Summary: Defines a field 007 to indicate physical characteristics for tactile material, or material intended to be read by touch. Characteristics include specific material designation, grade level of Braille, primary code of Braille, Braille music format, and production and physical characteristics.

MARBI Action Taken: Approved with minor changes.

Summary: Proposes making obsolete several fields and elements that have not been needed for current records for a number of years, to complete harmonization with CAN/MARC. Specifically, it proposes to make the following fields and subfields obsolete: 400, 410, 411, X11 $q; 260 $d; 262 and 261.

MARBI Action Taken: Rejected.

Summary: Presents an alternative method for indicating nonfiling characters to the method currently used, i.e., it is a direct substitute for the nonfiling indicator technique that has been used in MARC records. Proposes rules for identifying the nonfiling zone and defines for use two new control characters from ISO 6630: Hex ‘X88’ nonsorting character, begin and Hex ‘X89’ nonsorting character, end.

MARBI Action Taken: Control characters approved. On hold pending further input from CC:DA and SAC.

Summary: Proposes a minor change to the structure of the date recorded in field 263 to make it Y2K conformant. Revises description of the structure of the data to be recorded in field 263 subfield $a to require the representation of the year by four digits, instead of two (yyyymm).

MARBI Action Taken: Approved.

Summary: Considers the definitions and use of field 852 (Location) subfields $b (Sublocation or collection), $c (Shelving location), $h (Classification part), $k (Call number prefix), and $m (Call number suffix). Asks how systems are using these subfields.

MARBI Action Taken: N/A. Discussion only.

Summary: Proposes enhancement and expansion of the existing computer file 007 field to accommodate digitally reformatted materials. Suggests a few changes to the existing six bytes and the addition of eight new optional bytes which specifically address the needs of digitally reformatted materials.

MARBI Action Taken: Approved with amendments.

Summary: Proposes making field 004 repeatable so that a holdings record can link to multiple bibliographic records for the description of the item for which a holdings record is created.

MARBI Action Taken: Rejected in order to allow for consideration of alternative solutions at ALA Annual.

Summary: Proposes that a value be defined in Leader/06 (Type of record) for “unspecified holdings” and in Leader/17 (Encoding level) for “unknown.” Action is needed so that a default value can be system generated in these positions when necessary.

MARBI Action Taken: Approved.

Summary: Proposes the definition of field 040 (Record Source) in the Holdings Format. Although defined in all the other MARC formats, it was not defined in Holdings. Allows for designating the original creating agency, transcribing agency, and modifying agency of the holdings record.

MARBI Action Taken: Approved.

Summary: Explores situations where subfield $u is repeated in field 856. Proposes that the subfield be made non-repeatable so that if two URLs need to be recorded, the field is repeated.

MARBI Action Taken: Approved.

Summary: Discusses the possibility of defining subfields to record URLs and/or URNs in various fields in the bibliographic format. Beyond the 856, these fields include the 037 (Source of Acquisition) for online ordering and field 853 (Action Note) for the location of supplemental information concerning preservation actions.

MARBI Action Taken: N/A. Discussion only, although MARBI would like to see some specific proposals.

Summary: Discusses the problems with the field 880 technique for alternate graphic data in MARC records and proposes a simplified method for consideration.

MARBI Action Taken: MARBI created a task force to explore and make recommendations about the issues in this DP as well as in DP109, Identifying transliteration schemes in USMARC formats.