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More web resources
for MARC
Usage
Was originally designed for the description of books and printed materials,
and later was expanded to allow description of other media (e.g. videorecordings,
sound recordings, maps, realia, computer files, etc.). The MARC format
provides the mechanism by which computers exchange, use and interpret
bibliographic information and its data elements make up the foundation
of most library catalogs used today. MARC formats outside the US and Canada
(e.g. UKMARC) sometimes differ and their data is not always completely
interoperable with USMARC.
Creator
MARC emerged from a Library of Congress led initiative begun in the 1970's.
MARC became USMARC in the 1980s and MARC 21 in the late 1990s.
Revisions
The Network Development and MARC Standards Office at the Library of Congress
and the Standards and Support Office at the National Library of Canada
maintain the MARC 21 formats. Input for its development is provided by
all MARC 21 users, including libraries, library networks and utilities,
and library system vendors from around the world.
Ease of use
Due to the number of fields, delimiters and subfields, initial setup requires
in-depth knowledge of the alphanumeric MARC codes and their corresponding
data content. Traditionally, MARC records require an adherence to AACR2
standards for semantics and syntax. System-dependent templates may be
created to facilitate input of data.
Documentation
Extensive documentation available from http://www.loc.gov/marc/
Numerous procedural, training and implementation manuals are also available.
Thesauri
Special coding for identification of specific thesauri exists for the
following:
LCSH, LCSH for children's literature, Medical subject headings, National
Agricultural Library subject authority file, Canadian subject headings,
Repertoire des vedettes-matiere.
Other thesauri may be used in MARC but are not identifiable by code.
Projects
Everywhere, anywhere.
Granularity
MARC records may describe an item or a collection Although detailed bibliographic
description is allowed for only one indexable level, use of various linking
fields makes it possible to reference (by title) related larger or smaller
works. By providing local system linkage to the various "levels"
referenced in a work ("up" one level and "down" one
level), it is possible to navigate between a maximum of three different
hierarchies.
Data for Original and Surrogate
Different user groups follow different practices for the creation of separate
or single records for both the original and surrogate item. The MARC structure,
however, can accommodate data for both versions in a single record.
Metadata types
No specific provision is made for administrative metadata in the MARC
structure, but the information could nevertheless be input in locally
defined fields. MARC does not include any provision for structural metadata.
