
1. MARC21 Bibliographic Format
MARC - 1960s --> USMARC, CANMARC, UKMARC, etc.
UNIMARC - 1977
MARC21 – 1997, Harmonization of USMARC and CAN/MARC
Translations in several languages
MARC21 Concise Format for Bibliographic Data is available at:
http://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/ecbdhome.html
MARC21 Formats are available at:
http://www.loc.gov/marc/
Good introduction to the use of MARC: Understanding MARC
Bibliographic, http://www.loc.gov/marc/umb/
4. 4
MARC 21
Parts of a MARC record
Leader: identifies the beginning of a new record, type of
record
Directory: think of it as the index to the record. Identifies the
position and length of each field
Control Fields: coded information about the resource
described, standard/control numbers, dates, language, etc.
Some are called fixed fields due to their fixed length
Variable fields: more detailed description of the recourse,
fields have variable length
5. 5
MARC 21
Content designators
Types of codes used to indicate content of a record:
tags: 3-digit numbers (001-999) to encode fields
e.g. 100 = personal name main entry
indicators: 2 possible positions for each field,
special information about that field
e.g. 100 1_ = surname as the entry element
subfield codes: combination of a delimiter and a
lower case letter or number, to encode subfields
e.g. 100 1_ |a = name
6. 6
MARC21
groups of fields (by hundreds)
Bibliographic format
0XX Control information, numbers, codes
1XX Main entry
2XX Titles, edition, imprint/publication
3XX Physical description, etc.
4XX Series statements (as shown in the book)
5XX Notes
6XX Subject added entries
7XX Added entries other than subject or series
8XX Series added entries (other authoritative forms)
7. 7
Parallels in MARC formats
X00 Personal names
X10 Corporate names
X11 Meeting names
X30 Uniform titles
X40 Bibliographic titles
X50 Topical terms
X51 Geographic names
1XX Main entry
4XX Series statement
6XX Subject heading
7XX Added entry
8XX Series added entries
Exercise: If Steve Jobs is the subject of a book, what field number
should you use to indicate that "Jobs, Steve, -- 1955-2011" is the
'subject' of the book?
Exercise: If "Apple Computer, Inc." is the subject of a book, what
field number should you use to indicate that?
8. 8
2. MARC Family
2.1 MARC XML
2.2 MODS, Metadata Object Description
Schema
2.3 MADS, Metadata Authority
Description Schema
9. 9
New needs
Need to take advantage of XML
Establish standard MARC 21 in an XML
structure
Need simpler (but compatible) alternatives
Development of MODS
Need interoperability with different schemas
Assemble coordinated set of tools
Need continuity with current data
Provide flexible transition options
12. 12
MARC 21 in XML – MARCXML
MARCXML record
XML exact equivalent of MARC (2709)
record
Lossless/roundtrip conversion to/from
MARC 21 record
Simple flexible XML schema, no need to
change when MARC 21 changes
Presentations using XML stylesheets
LC provides converters (open source)
Adopted by OAI to replace oai_marc
http://www.loc.gov/standards/marcxml
13. 13
Uses of MARCXML and related tools
Standardize MARC 21 across community for
XML communication and manipulation
Open MARC 21 to XML programming tools and
presentation style sheets
Standardize MARC 21 for OAI harvesting
Standardize transformations to and from other
standard formats (DC, ONIX, …)
Basis for evolution while maintaining
standardization
14. 14
MARC 21 (2709) record
(machine view)
00967cam 2200277 a 4500
001000800000005001700008008004100025020005300229040
001800282050002400312082002100336100003000357245007
400387260004400461300003500505440001200540500002000
552650004200572651002500614
347139419990429094819.1931129s1994 wauab 001 0
eng a 93047676 a0898863872 (acid-free, recycled paper)
:c$14.95 aDLCcDLCcDLC 00aGV1046.G3bG47
199400a796.6/4/09432201 aSlavinski, Nadine,d1968-
10aGermany by bike :b20 tours geared for discovery
/cNadine Slavinski. aSeattle, Wash. :bMountaineers,cc1994.
a238 p. :bill., maps ;c22 cm. 0aBy bike aIncludes index.
0aBicycle touringzGermanyxGuidebooks.
Exercise: Can you explain how a machine can tell where is 100 field
which carries the title and responsible body information?
16. 16
MARCXML record (continued)
<datafield tag="245" ind1="1" ind2="0">
<subfield code="a">Germany by bike :</subfield>
<subfield code="b">20 tours geared for discovery /</subfield>
<subfield code="c">Nadine Slavinski.</subfield>
</datafield>
<datafield tag="260" ind1=" " ind2=" ">
<subfield code="a">Seattle, Wash. :</subfield>
<subfield code="b">Mountaineers,</subfield>
<subfield code="c">c1994.</subfield>
</datafield>
<datafield tag="300" ind1=" " ind2=" ">
<subfield code="a">238 p. :</subfield>
<subfield code="b">ill., maps ;</subfield>
<subfield code="c">22 cm.</subfield>
</datafield>
<datafield tag="440" ind1=" " ind2="0">
<subfield code="a">By bike</subfield>
</datafield>
<datafield tag="500" ind1=" " ind2=" ">
<subfield code="a">Includes index.</subfield>
</datafield>
<datafield tag="650" ind1=" " ind2="0">
<subfield code="a">Bicycle touring</subfield>
<subfield code="z">Germany</subfield>
<subfield code="x">Guidebooks.</subfield>
</datafield>
</record>
What does this
set tell you?
What does this
set tell you?
17. 17
MARCXML to DC
<rdf:Description xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-
syntax-ns#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
<dc:title>Germany by bike : 20 tours geared for
discovery </dc:title>
<dc:creator>Slavinski, Nadine, 1968-</dc:creator>
<dc:type>text</dc:type>
<dc:publisher>Seattle, Wash. : Mountaineers,
</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>c1994.</dc:date>
<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
<dc:subject>Bicycle touring</dc:subject>
</rdf:Description>
18. 18
2.2 MODS
Metadata Object Description Schema
Bibliographic element set
Initiative of the Network Development and MARC
Standards Office, Library of Congress
Uses XML Schema
Specifically for library applications, although could
be used more widely
A derivative (and subset) of MARC elements
19. 19
Why MODS?
XML based, web friendly, transportable,
processible, configurable, sufficiently descriptive
without being too complex, extensible
Benefits over MARC: MARC isn’t XML based and
can’t easily be output from web forms. Requires
special “cataloging” knowledge and systems to
implement
Investigating XML as a new more flexible syntax
for MARC element set
20. 20
Why MODS? (cont.)
Need for rich hierarchical descriptive metadata in
XML but simpler than full MARC, especially for
complex digital library objects
Benefits over Dublin Core: DC doesn’t have
sufficient specificity. DC doesn’t specify a syntax
and is inconsistently applied. DC isn’t extensible
Need compatibility with existing library
descriptions
21. 21
Features of MODS
Uses language-based tags
Elements generally inherit semantics of MARC
MODS does not assume the use of any specific
cataloging code
Reuse element descriptions throughout schema
Not intended to be round-trippable
Not intended to be a MARC replacement
25. 25
•MODS descriptions for each web site (but not each capture)
•Transformation from XML to HTML display
•Links to web archive
http://lcweb4.loc.gov/
27. 27
Differences between MODS and
Dublin Core
MODS has structure
Names
Related item
Subject
MODS is more MARC-like so more
compatibility with existing descriptions
Semantics
Conversions
Relationships between elements
MODS includes record management
information
28. 28
Choosing MODS for descriptive
metadata
MODS is particularly useful for
compatibility with existing bibliographic
data
embedded descriptions in related item
Rich, hierarchical descriptions that work
well with METS structural map
“out of the box” schema; can use
<extension> for local elements and to
bring in external elements from other
schemas
29. 29
3 Transformation tools
MARC toolkit
Converter from MARC 21 to MARCXML
Transformations between metadata
formats
MODS
Dublin Core
ONIX
http://www.loc.gov/marcxml
30. More development
Changes from version 3.4
http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods/mods.
xsd
MADS ontology developed
http://www.loc.gov/standards/mads/
(Metadata Authority Description Schema)
MODS User Guidelines (Version 3)
[updated 04/06/2010]
Bibliographic Framework Initiative
http://bibframe.org/
http://www.loc.gov/bibframe/
30
