Library of Congress >> MARC >> Classification >> 8XX  >> 856

856 - Electronic Location and Access (R)


MARC 21 Classification - concise
June 2025

Information required to locate an electronic item. The information identifies the electronic location containing the item or from which it is available. It also contains information to retrieve the item by the access method identified in the first indicator position. The information contained in this field is sufficient to allow for the electronic transfer of a file, subscription to an electronic journal, or logon to a library catalog. The phrase "networked electronic resource" is used to refer to an electronic resource for which content is accessed using a network protocol like telnet, http, ftp, etc.

In MARC 21 classification records, this field may be used to link an electronic resource intended to supplement the classification scheme, such as an image of a map in a table related to the classification of geographic names.

Field 856 is repeated when the location elements vary (the URL in subfields $a and $c, when used). It is also repeated when more than one access method is used, mirror sites are recorded, different formats/resolutions with different URLs are indicated, and related items are recorded.

Indicators

First - Access method
# - No information provided
0 - Email
1 - FTP
2 - Remote login (Telnet)
3 - Dial-up
4 - HTTP
7 - Method specified in subfield $2
Second - Relationship
# - No information provided
0 - Resource
1 - Version of resource
2 - Related resource
3 - Component part(s) of resource
4 - Version of component part(s) of resource
8 - No display constant generated

Subfield Codes

$a - Host name (R)
Fully qualified domain (host name) of the electronic location. It contains a network address which is repeated if there is more than one address for the same host.
$c - Compression information (R)
Information about the compression of a file, in particular, whether a specific program is required to decompress the file.
$d - Path (R)
$f - Electronic name (R)
$g - Persistent identifier (R)
$h - Non-functioning Uniform Resource Identifier (R)
$l - Standardized information governing access (R)
$m - Contact for access assistance (R)
$n - Terms governing access (R)
$o - Operating system (NR)
$p - Port (NR)
Portion of the address that identifies a process or service in the host.
$q - Electronic format type (R)
$r - Standardized information governing use and reproduction (R)
$s - File size (R)
$t - Terms governing use and reproduction (R)
$u - Uniform Resource Identifier (R)
Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), which provides standard syntax for locating an object using existing Internet protocols or by resolution of a persistent identifier (PID). Field 856 is structured to allow for the creation of a URL from the concatenation of other separate 856 subfields. Subfield $u may be used instead of those separate subfields or in addition to them.
Subfield $u may be repeated if more than one URI is recorded.
$v - Hours access method available (R)
$w - Record control number (R)
$x - Nonpublic note (R)
$y - Link text (R)
Used for display in place of the URL in subfield $u (Uniform resource identifier). When subfield $y is present, applications should use the contents of it as the link instead of subfield $u linking to the destination in subfield $u.
$z - Public note (R)
$2 - Access method (NR)
Access method when the first indicator position contains value 7 (Method specified in subfield $2). Code from: Electronic Access Methods Code List.
$3 - Materials specified (NR)
$6 - Linkage (NR)
See the description of this subfield in Appendix A: Control Subfields.
$7 - Access status (NR)
Code indicating the availability of access to the networked electronic resource the address of which appears in subfield $g and/or subfield $u. Subfield $7 applies to all subfields $g and $u present in the field. If a persistent identifier in subfield $g has a different access status from a URI in subfield $u, repeat the field in order to include both URIs.
$8 - Field link and sequence number (NR)
See the description of this subfield in Appendix A: Control Subfields.

Examples

856 7#$uhttp://minaret.loc.gov/images/gschedule/G1350a.gif$yMap of West south central states

Library of Congress >> MARC >> Classification >> 8XX  >> 856
(06/06/2025)
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