Library of Congress >> MARC >> Bibliographic >> 3XX  >> 340

340 - Physical Medium (R)


MARC 21 Bibliographic - full
July 2022

First Indicator Second Indicator
Undefined
# - Undefined

Undefined
# - Undefined


Subfield Codes
  • $a - Material base and configuration (R)
  • $b - Dimensions (R)
  • $c - Materials applied to surface (R)
  • $d - Information recording technique (R)
  • $e - Support (R)
  • $f - Reduction ratio value (R)
  • $g - Color content (R)
  • $h - Location within medium (R)
  • $i - Technical specifications of medium (R)
  • $j - Generation (R)
  • $k - Layout (R)
  • $l - Binding (R)
  • $m - Book format (R)
  • $n - Font size (R)
  • $o - Polarity (R)
  • $p - Illustrative content (R)
  • $q - Reduction ratio designator (R)
  • $0 - Authority record control number or standard number (R)
  • $1 - Real World Object URI (R)
  • $2 - Source (NR)
  • $3 - Materials specified (NR)
  • $6 - Linkage (NR)
  • $8 - Field link and sequence number (R)

FIELD DEFINITION AND SCOPE

Physical description information for an item that requires technical equipment for its use, and/or more granular description information of an item's material properties to facilitate access and discovery or to support collection management.

Coded physical information is contained in field 007 (Physical Description Fixed Field) and field 008 (Fixed-Length Data Elements).

The subfield $f definition was narrowed in 2022 in order to reduce redundancies with the following newer 34X fields that are now suitable for several former uses of field 340 subfield $f: 344 (Sound Characteristics), 345 (Moving Image Characteristics), 346 (Video Characteristics), 347 (Digital File Characteristics).

The field is repeated for each subfield $3 (Materials specified).

Multiple values from the same source vocabulary may be recorded in the same field in separate occurrences of subfields. Terms from different source vocabularies are recorded in separate occurrences of the field.


GUIDELINES FOR APPLYING CONTENT DESIGNATORS

INDICATORS

SUBFIELD CODES

$a - Material base and configuration

Physical substance (e.g., acetate, canvas, clay, film, glass, vellum, or wood) and configuration (e.g., cartridge, chip, dot, fiche, globe, sheet, and audio-, magnetic-, micro-, ultra-, or videotape) on which the information is recorded.

340 ##$amarble.
[The medium for a sculpture.]

$b - Dimensions

Measurements of the material configuration (e.g., 35 mm. (film), 12 inch (phonograph disc), 4" x 6" (microfiche)).

340 ##$aparchment$b20 cm. folded to 10 x 12 cm.

$c - Materials applied to surface

Physical substance applied to the material base (e.g., ink, oil, paint, specific photographic emulsions such as albumen).

340 ##$3self-portrait$arice paper$b7" x 9"$ccolored inks$enone$hbetween entry for April 7 and April 19, 1843.

$d - Information recording technique

Means or technique by which information was recorded in or on the material base (e.g., punched, pressed, cut, molded, thermofax, x-ray).

340 ##$dhandwritten$dtyped.

$e - Support

Physical material on or in which records are mounted, bound, or otherwise supported.

340 ##$acanvas$b30 x 57 cm.$ccolored oil-base paints$ewood.

$f - Reduction ratio value

A specific indication of the size of a micro-image in relation to the original from which it was produced. Most commonly, it is expressed numerically as a reduction ratio (e.g., 16:1, 90:1) or as a magnification value (e.g., 16x, 90x). For such designations expressed in general terms, use field 340 subfield $q (Reduction ratio designator).

340 ##$f24:1
340 ##$3case files$f48x.

$g - Color content

Color characteristics of the content of a resource. Achromatic values (white, gray, and black) are considered to be colors.

340 ##$awove paper
340 ##$cink$2rdamat
340 ##$cgouache$2rdamat
340 ##$dlithography$2rdapm
340 ##$dcollage
340 ##$gpolychrome$2rdacc
340 ##$acardboard$2rdamat
340 ##$cprinting ink
340 ##$dcollotype$2rdapm
340 ##$gblack and white

$h - Location within medium

Location of the described materials within the material base and configuration (e.g., band, page, frame number).

340 ##$aglass$b45 x 15 ft.$dembedded$elead$hcenter panel.

$i - Technical specifications of medium

Access requirements involving technical equipment.

340 ##$apaper tape$dpunched$iIbord Model 74 tape reader.

$j - Generation

The relationship between an original carrier and the carrier of a reproduction made from the original (e.g., a first generation camera master, a second generation printing master).

340 ##$joriginal$2rdagen
340 ##$jprinting master$2rdagen

$k - Layout

The arrangement of text, images, etc., in a resource.

340 ##$kdouble sided$2rdalay

$l - Binding

A method used to bind a published or unpublished resource, or other binding information. May be recorded using a controlled term or other structured description.

Additional unstructured (or textual) information on binding may be recorded in field 563 (Binding Information).

340 ##$lsaddle stitch binding$2rdatb
340 ##$lCoptic bindings$2aat
340 ##$lCorrugated board bindings (Binding)$2rbmscv
340 ##$lPainted paper bindings (Binding)$2rbmscv
340 ##$3teacher edition$lcase binding$2rdatb
340 ##$3coursebook$lperfect binding$2rdatb
340 ##$3workbook$lspiral binding$2rdatb

$m - Book format

The result of folding a printed sheet to form a gathering of leaves (e.g., a sheet folded once to form a folio, twice to form a quarto, three times to form an octavo).

340 ##$mfolio$2rdabf
340 ##$m4to$2rdabf

$n - Font size

The size of the type used to represent the characters and symbols in a resource.

Font size may be expressed in general terms (e.g., large print), or by specifying in addition the dimensions of the type measured in points (e.g., 20 point).

340 ##$ngiant print (36 point)$2rdafs

$o - Polarity

The relationship of the colors and tones in an image to the colors and tones of the object reproduced (e.g., positive, negative).

340 ##$opositive$2rdapo

$p - Illustrative content

General and/or specific indication of the type or types of illustrative content present in a resource.

340 ##$gcolor$pillustrations
340 ##$gone color$pmaps

$q - Reduction ratio designator

A general description of the size of a micro-image in relation to the original from which it was produced (e.g., low reduction, ultra high reduction). For such designations expressed in specific numerical terms, use subfield $f (Reduction ratio value).

340 ##$3case files$qhigh reduction$2rdarr

$0 - Authority record control number or standard number

See description of this subfield in Appendix A: Control Subfields.

$1 - Real World Object URI

See description of this subfield in Appendix A: Control Subfields.

$2 - Source

Identification of the source of terms when they are from a controlled list.

$3 - Materials specified

Part of the described materials to which the field applies.

340 ##$3case files$aaperture cards$b9 x 19 cm.$dmicrofilm$f48x.

$6 - Linkage

See description of this subfield in Appendix A: Control Subfields.

$8 - Field link and sequence number

See description of this subfield in Appendix A: Control Subfields.


INPUT CONVENTIONS

Capitalization - Terms contained in the various subfields are not usually capitalized, except for proper nouns such as names of months, etc.


CONTENT DESIGNATOR HISTORY

Field 340 - Physical Medium [REDESCRIBED, 2022]
Field definition and scope was redescribed in order to reduce redundancies related to other 34X fields described in the definition relating to subfield $f.

$f - Production rate/ratio [RENAMED, 2022] [REDEFINED, 2022]

Subfield was renamed "Reduction ratio value" and the definition narrowed to the use of the subfield for size of micro-images. This reduces redundancies with the following newer 34X fields and their subfields that are now used for several former uses of field 340 subfield $f: 344 (Sound Characteristics) subfield $c (Playing speed); 345 (Moving Image Characteristics) subfields $b (Projection speed), $c (Aspect ratio value), and $d (Aspect ratio designator); 346 (Video Characteristics); 347 (Digital File Characteristics) subfield $f (Encoded bitrate).

$g - Color content [NEW, 2017]
$j - Generation [NEW, 2011]
$k - Layout [NEW, 2011]
$l - Binding [NEW, 2021]
$m - Book format [NEW, 2011]
$n - Font size [NEW, 2011]
$o - Polarity [NEW, 2011]
$q - Reduction ratio designator [NEW, 2022]
$p - Illustrative content [NEW, 2020]
$0 - Authority record control number or standard number [NEW, 2011]
$1 - Real World Object URI [NEW, 2017]
$2 - Source [NEW, 2011]

Library of Congress >> MARC >> Bibliographic >> 3XX  >> 340
(07/07/2022)
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