CC:DA/MARBI Rep/2007/2

June 23-25, 2007; rev. Dec. 20, 2007

Committee on Cataloging: Description and Access

Provided below are summaries of the proposals and discussion papers considered by MARBI at the ALA 2007 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. This report contains discussions which took place at the meetings regarding the MARBI proposals and discussion papers that may be of particular interest to CC:DA.

Complete text of the MARBI proposals and discussion papers summarized below is available from the MARC Advisory Committee web page: http://www.loc.gov/marc/marbi/marcadvz.html

Proposal No. 2007-04: Use of field 520 for content advice statements in the MARC 21 bibliographic format Source: Revealweb Union Catalogue Summary: This paper proposes using field 520 (Summary, etc.) in the bibliographic format to carry advice statements about types of content in items, primarily but not solely, for visually impaired users. It also proposes defining subfield $c to identify the agency that supplied the advice and subfield $2 for the source code of the classification system used. It also proposes adding a new first indicator value to signify content advice information. Related MARBI Documents: Discussion Paper No. 2006-DP02 (January 2006); Discussion Paper No. 2007-DP02 (January 2007) MARBI action taken: The proposal was approved unanimously, with minor editorial revisions.

Discussion Paper No. 2007-DP06: Representation of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) System in MARC 21 Formats Source: Dewey editorial team, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, LC, and OCLC Summary: This paper discusses the provisions for the DDC across the MARC 21 format, and proposes changes in order to improve representation of classification information for the purposes of data communication, application, and retrieval. Related MARBI Documents: None. MARBI action taken: This paper will come back to MARBI as a series of proposals.

Proposal No. 2007-06: Changes for the German and Austrian conversion to MARC 21 Source: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek (German National Library) (DNB) Summary: The German and Austrian communities are converting to MARC 21 from a format that they have used for many years, Maschinelles Austauschformat für Bibliotheken (MAB, Automated Library Exchange Format). This Proposal describes additions to MARC 21 that they need in order to support their existing data transfer activities. It is divided into 13 subparts. Related MARBI Documents: Discussion Paper No. 2007-DP01 (January 2007) Discussion: MARBI decided the easiest approach would be to go through each of the 13 sub-elements in the proposal, discussing and then voting upon each section. 2007-06/1 – Authority record control number subfield in the formats Rich Greene (OCLC) expressed interest and support for this while noting: Need to add the 4XX/8XX blocks of fields Concern whether the institution code designator as defined is specific enough? In the final documentation, OCLC would like the repeatability of the subfield explained more thoroughly, as well as more examples. NLM expressed concern about the repeatability of the subfield. What if the heading changed in one of those files but not both or all of them. Rheinhold responded he would hope not to see more than two, however it was noted that these fields and subfields will require maintenance. The subfield will also need to be added to the linking fields used for non-Roman scripts. MARBI action taken: Approved with the amendments to add the 440 $ 8XX fields, the linking fields for non-Roman scripts, and additional examples. 2007-06/2 – Bibliographic record control number subfield in series entry fields MARBI action taken: Approved. 2007-06/3 – Authority record control number in the 260 field of the Authority format MARBI action taken: Approved. 2007-06/4 – Normalization of Numbers and Names in the Bibliographic format MARBI expressed a great deal of concern on this one. John Attig and Rich Greene both mentioned that this data may be for a very limited community primarily because it will not be possible to readily share. It might make more sense for the German/Austrian communities to develop this as a local community practice. MARBI action taken: Not approved. The German/Austrian community will develop a local solution and explore the use of subfield $q. 2007-06/5 – Codes for multivolume monograph record levels in the Bib. format There was general agreement that some of the current Leader/19 field and subfield names need to be redefined in order to be more generic and less book-centric. Specific need mentioned to add examples from the cartographic and music communities to lessen its current book-centrism. MARBI action taken: Approved with editorial changes. 2007-06/6 – Nature of contents for Offprints Liz O’Keefe mentioned the need in the art community for this type of access, but expressed concern that this type of form definition does not really fit neatly within “Nature of contents.” MARBI expressed interest in defining this byte more broadly to include preprints, postprints, offprints, etc. MARBI action taken: Approved, with revisions. 2007-06/7 – Subfield for cancelled national bibliography numbers in the bib. format MARBI action taken: Approved with the modification of removing reference to the form of number(s). 2007-06/8 – Define indicator value for type of uncontrolled keywords in MARC formats MARBI action taken: Approved, with minor editorial revisions. 2007-06/9 – Field for replacement record information in bib. format MARBI action taken: Approved. 2007-06/10 – Define a replacement record control no. subfield in the Authority format. MARBI action taken: Approved. 2007-06/11 – Add a field for a geographic name added entry to bib. format Adam S. noted that with the German’s intent to consider adopting RDA, MARBI needs to ascertain that the JSC is aware of the need for user communities to record this type of information and these relator codes. MARBI action taken: Approved. 2007-06/12 – Subfield for former call number in the Bibliographic and Holdings formats The German/Austrian community records this type of data primarily for non mass-produced resources, such as author’s manuscripts, archives, etc. MARBI action taken: Approved, with editorial revisions. 2007-06/13 – Field for normalized dates and sequential designations in the bib. format MARBI action taken: Motion for Option 1 was approved with the addition of the subfields and levels of enumeration/chronology from the Holdings format.

Proposal No. 2007-05: Definition of 022 subfields for recording the linking ISSN (ISSN-L) in the MARC 21 Bibliographic, Authority, and Holdings Formats Source: ISSN International Centre Summary: This paper discusses the need to record the newly defined ISSN-L in MARC 21 records. The linking ISSN is an identifier intended to provide a mechanism to group the various medium versions of a continuing resource. It proposes using field 022 with a new subfield for linking ISSN and canceled ISSN-L. Related MARBI Documents: Discussion Paper No. 2007-DP03 (January 2007) Discussion: The form of the ISSN-L (i.e., linking ISSN) will be the same as any other ISSN. In fact, it appears that the first-assigned ISSN for a resource will represent the linking ISSN for that series of manifestation records. Regina R. (NSDP) and Rich Greene (OCLC) both expressed interest in exploring some automated mechanism for populating OCLC records with these linking ISSN as they are assigned. MARBI action taken: The proposal was approved unanimously.

Discussion Paper No. 2007-DP05: Data elements needed to ascertain copyright facts Source: California Digital Library/Library of Congress Summary: This paper proposes encoding information that would be needed in a MARC 21 record to be able to ascertain facts concerning copyright status. This would facilitate the user to make a reasonable judgment about what use is allowed of the resource, and is particularly important in the digital world, where resources are accessed outside the context of the originating archive. It suggests using a single field to contain all copyright information, even if repeating other data somewhere else in the record, because of the complications. Related MARBI Documents: Discussion Paper No. 2006-DP04 (June 2006) Discussion: The British Library and the National Library of Australia both expressed concern about whether this type of data may be shared and exchanged internationally, especially in light of different copyright conventions among different countries. The British Library is putting their digital content into METS wrappers that very clearly separates descriptive metadata from rights metadata, etc. For digital archives and repositories such as the California Digital Library, there is an overwhelming need to record this information. The time when this information/data becomes apparent is during the cataloging process for materials that have been or are being digitized. Specific interest was noted for detailing dynamic copyright data elements (i.e., copyright holder, copyright status, etc.) Karen Coyle pointed out that most descriptive cataloging focuses upon Manifestation level data whereas copyright information exists at the Work or Expression level. Date ranges: How do we ensure machine-actionable dates that human beings can reliably input? ISO 8601 needs to be revised for usability and the ability to encode unknown dates. MARBI expressed a desire to see some date-related conventions proposed in the proposal that comes back. There was discussion concerning how best to proceed with controlled list options surrounding copyright statuses. Karen C. will look to see if there are precedents established by MARBI’s work with the 583 field. MARBI agreed that this information needs to be recorded when it is known and that it should be recorded in a new field. This new field will need to be repeatable in some instances, and there will need to be a subfield $z for public note information. MARBI action taken: This paper will come back as a proposal.

Other business and reports

MARBI received an RDA update report on the current state of Resource Description and Access: RDA from Marg Stewart of the Library and Archives Canada. A revision of RDA Chapters 6-7 was released for comment just before the 2007 ALA Annual Conference.

Marg mentioned plans by the JSC to write and submit a discussion paper focusing upon an RDA to MARC 21 mapping. The discussion paper will be on the ALA Midwinter MARBI agenda, and decisions will need to be made at 2008 Annual regarding any subsequent MARBI proposals in order for RDA to be implemented during 2009 (current implementation date: June 2009).

Much of the ability to implement RDA on this ambitious schedule is based on the MARC 21 ability to store and exchange RDA-coded records, and of course the ILMS vendors abilities to facilitate any changes.

MARBI sponsored a Program at the Annual Conference entitled Informing the Future of MARC: An Empirical Approach. The Program was held Saturday morning from 8-10 am, and was very well attended.

Everett Allgood,
MARBI Representative to CC:DA