MARC 21 Concise Bibliographic: Leader and Directory

This is an ARCHIVED VERSION of the 2004 electronic edition of the MARC 21 Concise Formats.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.

• LEADER
• DIRECTORY

Information for Translators and Other Users
Items highlighted in red indicate changes made after the 2003 edition of the MARC 21 Concise Formats was published and are included in the 2004 printed edition of the MARC 21 Concise Formats.

LEADER

A fixed field that comprises the first 24 character positions (00-23) of each record and provides information for the processing of the record.

Character Positions

• 00-04 - Record length
  The computer-generated, five-character numeric string that specifies the length of the entire record. The number is right justified and each unused position contains a zero.
• 05 - Record status
  Indicates the relation of the record to a file.
  • a - Increase in encoding level
    The Encoding level (Leader/17) of the record has been changed to a higher encoding level.
  • c - Corrected or revised
    A change other than in the Encoding level code has been made to the record.
  • d - Deleted
  • n - New
  • p - Increase in encoding level from prepublication
    The cataloging level of a prepublication record has changed because of the availability of the published item.
• 06 - Type of record
  Indicates the characteristics of and defines the components of the record.
  • a - Language material
    Includes printed, microform, and electronic language material.
  • c - Notated music
    Includes microform and electronic notated music.
  • d - Manuscript notated music
    Includes microform manuscript music.
  • e - Cartographic material
    Includes maps, atlases, globes, digital maps, and other cartographic items.
  • f - Manuscript cartographic material
    Includes microform manuscript maps.
  • g - Projected medium
    Examples include: motion pictures, videorecordings (including digital video), filmstrips, slides, transparencies, or material specifically designed for projection.
  • i - Nonmusical sound recording
    Examples include: speech.
  • j - Musical sound recording
    Examples include: phonodiscs, compact discs, or cassette tapes.
  • k - Two-dimensional nonprojectable graphic
    Examples include: activity cards, charts, collages, computer graphics, drawings, duplication masters, flash cards, paintings, photonegatives, photoprints, pictures, photo CDs, postcards, posters, prints, spirit masters, study prints, technical drawings, photomechanical reproductions, and reproductions of any of these.
  • m - Computer file
    Includes the following classes of electronic resources: computer software (including programs, games, fonts), numeric data, computer-oriented multimedia, online systems or services. For these classes of materials, if there is a significant aspect that causes it to fall into another Leader/06 category, the code for that significant aspect is used instead of code m (e.g., vector data that is cartographic is not coded as numeric but cartographic). Other classes of electronic resources are coded for their most significant aspect (e.g., language material, graphic, cartographic material, sound, music, moving image). In case of doubt or if the most significant aspect cannot be determined, consider the item a computer file.
  • o - Kit
    Contains a mixture of components from two or more types of items, none of which is the predominant constituent of the kit.
  • p - Mixed material
    Indicates that there are significant materials in two or more forms that are usually related by virtue of their having been accumulated by or about a person or body. Includes archival fonds and manuscript collections of mixed forms of materials, such as text, photographs, and sound recordings.
  • r - Three-dimensional artifact or naturally occurring object
    Includes man-made objects, such as models, dioramas, games, puzzles, simulations, sculptures and other three-dimensional art works and their reproductions, exhibits, machines, clothing, toys, and stitchery, and naturally occurring objects, such as microscope specimens and other specimens mounted for viewing.
  • t - Manuscript language material
• 07 - Bibliographic level
  Indicates the bibliographic level of the record.
  • a - Monographic component part
    A monographic bibliographic unit that is physically attached to or contained in another unit such that the retrieval of the component part is dependent on the identification and location of the host item or container. The record contains fields that describe the component part and data that identify the host, field 773 (Host Item Entry).
  • b - Serial component part
    A serial bibliographic unit that is physically attached to or contained in another serial unit such that the retrieval of the component part is dependent on the physical identification and location of the host item or container. The record contains fields that describe the component part and data that identify the host, field 773 (Host Item Entry).
  • c - Collection
    A made-up multipart group of items that were not originally published, distributed, or produced together. The record describes units defined by common provenance or administrative convenience for which the record is intended as the most comprehensive in the system.
  • d - Subunit
    A part of a collection, especially an archival unit described collectively elsewhere in the system. The record contains fields that describe the subunit and data that identify the Host Item Entry (field 773).
  • i - Integrating resource
    A bibliographic resource that is added to or changed by means of updates that do not remain discrete and are integrated into the whole. Examples include: Updating loose-leafs and updating Web sites.
  • m - Monograph/item
    An item either complete in one part (monograph) or intended to be completed in a finite number of separate parts (multivolume monograph).
  • s - Serial
    An item issued in successive parts bearing numerical or chronological designations and intended to be continued indefinitely (e.g., serials, journals, series, newspapers).
• 08 - Type of control
  • # - No specific type
  • a - Archival
• 09 - Character coding scheme
  Identifies the character coding scheme used in the record.
  • # - MARC-8
  • a - UCS/Unicode
• 10 - Indicator count
  The computer-generated number 2 that indicates the number of character positions used for indicators in a variable data field.
• 11 - Subfield code count
  The computer-generated number 2 that indicates the number of character positions used for each subfield code in a variable data field.
• 12-16 - Base address of data
  The computer-generated, five-character numeric string that indicates the first character position of the first variable control field in a record. The number is right justified and each unused position contains a zero.
• 17 - Encoding level
  Indicates the fullness of the bibliographic information and/or content designation of the MARC record.
  • # - Full level
    The most complete MARC level created from information derived from an inspection of the physical item.
  • 1 - Full level, material not examined
    The information used in creating the record is derived from an extant description of the item without reinspection of the physical item. This code is used primarily in the retrospective conversion of records when all of the information on the extant description is transcribed. Certain control field coding and other data elements are based only on explicit information in the description.
  • 2 - Less-than-full level, material not examined
    The information used in creating the record is derived from an extant description of the item without reinspection of the physical item. This code is used primarily in the retrospective conversion of records when all of the descriptive access points but only a specified subset of other data elements are transcribed. Authoritative headings may not be current.
  • 3 - Abbreviated level
    Indicates a brief record that does not meet the National Level Bibliographic Record minimal level cataloging specifications. Headings in the records may reflect established forms to the extent that such forms were available at the time the record was created.
  • 4 - Core level
  • 5 - Partial (preliminary) level
    A record that is not considered final by the creating agency (e.g., the headings may not reflect established forms; the record may not meet national-level cataloging specifications).
  • 7 - Minimal level
    A record that meets the national-level bibliographic record minimal-level cataloging specifications and is considered final by the creating agency. Headings reflect established forms. The U.S. requirements for minimal-level records can be found in National Level and Minimal Level Record Requirements (www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/nlr/)
  • 8 - Prepublication level
    Indicates a prepublication level record. This includes records create in cataloging in publication programs.
  • u - Unknown
    Used by an agency receiving or sending data to replace a local code when the appropriate MARC encoding level code cannot be determined. Code u is not used in newly input or updated records.
  • z - Not applicable
    The encoding level concept does not apply to the record.
• 18 - Descriptive cataloging form
  Indicates the descriptive cataloging form reflected in the record. Subfield $e (Description conventions) of field 040 (Cataloging Source) may contain additional information on the cataloging conventions used.
  • # - Non-ISBD
    The descriptive portion of the record does not follow International Standard Bibliographic Description (ISBD) cataloging and punctuation provisions.
  • a - AACR 2
    The descriptive portion of the record and the choice and form of entry of the access points are formulated according to either the second edition of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules or cataloging manuals based on AACR 2. The punctuation practices of ISBD apply.
  • i - ISBD
    The descriptive portion of the record is formulated according to the descriptive and punctuation provisions of ISBD. The heading forms are not formulated according to AACR 2. This category includes records that use ISBD punctuation but the other conventions used are unknown.
  • u - Unknown
    An organization receiving or sending data in Leader/18 cannot determine the appropriate descriptive cataloging form used in the record. Code u may be used in records converted from another metadata format.
• 19 - Linked record requirement
  Indicates whether a note containing basic identification information (i.e., main entry and title, main entry and uniform title, main entry under uniform title, title, uniform title, Standard Technical Report Number, or report number) can be generated from a Linking Entry field (76X-78X).
  • # - Related record not required
    The record contains basic identification information in every Linking Entry field in the record or in a related Linking Entry Complexity Note (field 580), or the record contains no 76X-78X Linking Entry field.
  • r - Related record required
    The record contains at least one 76X-78X Linking Entry field that does not contain basic identification information and contains no related Linking Entry Complexity Note (field 580) with basic identification information.
• 20-23 - Entry map
  Four computer-generated, single-digit numeric characters that indicate the structure of each entry in the Directory.
• 20 - Length of the length-of-field portion
  Contains a 4
• 21 - Length of the starting-character-position portion
  Contains a 5
• 22 - Length of the implementation-defined portion
  Contains a 0
• 23 - Undefined Entry map character position
  Contains a 0

Go to top of document

DIRECTORY

A computer-generated index to the location of the variable control and data fields within a record. The Directory immediately follows the Leader at character position 24 and consists of a series of fixed-length (12 character positions) entries that give the tag, length, and starting character position of each variable field.

Character Positions

• 00-02 - Tag
  Three numeric or alphabetic (uppercase or lowercase, but not both) characters that identify an associated field.
• 03-06 - Field length
  Four numeric characters that indicate the length of the field, including indicators, subfield codes, data, and the field terminator. The number is right justified and each unused position contains a zero.
• 07-11 - Starting character position
  Five numeric characters that indicate the starting character position of the field relative to the Base address of data (Leader/12-16) of the record. The number is right justified and each unused position contains a zero.

Go to top of document

Go to: MARC 21 Concise Bibliographic Format | MARC Home Page