This document discusses MARC (MAchine-Readable Cataloging) formats, which are standards that dictate how computer programs should represent catalog records to facilitate sharing between libraries. MARC was developed in the 1960s and allowed catalog records to be shared electronically. The document outlines the history of cataloging and key MARC terminologies like fields, tags, and indicators. It also discusses how MARC led to benefits like union catalogs and online copy cataloging. Standards like MARC and Z39.50 protocol allowed for consistency and communication between library databases.

1. MARC FORMATS
Facilitating sharing of Catalogue Records
By Otuoma Sanya

2. RECORDS & ITEMS
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
The Analytical Approach
Dr. Boniface M. Sababu (CPS, Bed, MBA, phD)
THE JOMMO KENYATTA FOUNDATION
13-8058
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
The Analytical Approach
Dr. Boniface M. Sababu (CPS, Bed, MBA, phD)
THE JOMMO KENYATTA FOUNDATION
13-8059

3. What is MARC ?
MA – Machine
R – Readable
C – Catalogue

4. What is MARC ?
 A set of rules and guidelines that dictate how computer programs should
represent catalogue records
 Facilitate sharing with other computer programs.
 MARC is a standard

5. How we got here
Cataloguing
Copy Cataloguing
Automating Copy Cataloguing

6. CATALOGUING
 The process of creating metadata to describe information resources
 It facilitates discovery of information resources in a catalogue
 It makes use of ACCESS POINTS
Title Author Publisher Date published …. . ….

7. CATALOGUING 2
CHALLENGE
 It is repetitive both at individual level, institutional level and beyond
SOLUTIONS
 Copy cataloguing
 CIP – Cataloguing in Publication

8. COPY CATALOGUING
 Finding a matching catalogue record in
another library’s catalogue.
 Copy and edit to customize according to
your library’s needs.
 Save to make it available in your library’s
catalogue.

9. AUTOMATING COPY
CATALOGUING
 Using computer hardware, networks and
software programs to locate a matching
record in other libraries.
 Records must be machine readable i.e.
electronic.
LIBRARY
A
LIBRARY
B
VUBIS
CATALOGUE
KOHA
CATALOGUE
NETWORK

10. DIFFERENCES
Card Catalogue Machine Catalogue
Physical in form Electronic in form
Human readable Computer readable
Difficult to update/edit Easy to update/edit
Difficult to share Easy to share/copy

11. History
 First developed in 1960s by the Library of Congress in
collaboration with Henriette Avram, an American
Computer Scientist.
 It was then called LC MARC
 Initially, libraries used union catalogues printed on book
catalogues and microform.

12. TERMINOLOGIES : Field
 It describes the various sections of a
catalogue record as defined by AACR2.
EXAMPLE
245 14$aThe lost city of Atlantis /$cOtuoma Sanya.

13. TERMINOLOGIES : TAG
 It is the three digit number assigned to
each of the fields in a MARC record.
EXAMPLE
245 14$aThe lost city of Atlantis /$cOtuoma Sanya.

14. TERMINOLOGIES : INDICATORS
 They are one-digit codes (numbers 0-9) that are listed
right after the tag number.
 They provide information about the content of that field.
EXAMPLE
245 14$aThe lost city of Atlantis /$cOtuoma Sanya.
1 – Shows that title added entry is required
4 – Number of characters to be ignored in filing (“The” and
one space.

15. TERMINOLOGIES : SUBFIELDS
 A field may contain several pieces of information called subfields.
 For instance, the title statement may have title, subtitle and
responsibility
EXAMPLE
245 10$aAtlantis :$bThe lost city /$cOtuoma Sanya.
1 – Shows that title added entry is required
0 – Number of characters to be ignored in filing
a –Title
b – Remainder of title
c - Responsibility

16. GENERAL OUTLINE
TAG DESIGNATION
000 to 099 Numbers,codes and classifications
100 to 199 Main entries
2xx Title, edition and imprint
3xx Physical description
4xx Series
5xx Notes
6xx Subjects field
7xx Added entries
8xx Series added entries, item holdings
9xx Locally defined
http://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/

17. COMMONLY USED TAGS
TAG DESIGNATION
010 Library of Congress Control Number
020 ISBN
100 Personal name main entry (Author)
245 Title and statement of responsibility
250 Edition statement
260 Imprint (Publisher, place and date)
300 Physical description
490 Series information
650 Topical subject heading
700 Personal name added entries (Co-authors,
editors, illustrator etc.)
http://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/

18. RETROSPECTIVE CONVERSION
OCR
Book Catalogue Machine Readable
 Book catalogues were converted to machine readable format using OCR

19. STANDARDIZATION
 The process of developing a product or service
that conforms to an established/accepted
measurement,value or way of doing things.
 It helped to achieve compatibility of catalogue
records developed by independent libraries.
 Bodies involved :
ANSI ISO

20. BEFORE STANDARDIZATION
LIBRARY
c
LIBRARY
B
CATALOGUE CATALOGUE
LIBRARY
A
CATALOGUE

21. AFTER STANDARDIZATION
LIBRARY
c
LIBRARY
B
CATALOGUE CATALOGUE
LIBRARY
A
CATALOGUE

22.  Union Catalogues
 Online (copy) cataloguing
BENEFITS

23. Z39.50 PROTOCOL
 Is an international communication protocol used for searching and
retrieval of bibliographic records from a bibliographic database.
 It was developed by ANSI
 It is designed using the client-server architechture and operates
overTCP/IP network.
PURPOSE
 It facilitates communication between computers even if they are
not compatible.
 It provides access to every compliant database.
 Allows users to search and retrieve records from a large number
of databases.
 It provides consistency between different application interfaces.

24. DEMO
 Using z39.50
 Using OAI-PMH

25. FURTHER READING
 Dublin Core Metadata set
 MARCXML
 UNIMARC
 OAI-PMH

26. REFERENCES
http://lili.org/forlibs/ce/able/course8/03purp
ose.htm
http://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/
http://opac.must.ac.ke

27. THANKYOU