MARC- Machine Readable Cataloging

LI 804 Organization of Information Group Presentation

MARC: Definition

What is MARC?

• Machine-Readable Cataloging• Description• Main entry and added entries• Subject headings• Call number

Why Have MARC?

• Time saving• One standard• Resource sharing• Vendor compatiblity

Beginning of the Record

• Leader• Directory• 008 Field

Example: MARC Beginning of a Record

Main Parts of the Record

• Field• Tag• Indicators• Subfield

Example: Main Parts of the Record

More on Tagging

0XX Control information, numbers, codes 1XX Main entry 2XX Titles, edition, imprint 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)

X00  Personal names   X10  Corporate names   X11  Meeting names   X30 Uniform titles   X40 Bibliographic titles   X50 Topical terms   X51 Geographic names

Common Tags

010    Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) 020    International Standard Book Number (ISBN) 100    Personal name main entry 245    Title information 250    Edition 260    Publication information 300    Physical description 440    Series statement/added entry 520    Annotation or summary note 650    Topical subject heading

Authority Control

• Library of Congress Subject Headings• Sears List of Subject Headings

MARC: History

Developing a Standard

• LC-MARC (US-MARC)• UK- MARC

Dr. Henriette Avram“Mother of MARC”

Photo credit: Schudel, M. (2006, May). Henriette Avram, ‘mother of MARC’ dies.Library of Congress Information Bulletin, 65(5), 130, 132. Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/0605/avram.html

Deviations: National MARC Formats

• US-MARC- based formats• UK-MARC- based formats• Independent formats

Returning to a Common Standard

• UNIMARC• US-MARC• MARC 21

MARC: Uses

Photo credit: fabi_k- Fabienne Kneifel (2008, September). Grad Library- Old card catalog. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/fabi_k/3003119330/.

Taken in downtown Ann Arbor, MI

How is MARC used?

• Transfer data • Standardize information• Death of the old card catalog

Who Uses MARC?

• Public, School, Corporate Libraries (and many more)

• Book vendors• Library of Congress (Free)• Bibliographic Utilities (not Free)

How Could MARC Be Used?

• Collaboration- Shared Systems• Money savings• Flexibility• Reduction of workload

MARC: Evaluation

Effectiveness & Opinions of MARC

• Strengths• Weaknesses• Opinions

Changes for MARC 21

• MARCXML• MODS (Metadata Object Description Schema)

Resources

• Avram, H. D. (2003). Machine-readable cataloging (MARC) program. In M. A. Drake (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science (pp. 1712-1730). doi: 10.1081/E-ELIS 120008993

• Fritz, Deborah A., and Richard J. Fritz. (2003) MARC21 for everyone: a practical guide. Chicago: American Library Association.• Intner, S. S. (2007, March/April). The passing of an era. Technicalities, 27(2), 1, 13-14.• Kokabi, M. (1996a). The internationalization of MARC – Part I: The emergence and divergence of MARC. OCLC Systems & Services,

12(1), 21-31.• Kokabi, M. (1996b). The internationalization of MARC – Part II: Some MARC formats based on USMARC. OCLC Systems & Services,

12(2), 21-26.• Kokabi, M. (1996c). The internationalization of MARC – Part III: Some MARC formats based on UKMARC. OCLC Systems & Services,

12(3), 8-11.• Kokabi, M. (1996d). The internationalization of MARC – Part IV: UNIMARC, some formats based on it and some other MARC formats.

OCLC Systems & Services, 12(4), 20-37. • Library of Congress. MARC 21: Harmonized USMARC and CAN/MARC. Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/marc/annmarc21.html • Radebaugh, J. (2003, February). MARC goes global—and lite. American Libraries, 34(2), 43-44.• Schudel, M. (2006, May). Henriette Avram, ‘mother of MARC’ dies, Library of Congress Information Bulletin, 65(5), 130, 132. Retrieved

from http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/0605/avram.html • Taylor, A. G., & Joudrey, D. N. (2009). The organization of information(3rd ed.). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.• Understanding MARC Bibliographic: Parts 1 to 6. (2009, October 27). Library of Congress Home. Retrieved February 28, 2011, from

http://www.loc.gov/marc/umb/um01to06.html

Post Credits Fun!

Fun with Catalog Card Generatorhttp://www.blyberg.net/card-generator/

Photo credit: Travelin’ Librarian- Michael Sauers (2006, September). Card Catalog Card. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelinlibrarian/237669817/

Photo credit: Beancounter parodies- Pam and Anthony (2006, September). Another card catalog extols ‘Parodies’. Retrieved from http://beancounters.blogs.com/parodies/2006/09/another_card_ca.html