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This summary is intended to serve as a very brief overview of the MARC format as used at NLS. Fields and subfields that are not used or are uncommon in NLS catalog records are not covered. Complete documentation for the MARC record format is online at: http://www.loc.gov/marc. An introductory booklet about the MARC format is also available online at http://www.loc.gov/marc/umb/.

Organization of the MARC record

Authority control

Fields under authority control are designated authority controlled. Name, series, and subject headings are verified against NLS and LC authority records during final cataloging which takes place when the book has been distributed. Name and subject headings will tend to be consistent prior to that because NLS records are derived from LC records. Since NLS assigns series headings outside of normal LC practice, series headings may be less consistent prior to final cataloging. [Back to where I was before jumping here.]

Final cataloging

Fields that are not used until final cataloging are designated final. [Back to where I was before jumping here.]

Leader field.

Most codes are always the same or are used by the computer to parse the record. Exceptions:

Leader position 5
n=new or c=corrected
Leader position 6
a = braille; i = spoken word recordings
Leader position 17
Encoding Level: 7 or blank is used for records for completed books; 8 is used for records prior to completion of the book

Fields 001 through 008

001
Control number: a unique number assigned to each record by the NLS cataloging system, Voyager.
005
Date and time of last change to the record.
007
Physical description fixed field: a series of codes describing the characteristics of the book's format. The definition for each position in the 007 field varies according to the format of the material being described. NLS records use the code sets for braille, sound recordings, and electronic resources. The first code position indicates the material (f for tactile, s for sound recording and c for electronic resources). A record can contain more than one 007. The presence of both a tactile and an electronic resource 007 indicates that the braille book is also available over the web. In the future the presence of both a sound recording and electronic resource 007 will indicate that the book is a digital talking book.
008
Fixed length data elements: the definition of most, but not all positions depends on the format of the material. Not all elements are used by NLS.
008, positions 00 through 05
Date the record was created displayed in YYMMDD format.
008, position 06
Type of date. Always s for single year.
008, positions 7 through 10 [final cataloging More on final cataloging]
Year of production. Note that this is the date of production of the book in special format and not the publication date of the original ink print edition.
008, position 22
Juvenile or adult reading level.
  • e = adult
  • j = juvenile
008, position 30
Applies to sound recordings:
  • a = autobiography
  • b = biography
  • f = fiction
008, position 33
Applies to braille:
  • 1 = fiction
008, position 34
Applies to braille:
  • a = autobiography
  • b = biography
  • c = collective biography
008, positions 35-37
Language code

01x through 04x: Number and code fields

010
Library of Congress Card number. For the NLS book, not the ink print edition.
020
ISBN. This is the ISBN of the ink print edition. It is in the subfield z (invalid number subfield). ISBNs have been added to the records cataloged since 2004.
040
Cataloging agency. DLC-B, the MARC agency code for NLS is used in all cases.
041
Language codes.
  • Used when more than one is needed, i.e., for translations, books in more than one language, etc.
  • The primary language of the book in hand is recorded in 008/35-37

05x through 09x: Classification and call number fields

082
Dewey Decimal classification number.
  • Juvenile fiction, Fic, has always used the first subfield a.
  • The second subfield a contains these codes as applicable—
    • AF = adult fiction
    • ANF = adult non fiction
    • JNF = juvenile non fiction
    • FL = foreign language
084
Other call number.
  • Used for the NLS book number.
  • Prior to book distribution the book number is followed by the term: inprocess.

100 through 130: Main entry fields

100 [under authority control More on authority control]
Personal name main entry. Common subfields:
  • a for the name itself
  • c for titles associated with the person
  • q for fuller form of name than found in the a subfield
  • d for dates
110 [under authority control More on authority control]
Corporate name main entry.
  • Subfield a contains the corporate name.
  • Subfield b contains the name of subordinate agencies.
111 [under authority control More on authority control]
Conference name main entry
130 [under authority control More on authority control]
Uniform title main entry

2xx: Titles and title related fields

240
Uniform title.
  • Most frequently used for the original title of translated works.
  • Not heavily used prior to 1990.
245
Title statement.
  • Subfield h = the general material designation, sound recording or braille
  • Subfield b = the continuation of title
  • Subfield c = the statement of responsibility
246
Varying form of title.

Edition and Imprint Fields

260
The book in special format.
  • Subfield a = the place of publication
  • Subfield b = the publisher (usually NLS)
  • Subfield c = the year of publication; added during final cataloging
  • Subfield f = the recording agency and distributor; added during final cataloging

Physical Description fields

300
Physical description.
  • Subfield a = size, expressed as number of audio media or braille volumes
  • Subfield b = other physical details
  • Subfield c = dimensions of braille volumes
Prior to book distribution, the number of audio media or volumes is based on an estimate.

4xx: Series statement fields

440 [final cataloging More on final cataloging]
Traced series
  • NOTE: NLS does not follow the AACR2 practice of placing series by an individual author in a 490, 800 combination
490
Untraced series. Not under authority control

500-599: Note fields

500
General note.
  • Uses are legion; among other things it is used to indicate if a braille book is contracted and if it is print/braille.
  • It is also frequently contains notes indicating a sub imprint.
504
Bibliography note. Indicates if the book has a bibliography or index.
505
Contents note. Most frequently used to hold titles of individual short stories in compilations.
506
Terms governing access.
  • NLS uses a generic statement about restrictions on access based on eligibility.
511
Performer note.
  • Gives the narrator name in direct order.
  • Added during final cataloging.
520
Annotation—the complete annotation, not the one-liner.
521
Audience note. Used by NLS for:
530
Additional physical form.
  • Used in braille titles that are also available through Web-Braille.
534
Reproduction note.
  • Subfield b = edition of print book.
  • Subfield c = the imprint of print book; format—place of publication : publisher, year of publication.
538
Not used currently.
  • In digital talking books, field 538 will be used for file and playback system characteristics.
540
Language note—used at NLS for bilingual works.
583
Action note.
  • NLS uses for the inprocess status.
  • Deleted when the title is distributed.

6xx: Subject access fields

These fields are under authority control. [More on authority control]

Fields 600-651 all use subfields v, x, y, and z for form, general, chronological and geographic subdivisions respectively.

600
Personal name subject heading
610
Corporate name subject heading
611
Meeting name subject heading
630
Uniform title subject heading
650
Topical subject headings
651
Place name subject heading
655
Genre heading

70x - 75x: Added-entry fields

700
Added entry - personal name
  • In addition to added authors, editors, etc., NLS uses for narrator name added entries.
  • Narrator name added entries will always have a subfield e with the word "narrator."
  • Under authority control [More on authority control]
710
Added entry - corporate name [More on authority control]
711
Added entry - meeting name [More on authority control]
730
Added entry - uniform title
740
Added entry
  • Uncontrolled related or analytical title.
  • Used in records cataloged since 1999, mostly for analytical titles—titles of works contained with the item being cataloged.
  • Before 1999 used for any alternate title as well.

76x - 78x: Linking entry fields

775
Other edition available. NLS uses this field to create a link between related records. The book number of the other edition is entered in the subfield o. It is used with reissued books to indicate the book number of the reissue and with the reissue to indicate the book number of the original.
776
Additional physical form entry. NLS plans on using this field to create a link between titles in different formats. The book number of the book in another format will be given in the subfield o.

841 - 88x: Holdings and location fields

852
Holding agency and book number.
  • For NLS, the holding agency is DLC-B—the MARC agency code for NLS.
856 [final cataloging More on final cataloging]
Web link for web braille books.
  • Subfield u = the URL
  • subfield 3 = a label
  • May contain links to downloadable, digital talking books in the future.

Appendix: Statements used in the 521 field