Two major forces have shaped the current drive to implement format integration. First, usage of USMARC as the basis of library catalogs has become common for all library types throughout the country; very few libraries rely solely on card access to their collections anymore. With the growth of automated systems, vendors and librarians alike have been interested in better standardization of these formats. Secondly, as our culture continues its evolution from a primarily paper-based environment to one where multimedia plays an increasing role, the nature of published materials has changed dramatically. Publishers market monographs with accompanying material ranging anywhere from computer diskettes to kazoos. Multimedia works often encompass several different material types such as CD-ROMs, printed guides and computer files. These changes have presented an ongoing challenge to catalogers and system librarians. How can we best describe these multi-faceted items and ensure their retrieval in automated systems?
Discussion about unifying the seven separate USMARC bibliographic formats began in 1983. Format integration was envisioned as a means to simplify documentation, reduce redundancy across formats, enable catalogers to work more easily with multiple formats, and improve machine validation of MARC records. Although the need for format integration was identified over a decade ago, its implementation has been slow. The need for compatibility in sharing data among the Library
*Page 1*
of Congress, the bibliographic utilities and various local systems has been the biggest challenge with format integration and has contributed to the delays in its implementation.
The phrase "format integration" applies to changes in the USMARC bibliographic formats only. Other MARC formats, such as authorities, holdings, classification and community information remain unaffected. It encompasses coordination across forms of material, removing the restriction on data elements that have previously made them valid only for specific forms of material. In spite of the efforts involved in the implementation of format integration, the bulk of the alterations in USMARC will affect just a small percentage of cataloging records.
The first portion of format integration came in 1991, with USMARC Update No. 3. This update included a few changes that primarily involved the implementation of blank indicator values. The rest of format integration was originally planned to be implemented simultaneously. However, as the planning for implementation progressed, it became clear that the changes to the variable fields had a much smaller impact on systems which handle MARC records than the fixed field changes. Due to the difficulty of implementing the latter, MARBI accepted a proposal in 1993 to split the remainder of format integration into two phases, variable fields and fixed fields. This compromise allowed the variable field portion to be implemented sooner, instead of postponing the entire project until the fixed field portion could be ready. The variable field phase of format integration was implemented in late January 1995.
*Page 2*
This phase essentially validated all variable fields across all formats, while eliminating some obsolete fields.
This article focuses on the final phase of format integration, which affects the Leader and 001-008 fixed fields. The Library of Congress and the bibliographic utilities have scheduled the implementation of this phase for March 3, 1996. There are several changes that will impact catalogers and systems in the final phase.
* Changes to the Leader/06 (Type of record)
Remove: b = archival and manuscripts control
add: p = mixed material
t = manuscript language material
* Definition of Leader/08 (Type of control)
blank = no specified type of control
a = archival control
The changes to the Leader/06 (Type of record) and the definition of Leader/08 (Type of control) will have a significant impact on the coding of archival materials. These modifications recognize that archival control is not limited to a particular type of material. With the final phase of format integration, archivists will be able to better distinguish between various material types, such as monograph vs. serial, and also will not be limited to choosing archival control over the visual materials format when describing an archival film, for example. This structural change in the MARC record necessitates some alterations in how the bibliographic utilities will handle archival records. OCLC will eliminate the Archival and Manuscript Control format (AMC) and will introduce a new format, Mixed Materials, to accommodate records for which no single other format predominates. In RLIN, the AMC
*Page 3*
file will remain, intended for use with archival collections of mixed materials or any individual material type. The RLIN-specific archival control segment (ARC), previously valid only in the AMC and visual materials files, will be made available for use in all formats when the material represented by the bibliographic record is under archival control.
* Validate values for 007 (Physical Description Fixed Field) across all formats
The extension of field 007 to all formats enables specific encoding of all the physical aspects present in the item in hand. The field may be repeated when different parts of the item have different characteristics, such as a positive and a negative polarity microfilm cataloged on the same record, or to represent the secondary nature with mixed material.
* Changes to 008/byte 06 (Date entered on file)
Redefine detailed date from "d" to "e" in all formats
Remove actual date and copyright date ("c" in most formats)
Define publication date and copyright date "t" for all formats
Validate other values across all formats, including:
"c" - serial item currently published
"d" - serial item ceased publication
*Page 4*
* Changes to 008/bytes 07-14 (Date 1/Date 2)
"u" - Date element is totally or partially unknown
"blank" - Date element is not applicable
With the final phase of format integration, the first 17 bytes of field 008, plus the final five, will have consistent definitions across all formats, while bytes 18-34 will remain format specific. The changes inherent in this process will introduce non-serial catalogers to some serial date codes, just as variable field format integration introduced tag 246 across all formats. The biggest change in field 008 is the shift from using "c" to "t" to indicate copyright date. Another change which will arise with some frequency is the ability to code unknown dates with "u" instead of the current practice of using zeros to complete unknown dates.
* Redefine 006 field (Fixed-Length Data Element - Additional Material Characteristics)
Full implementation of format integration will finally enable catalogers to describe material with characteristics which are representative of more than one MARC bibliographic format. In the current cataloging environment, once the decision is made about the primary nature of the material, certain aspects of the secondary nature are lost in the description. Examples of such mixed materials include: a book with an accompanying sound recording, or a serially issued score.
*Page 5*
Even though format integration of the variable fields addresses the specific description problems with these mixed materials, without the accompanying fixed fields, machine manipulation of all aspects of the cataloging record is limited to the primary material type described in field 008. The redefinition of field 006 will change all that. The 006 parallels the material-specific bytes of field 008, allowing the representation of all aspects of an item for subsequent machine manipulation, even that pesky serially published map on CD-ROM.
Field 006 will be used only for those materials which encompass more than one material type. It has a leading character which identifies the secondary nature of the material, that is book, serial, score, recording, etc. For a summary of the 006 field, see the chart below. The leading character in field 006 will determine what the valid codes are for the secondary nature. The remainder of the 006 bytes match those of the 008 for a particular material type, in the same fashion currently that the 007 leading byte defines the following values. The tables reproduced at the end of this article summarize the definitions of the 006 field for books, music, and serials, with the codes used by OCLC, RLIN and WLN in the equivalent 008 fields at this time.
006 Fixed-Length Data Elements-Additional Material
Characteristics
00 Type of 006 code Related Field 008
a Books Books
c Printed music Music
*Page 6*
d Manuscript music Music
e Printed map Maps
f Manuscript map Maps
g Projected medium Visual Materials
i Nonmusical sound recording Music
j Musical sound recording Music
k Two-dimensional
nonprojectable graphic Visual Materials
m Computer file Computer Files
o Kit Visual Materials
p Mixed material Mixed Materials
r Three-dimensional artifact
or naturally occurring object Visual Materials
s Serial control Serials
t Manuscript language material Books
01-17 Same as the 008/18-34 codes that are defined for each
category of material
*Page 7*
"Field 006 will have no indicators or subfield codes. The field
will have a generic-tree structure, whereby the category of
material code given in 006/00 (Type of 006 code) will
determine the data elements defined for subsequent character
positions. For each category of material, the codes defined for
character positions 01-17 will be the same as those defined for
that category in field 008 (Fixed-Length Data Elements),
character positions 18-34." -USMARC
If the item is basically textual, use:
Type of record = a (Language material) or
p (Mixed material) or
t (Manuscript language material)
Bibliographic level = Any valid code
008 = Book or serial or archival control
006 = Any that apply to main item or accompanying materials
If the item is basically nontextual, use:
Type of record = c (Printed music) or
d (Manuscript music) or
e (Printed map) or
f (Manuscript map) or
g (Projected medium) or
i (Nonmusical sound recording) or
*Page 8*
j (Musical sound recording) or
k (Two-dimensional nonprojectable graphic) or
m (Computer file) or
o (Kit) or
r (Three-dimensional artifact or naturally
occurring object)
Bibliographic level = Any valid code
008 = Music or map or visual materials or computer file
006 = Any that apply to main item or accompanying materials
The impact that full format integration will have on our cataloging databases depends on several factors. As with variable field format integration, some changes to existing records will be able to be made by a simple machine substitution; however, other changes will have to be made manually. It seems unlikely that libraries will go back and recatalog items with multiple characteristics, or that the utilities will add field 006 to existing records in their databases. In fact, it is difficult to identify older records that might benefit from the addition of field 006. It is important to remember that these older records are not "incorrect." Instead they will not reflect the full content designation available with the format integrated version of USMARC. Additionally, field 006 is optional; thus usage of this field will vary among institutions according to their perceived needs, the national libraries' practices, and the nature of the material being cataloged. The five cataloging examples included at the end of this article demonstrate some of the changes with this phase of format integration.
*Page 9*
At this point, it is difficult to determine exactly how the various utilities and local systems will handle the upcoming changes with the final phase of format integration. Decision points include: indexing field 006 for retrieval; identifying cataloging records by material type when more than one type is represented; implementing new MARC screen designs which will not fill the first page of the cataloging record with fixed field options and modifying validation routines which take the new options into account. The bibliographic utilities and system vendors have started announcing some of their planned changes via their web sites (see http://www-rlg.stanford.edu/welcome.html, http://www.oclc.org/oclc/menu/home1.htm, and the Library Vendors section at http://lcweb.loc.gov/global/library/library.html#vendors)
How the systems and utilities choose to index field 006 for retrieval will be based on their pre-existing file structures. Depending on the programming, these decisions may have a significant impact on record retrieval when a user qualifies by material type. If the material- specific bytes of fields 008 and 006 cannot be searched concurrently, multiple searches of a given database may be needed to retrieve all relevant records. The display of search results may also be dependent on the coding of the primary material characteristic. As the March 1996 implementation date draws closer, the utilities and vendors will make more specific information available about how the final phase of format integration affects searching in their systems.
The utilities' implementation of this phase of format integration will cause some changes in the familiar screen displays. In OCLC, look for new standardized labels and layout of the fixed fields across all
*Page 10*
formats. Field 006 will display as a variable field, although users will be able to enter and edit this tag either directly, or as a prompted display with mnemonics. RLIN will automatically generate templates for field 007 based on the file type. Catalogers may also prompt for a particular 006 field, which will display with mnemonics paralleling those used in field 008, or for additional 007 fields. Templates for 007 fields which remain unused in a particular bibliographic record will not display after the record has been entered.
Although format integration should be completed by spring 1996, the future may hold some interesting developments. In November 1994, Sarah E. Thomas of the Library of Congress announced that representatives of the British Library, the Library of Congress, and the National Library of Canada met to discuss the future alignment of CAN/MARC, UKMARC, and USMARC into a common MARC format. It is envisioned that a unified MARC format would assist:
* catalogers - by facilitating timely record sharing;
* collection development - by providing earlier and more accurate
access to the bibliographic records representing recently
published works;
* reference librarians - by enabling enhanced international cross-
catalog searching;
* library systems vendors - by creating one unified format to
support instead of three;
* MARC format developers - by establishing a solid unified
foundation on which to propose augmentation.
*Page 11*
The national libraries met with their constituencies to discuss format alignment this summer. The general response in each of the three countries was favorable, although the timing of this project was questioned. For example, the USMARC Advisory Group expressed concern about the possibility of additional changes to USMARC, just as format integration reaches completion. To see the basis of MARBI's discussion at the 1995 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, see Discussion Paper no. 90 (gopher://marvel.loc.gov:70/00/.listarch/usmarc/dp90.cov and gopher://marvel.loc.gov:70/00/.listarch/usmarc/dp90.doc). While USMARC and CAN/MARC specifications are very close already, a number of differences have been identified, especially in coding of fixed fields. Greater variations exist between USMARC and UKMARC, although the similarity of the cataloging traditions should assist with format alignment. The original group from the three national libraries plan on meeting in December 1995 to reevaluate the time table and to chart the path for the introduction of more detailed proposals in 1996.
The implementation of the current round of format integration has been slow and frustrating at times. In fact, since it affects only a small number of cataloging records, some librarians have questioned the value of the implementation. However, the standardization present with USMARC format integration offers many long-range benefits in terms of format unity, system maintenance, training of new catalogers, more precise searching by material type increased flexibility in description, and more concise documentation. Time will tell if format integration is the ultimate answer to the question of how to best describe multi-faceted items.
Note: For each format, 006/bytes 01-17 correspond to 008/bytes
18-34. The mnemonics listed are those used by OCLC, RLIN
and WLN in the equivalent 008 fields at this time.
TABLE 1
006 table for books
Byte Definition OCLC RLIN WLN
00 Category of material code Type BLT REC TYPE
[equivalent definitions to (1st char.)
leader/06]
01-04 Illustrations Illus ILC ILLUS
05 Target audience Int lvl INT AUDI
06 Form of item Repr REP FORM
07-10 Nature of contents Cont CON CONTENTS
11 Government publication Govt pub GPC GOV PUB
12 Conference publication Conf pub CPI CONF
13 Festschrift Festschr FSI FEST
14 Index Indx II INDEX
15 Undefined
16 Fiction F/B FIC FIC
(1st char.)
17 Biography F/B BIO BIOG
(2nd char.)*Page 13*
TABLE 2 006 table for scores and recordings
Byte Definition OCLC RLIN WLN 00 Category of material code Type BLT REC TYPE [equivalent definitions to (1st char.) leader/06] 01-02 Form of composition Comp FCP COMP 03 Format of music Format SCO SCORE (scores only) 04 Undefined 05 Target audience Int lvl INT AUDI 06 Form of item Repr REP FORM (scores only) 07-12 Accompanying matter Accomp AMC ACC MAT 13-14 Literary text for sound recordings LTxt LIT LIT TEXT (rec. only) 15-17 Undefined
TABLE 3 006 table for serials
Byte Definition OCLC RLIN WLN 00 Category of material code Type BLT REC TYPE [equivalent definitions to (1st char.) leader/06]
*Page 14*
01 Frequency Frequn FRQ FREQ 02 Regularity Regulr REG REGLTY 03 ISDS center ISDS ISDS ISDS 04 Type of serial Ser tp TYP TYP SER 05 Form of original item Phys med PHY ORG FORM 06 Form of item Repr REP FORM 07 Nature of entire work Cont IS NAT WORK (1st char.) 08-10 Nature of contents Cont CNC CONTENTS (2nd-4th char.) 11 Government publication Govt pub GPC GOV PUB 12 Conference publication Conf pub CPI CONF 13-15 Undefined 16 Original alphabet or script of title Alphabt ALPH ORG ALPH 17 Successive/latest entry S/L ent SL SL ENTRY
EXAMPLE 1 - SOUND RECORDING WITH ACCOMPANYING BOOKLET
Before the final phase:
Selected portions of Leader
Type of record: j
Bib. level: m
Descriptive cat.: a
*Page 15*
008
Date entered on file:
Date type: p
Dates: 1992, 1928
Place: cau
Language: eng
Mod. rec.:
Cat. source: d
Form of comp.: mu
Format: n
Target audience:
Form of item:
Acc. matter: i
Literary text:
007 s d u f u n g n n m m n e u
020 1557232482
024 5008609572
028 02 60957-2 $b Walt Disney Records
047 mp $a sg
245 04 The music of Disney $h [sound recording] : b a legacy
in song / $c compilation produced by Michael Leon.
260 Burbank, CA : $b Walt Disney Records, $c p1992.
300 3 sound discs : $b digital ; $c 4 3/4 in. + $e 1 booklet
(57 p. : col. ill. ; 28 cm.)
500 A representative sampling of songs from Disney films,
television shows and theme parks.
511 Various performers.
*Page 16*
518 Recorded 1928-1991.
500 Compact discs.
500 Booklet, written by David J. Fischer, includes historical
perspective on songs and credits.
650 0 Motion picture music $x Excerpts.
650 0 Children's songs.
650 0 Television music.
710 2 Walt Disney Company.
After the final phase, 006 may be added for booklet:
Type of material: a
Illustrations: a
Target audience:
Form of item:
Nature of contents:
Govt. publication:
Conference publ.: 0
Festschrift: 0
Index: 0
Fiction: 0
Biography: d
*Page 17*
Primary material characteristic is debatable and a choice must be made.
Selected portions of Leader
Type of record: c
Bib. level: m
Descriptive cat.: a
008
Date entered on file:
Date type: s
Dates: 1979
Place: gau
Language:
Mod. rec.:
Cat. source: d
Form of comp.: uu
Format: z
Target audience:
Form of item:
Acc. matter:
100 1 Gennero, Lionello.
245 10 Musical book /$ c by Lionello Gennero ; in collaboration
with Michael Goodman.
260 Atlanta, Ga. : $b Nexus Press, $c c1979.
300 [15] leaves ; $c 43 cm.
*Page 18*
500 Chance composition; consists of sounds made with the
leaves of the book.
500 Wooden covers, [3] leaves of text, [12] leaves of different
materials.
500 Includes performance instructions.
500 "Limited edition of sixty copies signed by the artist."
650 0 Chance compositions.
650 0 Artists' books.
700 1 Goodman, Michael.
710 2 Nexus Press.
After the final phase, all aspects can be represented:
006 added for book nature:
*Page 19*
Type of material: a
Illustrations:
Target audience:
Form of item:
Nature of contents:
Govt. publication:
Conference publ.: 0
Festschrift: 0
Index: 0
Fiction: 0
Biography:
006 added for artistic nature:
Type of material: r
Running time: nnn
Target audience:
*Page 20*
Acc. matter:
Govt publication:
Type of visual material: a
Technique: n
Before the final phase:
Selected portions of Leader
Type of record: a
Bib. level: m
Descriptive cat.: a
008
Date entered on file:
Date type: s
Dates: 1993
Place: lau
Language: eng
Mod. rec.:
Cat. source: d
Illustrations: a
Target audience:
Form of item:
Nature of contents: k
Govt. publication:
Conference publ.: 0
Festschrift: 0
Index: 0
Fiction: 0
Biography: d
010 9373571
020 0963889001
245 00 Bill Russell's American Music / $c compiled and edited
by Mike Hazeldine.
246 30 American Music.
260 New Orleans, LA, U.S.A. : $b Jazzology Press, $c c1993.
300 xv, 184 p. : $b ill. ; $c 26 cm. + $e 1 sound disc (digital
; 4 3/4 in.)
500 Compact disc in pocket.
504 Discography: p. 160-169.
500 Includes indexes.
500 Sound disc includes previously unissued selections.
610 20 American Music (Sound recording label)
600 10 Russell, Bill, $d 1905-
650 0 Jazz $z Louisiana $z New Orleans $x History and
criticism.
650 0 Jazz $z Louisiana $z New Orleans $x Discography
700 1 Hazeldine, Mike.
700 1 Russell, Bill, $d 1905-*Page 21*
After the final phase, other fields added:
006
Type of material: j
Form of comp.: jz
Format: n
Target audience:
Form of item:
Acc. matter: z
Literary text:
007 s d u f u n g n n m m n e u
650 0 Jazz $z Louisiana $z New Orleans.
Before the final phase:
Selected portions of Leader
Type of record: a
Bib. level: s
Descriptive cat.: a
008
*Page 23*
260 New York, N.Y. : $b American Society of University
Composers, $c 1973-1986.
300 15 v. :$ b ill., music ; $c 28 cm.
310 Two or 3 issues a year
362 0 Vol. 1-vol. 15.
650 0 Music $x Periodicals.
650 0 Instrumental music $x Periodicals.
650 0 Vocal music $x Periodicals.
710 2 American Society of University Composers.
785 00 $t SCI journal of music scores
After the final phase
(Note that the as the primary material type changes, the
Selected portions of Leader
008
*Page 24*
Place: nyu
*Page 25*
710 2 American Society of University Composers.
785 00 $t SCI journal of music scores
006 now represents seriality:
Frequency:
Before the final phase, a cataloger must choose between the scores
and the archival materials format.
Selected portions of Leader
*Page 26*
008
*Page 27*
500 Written in black ink on the rectos of two double leaves.
The original date of the score has faded from p. [1]The
score is signed on p. [4]. Corrections appear throughout,
either in pencil or in black ink. The versos of each leaf
are blank.
650 0 Songs (High voice) with piano.
600 10 Schoenberg, Arnold, $d 1874-1951 $x Manuscripts.
600 10 Gold, Alfred, $d 1874- $x Musical settings.
700 1 Gold, Alfred, $d 1874-
After the final phase, the Leader has an additional code for archival
control:
Type of record: d
*Page 28*
*Page 29*
*Page 30*
Kathryn Glennan is Music Cataloger, University of Southern
California. Her e-mail address is glennan@calvin.usc.edu
MC Journal: The Journal of Academic Media Librarianship
November 1995.
This article is copyright (C) by Kathryn P. Glennan. All Rights
Reserved. All commercial use requires permission of the author and
the editors of this journal.
*Page 31*
Back to v3#2 Table
of Contents
Back to MC
Journal Homepage
Date entered on file:
Date type: d
Place: nyu
Language: eng
Mod. rec.:
Cat. source: d
Frequency:
Regularity: x
ISSN center: 1
Type of serial: p
Form of original item:
Form of item:
Nature of entire work:
Nature of contents:
Govt publication:
Conference publ.: 0
Original alphabet: a
Successive/latest entry: 0
010 7420737/M
022 0 0196-1438
042 lc $a nsdp
050 0 M1 $b .A6365
210 0 ASUC j. music scores
222 0 ASUC journal of music scores
245 00 ASUC journal of music scores.
246 30 Journal of music scores
246 2 American Society of University Composers journal of
music scoresEXAMPLE 4B - SERIALLY ISSUED SCORE
description varies according to the chapters of AACR2r used )
Type of record: c
Bib. level: s
Descriptive cat.: a
Date entered on file:
Date type: d
Dates: 1973, 1986
Language: eng
Mod. rec.:
Cat. source: d
Form of comp.: mu
Format: m
Target audience:
Form of item:
Acc. matter:
010 7420737/M
022 0 0196-1438
042 lc $a nsdp
050 0 M1 $b .A6365
210 0 ASUC j. music scores
222 0 ASUC journal of music scores
245 00 ASUC journal of music scores.
246 30 Journal of music scores
246 2 American Society of University Composers journal of
music scores
260 New York, N.Y. : $b American Society of University
Composers, $c 1973-1986.
300 15 v. of music ; $c 28 cm.
310 Two or 3 issues a year
362 0 Vol. 1-vol. 15.
650 0 Music $x Periodicals.
650 0 Instrumental music $x Periodicals.
650 0 Vocal music $x Periodicals.
Regularity: x
ISSN center: 1
Type of serial: p
Form of original item:
Form of item:
Nature of entire work:
Nature of contents:
Govt publication:
Conference publ.: 0
Original alphabet: a
Successive/latest entry: 0EXAMPLE 5 - MANUSCRIPT SCORE
Type of record: d
Bib. level: m
Descriptive cat.: a
Date entered on file:
Date type: s
Dates: 1893
Place: xx
Language: ger
Mod. rec.:
Cat. source: d
Form of comp.: sg
Format: a
Target audience:
Form of item:
Acc. matter:
045 0 $b d1893
048 $b vh01 $a ka01
100 1 Schoenberg, Arnold, $d 1874-1951.
245 10 [In hellen Tr"aumen hab ich Dich oft geschaut /
$c Arnold Sch"onberg].
260 $c [1893].
300 1 ms. score ([4] leaves) ; $c 35 cm.
500 Holograph fair copy.
500 For high voice and piano.
500 Title from text.
500 German words by Alfred Gold.
Bib. level: m
Type of control: a
Descriptive cat.: a
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
ISSN 1069-6792
v.3#2, Fall 1995