MARC 21 Concise Community Information:
Multiscript Records

This is an ARCHIVED VERSION of the 2002 electronic edition of the MARC 21 Concise Formats. Please see www.loc.gov/marc/concise/ for the most up-to-date version of the electronic MARC 21 Concise Formats.

This section describes and illustrates models for recording data in multiple scripts in MARC records. One script may be considered the primary script of the data content of the record, even though other scripts are also used for data content. (Note: ASCII is used for the structural elements of the record, and most coded data are also specified within the ASCII range of characters.) The general models for multiscript data that are followed with MARC 21 are described below.

Information for Translators and Other Users
Items highlighted in red indicate changes made after the 2001 edition of the MARC 21 Concise Formats was published and are included in the 2002 printed edition of the MARC 21 Concise Formats.

Multiscript Record Models

Model A: Vernacular and transliteration.
The regular fields may contain data in different scripts and in the vernacular or transliteration of the data. Fields 880 are used when data needs to be duplicated to express it in both the original vernacular script and transliterated into one or more scripts. There may be unlinked 880 fields.

Model B: Simple multiscript records.
All data is contained in regular fields and script varies depending on the requirements of the data. Repeatability specifications of all fields should be followed. Although the Model B record may contain transliterated data, Model A is preferred if the same data is recorded in both the original vernacular script and transliteration. Field 880 is not used.

Model A data in the regular fields is linked to the data in 880 fields by a subfield $6 that occurs in both of the associated fields. Specifications for field 880 are under that field; description of subfield $6 is in the Control Subfields section; specifications for character sets and repertoires for scripts are found in MARC 21 Specifications for Record Structure, Character Sets, and Exchange Media.

Example Conventions

Although the data in the following records is taken from actual community information, these records are included for illustration only and are not necessarily usable for community information purposes. The creator of community information records is not specified in these sample records. Escape sequences are not included in the example records.

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MODEL A - VERNACULAR AND TRANSLITERATION

The following example of a multiscript record follows Model A. In this example, the language of cataloging is English (Latin script). However, the cataloging agency provides transliteration of the Latin script into Cyrillic script (Russian language).


040
##$a***$brus$c***

066
##$c)N

110
2#$6880-01$aHaven House.

270
##$6880-02$aP.O. Box 50007$bPasadena$cCA$e91115$j213-681-2626 (24 hour hotline)

307
##$6880-03$a24 hours a day, 7 days a week

520
##$6880-04$aA residential shelter for women and their children who have been abused by alcoholic partners.

531
##$6880-05$aWomen (18-64) with their children (0-18) who need shelter from physical and emotional abuse due to alcohol in family member;$bfrom $1.50/day (Residential) to $20.00/month (Group CNSL.);$ctelephone; no walk-ins.

546
##$6880-06$aEnglish, Spanish

574
##$6880-07$aPublic transportation. Call RTD: 818-246-2593

650
#0$6880-08$aBattered women.

650
#0$6880-09$aWomen's services.

880
2#$6110-01/)N$a[Heading in Cyrillic script]

880
##$6270-02/)N$a[Heading in Cyrillic script]$b[Heading in Cyrillic script]$c[Heading in Cyrillic script]$e[Heading in Cyrillic script]$j[Heading in Cyrillic script]

880
##$6307-03/)N$a[Heading in Cyrillic script]

880
##$6520-04/)N$a[Heading in Cyrillic script]

880
##$6531-05/)N$a[Heading in Cyrillic script]$b[Heading in Cyrillic script]$c[Heading in Cyrillic script]

880
##$6546-06/)N$a[Heading in Cyrillic script]

880
##$6574-07/)N$a[Heading in Cyrillic script]

880
#0$6650-08/)N$a[Heading in Cyrillic script]

880
#0$6650-09/)N$a[Heading in Cyrillic script]

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MODEL B - SIMPLE MULTISCRIPT RECORDS

This example is a multiscript record that follows Model B. In this example, the language of cataloging is English (Latin script), thus the notes, subjects, etc. are in English. The name of the community event is a mixture of both Hebrew and Latin scripts.


040
##$a***$ceng$d***

245
#0$aThe Life of [Name in Hebrew] :$bA Literary Review about Moses

270
1#$aBlessed Sacrament Catholic Church$k437-2247

307
8#$aOct. 10, 2000, 4 p.m.

440
#0$aThe Literary Bible program

511
##$aA lecture/demonstration by Betty Brown, biblical scholar and writer.

520
8#$a"The Life of [Name in Hebrew]: A Literary Review about Moses" examines several original texts describing the life of Moses. Includes a detailed discussion about the Hebrew language and its importance to the written canon of Moses' life.

531
##$bGeneral admission.

600
10$aMoses (Biblical leader)

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