Marc 21

04/11/16 susheel , DRTC 2016-18 1
Topic – MARC
Presented by – Susheel Chourasiya
Documentation Research and Training Centre
Indian Statistical Institute Bengalore centre
560059

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Contents
● Introduction
● Terminology
● Component of bibliographic records
● Variable fields
● Design principle for MARC21
● Most frequently used tags
● references
●

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Introduction
●
MARC stands for Machine Readable Cataloging.
●
It is a standard for the description of the digital format of any
item.
●
This is a computerized method of recording the information
for cataloging purpose.
●
These computer readable cataloging records will help the
computer programs to search for and display specified pieces
of the information stored in a cataloging record.

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History
●
Libraries had shared cataloging before MARC was developed.
●
Computer scientist Henriette Avram who worked in Libray of Congress
created it in 1960s so that records can be shared among libraries.
●
It defines a data format that emerged from a Library of Congressled
initiative that began nearly forty years ago.
●
Originally the Library of Congress program was called LC MARC
●
Became USMARC in 1980s.
●
MARC 21 was born when the USMARC,CANMARC and UNIMARC
harmonized in the year 1997.

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Terminology
●
A MARC record is composed of three elements: the record
structure, the content designation, and the data content of the
record.
●
The record structure is an implementation of the international
standard Format for Information Exchange (ISO 2709) and its
American counterpart, Bibliographic Information Interchange
(ANSI/NISO Z39.2).
●
The content designationthe codes and conventions established
explicitly to identify and further characterize the data elements
within a record.

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Cont..
● The content of the data elements that comprise a MARC record is
usually defined by standards outside the formats. Examples are the
International Standard Bibliographic Description (ISBD), Anglo-
American Cataloguing Rules, Library of Congress Subject Headings
(LCSH), or other cataloging rules etc

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Cont..
●
Field: This is the term used to describe the various sections of cataloging
information.
●
For example, Title Statement, contains the information found in the title and
statement of responsibility area of the AACR2 rules.
●
Tag: This is the threedigit number assigned to each field in the MARC record.
●
The tag indicates specific information about the field.For example, a topical
subject heading has a different tag than a geographic subject heading.
●
Indicators: There are two spaces that follow each field in a MARC record.
These spaces are for the Indicators.

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MARC 21 Formats
• MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data
●
MARC 21 Format for Authority Data
●
MARC 21 Format for Holdings Data
●
MARC 21 Format for Classification Data
●
MARC 21 Format for Community Information
9

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Component of bibliographic record
● Leader - Data elements that primarily provide information for the
processing of the record. The data elements contain numbers or coded
values and are identified by relative character position. The Leader is
fixed in length at 24 character positions and is the first field of a
MARC record.
String: 00802cam__2200241_a_4500
Position: 012..........................24
The meaning of any one-lettered code depends on its relative position
in the string.
'a' position 6 → record is for a book or printed serial
'a' position 18 →AACR2 (current cataloging rule followed)

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MARC record with Leader highlighted
00802cam##2200241#a#4500001001300000003000400013
005001700017008004100034020001800075040001800093
043001200111050002600123082001500149100001800164
245004200182260003500224300002100259650002400280
650002600304650003300330856010600363856009100469
@##2006040204@DLC@20060918142242.0@060210s2006##
##nyu###########000#1#eng##@##$a9780385336642@##
$aDLC$cDLC$dDLC@##$as-pe--00$aPS3601.R345$bC46#2
006#00$a813/.6#222#1@$aArana,#Marie.@10$aCelloph
ane#:$ba#novel#/$cMarie#Arana.@##$aNew#York#:$bD
ial#Press,$c2006.@##$a367#p.#;$c25#cm.@#0$aEngin
eers$vFiction.@#0$aPapermakers$vFiction.@#0$aRai
n#forests$zPeru$vFiction.@42$3Publisher#descript
ion$uhttp://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy06
33/2006040204-d.html@%

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cont
● Directory - A series of entries that contain the tag, length, and starting
location of each variable field within a record. Each entry is 12
character positions in length.
● The directory begins in character position 24 of the record and ends
with a field terminator.

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Directory
EXAMPLES
Tag Field length Starting character position
Entry 1 001 0013 00000
Entry 2 003 0004 00013
Entry 3 005 0017 00017
13

04/11/16 susheel , DRTC 2016-18 14
MARC record with Directory highlighted
00802cam##2200241#a#4500001001300000003000400013
005001700017008004100034020001800075040001800093
043001200111050002600123082001500149100001800164
245004200182260003500224300002100259650002400280
650002600304650003300330856010600363856009100469
@##2006040204@DLC@20060918142242.0@060210s2006##
##nyu###########000#1#eng##@##$a9780385336642@##
$aDLC$cDLC$dDLC@##$as-pe-@00$aPS3601.R345$bC46#2
33/2006040204-d.html@%

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Variable fields
● The variable fields follow the leader and the directory in the record
and consist of control fields and data fields. Control fields precede
data fields in the record and are arranged in the same sequence as the
corresponding entries in the directory.
● Control fields in MARC 21 formats are assigned tags beginning with
two zeroes. They are comprised of data and a field terminator; they do
not contain indicators or subfield codes.
● Data fields in MARC 21 formats are assigned tags beginning with
ASCII numeric characters other than two zeroes. Such fields contain
indicators and subfield codes, as well as data and a field terminator.

04/11/16 susheel , DRTC 2016-18 16
00802cam##2200241#a#4500001001300000003000400013
005001700017008004100034020001800075040001800093
043001200111050002600123082001500149100001800164
245004200182260003500224300002100259650002400280
650002600304650003300330856010600363856009100469
@##2006040204@DLC@20060918142242.0@060210s2006##
##nyu###########000#1#eng##@##$a9780385336642@##
33/2006040204-d.html@%
Variable Data Field

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Design principle for MARC21

CONTENT DESIGNATION: The purpose of content designation is
to identify and characterize the data elements which comprise a
MARC record with sufficient precision to support manipulation of the
data for a variety of functions.
●Contain specific pieces of information identified by:
●Tags
●Indicators
●Delimeters
●Subfield Codes

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Tags
● Three digit numbers
Eg: 245 = Title and statement of responsibility
245 10 $a Once upon a town: $b the miracle of the North Platte
Canteen/ $c Bob Greene.

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Indicators
● Digits or blanks that give the computer instructions or information
about the data contained in the field
● The indicator in a 245 field is 10 = Author main entry; no nonfiling
characters

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Delimeters
● Tell the computer where each subfield will start
● Denoted as $,#,_, etc...

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Subfield codes
● Single letters or digits indicate what type of information is in a
subfield
Eg: in a 245 filed, a= title proper; b=remainder of title; c=
statement of responsibility

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The variable data fields consists of indicators, one or more subfield
codes,variable data and a field terminator.
Primary grouping of Variable Fields:
0xx - Control information, numbers, codes
1xx - Main Entry
2xx - Titles, Editions, Imprint
3xx - Physical Description
4xx - Series statement
5xx - Notes
6xx - Subject Added Entry
7xx - Added entries
8xx - Series Added Entry
9xx - Reserved for local implementation
Variable data Field

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MARC record with variable length fields
highlighted
00802cam##2200241#a#4500001001300000003000400013
005001700017008004100034020001800075040001800093
043001200111050002600123082001500149100001800164
245004200182260003500224300002100259650002400280
650002600304650003300330856010600363856009100469
@##2006040204@DLC@20060918142242.0@060210s2006##
##nyu###########000#1#eng##@##$a9780385336642@##
33/2006040204-d.html@%

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Field Tag
A field: Each bibliographic record is divided logically into fields.
There is a field for the author, a field for title information, and so on.
These fields are subdivided into one or more "subfields." They are
represented by 3-digit tags.
A tag: Each field is associated with a 3-digit number called a "tag."
A tag identifies the field -- the kind of data -- that follows.

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Most frequently used tags
The tags used most frequently are:
●010 tag marks the Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN)
●020 tag marks the International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
●100 tag marks a personal name main entry (author)
●245 tag marks the title information (which includes the title, other title information,
and the statement of responsibility)
●250 tag marks the edition
●260 tag marks the publication information
●300 tag marks the physical description (often referred to as the "collation" when
describing books)
●490 tag marks the series statement
●520 tag marks the annotation or summary note
●650 tag marks a topical subject heading
●700 tag marks a personal name added entry (joint author, editor, or illustrator)

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01X- 09X Numbers and Codes
Fields 01X-09X contain standard numbers, classification numbers,
codes, and other data elements relating to the record
Examples:
●
010 - Library of Congress Control Number (NR)
●
013 - Patent Control Information
●
015 - National Bibliography Number
●
020 - ISBN
●
022 - ISSN
●
024 - Other Standard Identifier
●
080 - Universal Decimal Classification Number
●
082 - Dewey Decimal Classification Number
26

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Access points
• A main entry, subject added entries, and other
added entries are an important part of the
bibliographic record and serve as access points in
an online catalogue:
• 1XX fields (main entries)
• 4XX fields (series statements)
• 6XX fields (subject headings)
• 7XX fields (added entries other than subject or
series)
• 8XX fields (series added entries)
Most of these fields require Authority Control
27

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MARC may appear difficult at first, but with knowledge and use, it
will begin to make sense. As you become more familiar with
MARC, the simpler it will become.
CONCLUSION

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● www.loc.gov/marc/specifications/specrecstruc.html
● https://www.loc.gov/marc/marcservice.html
references

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Marc 21

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