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DATE: December 13, 2016
REVISED:
NAME: Using a Classification Record Control Number as a Link in the MARC 21 Bibliographic and Authority Formats
SOURCE: German National Library
SUMMARY: This paper proposes a linking mechanism from a MARC Bibliographic or a MARC Authority record to a MARC Classification record by using a subfield $0, containing the record control number of the MARC Classification record as an identifier.
KEYWORDS: Subfield $0 (BD, AD); Authority record control number or standard number (BD, AD); Classification record control number (BD, AD)
RELATED: 2016-DP28
STATUS/COMMENTS:
12/13/16 – Made available to the MARC community for discussion.
01/22/17 – Results of MARC Advisory Committee discussion: Approved. The 083 field (Dewey Decimal Classification Number) will be removed from the proposal's list of fields in the MARC Authority format for which subfield $0 will be defined.
03/21/17 - Results of MARC Steering Group review - Agreed with the MAC decision.
Libraries in Germany have a tradition of creating classification records for different classification systems, among them the "Regensburger Verbundklassifikation", a classification system widely spread over German library systems ( http://rvk.uni-regensburg.de ).
The creation and usage of classification records provide a similar level of control and flexibility as the creation and usage of authority records: In the classification record the information about a single entity is given, by textual notes, by codes and by relationships (e.g. hierarchical, chronological) to other entities inside of the classification file, all based on the systematic approach that the classification system takes.
In 2015, libraries from the Southwestern Regional Library Network of Germany (BSZ/SWB) started to link to a classification record from a field of a bibliographic record, thus performing "classification control" (similar to "authority control"), using the record control number of the classification record as a way to identify the entity described in the classification record.
In our specific case, to control a field 084 (Other Classification Number) the intention is to have the classification number in $a (Classification number) and the value "rvk" in $2 (Number source), and in addition to provide a link to the classification record, using the record control number of the classification record.
As listed in the Discussion Paper 2016-DP28, other classification fields of the MARC Bibliographic format were given consideration to be enriched accordingly:
050 - Library of Congress Call Number (R)
052 - Geographic Classification (R)
055 - Classification Numbers Assigned in Canada (R)
060 - National Library of Medicine Call Number (R)
070 - National Agricultural Library Call Number (R)
080 - Universal Decimal Classification Number (R)
082 - Dewey Decimal Classification Number (R)
083 - Additional Dewey Decimal Classification Number (R)
085 - Synthesized Classification Number Components (R)
086 - Government Document Classification Number (R)
Field 084 is currently defined in the Bibliographic format as follows:
084 - Other Classification Number (R)
First Indicator: # - Undefined
Second Indicator: # - Undefined
Subfield Codes
$a - Classification number (R)
$b - Item number (NR)
$q - Assigning agency (NR)
$2 - Number source (NR)
$6 - Linkage (NR)
$8 - Field link and sequence number (R)Field Definition and Scope
Classification number from a scheme not covered by one of the other number fields. The field should not be used for classification numbers assigned from a source for which a subfield $2 source of number code would not be assigned.
The MARC code list used for $2 is the list of "Classification Scheme Source Codes", online at http://www.loc.gov/standards/sourcelist/classification.html.
On the list, there is an entry "rvk" for the "Regensburger Verbundklassifikation (RVK)", pointing to the RVK web page at http://www.bibliothek.uni-regensburg.de/Systematik/systemat.html.
Defining one additional subfield for a link to a classification record by using its record control number seems to be a way of solving the issue. Exploring this path, a good candidate is the subfield $0, which in Appendix A: Control Subfields of the Bibliographic Format is defined as follows:
$0 - Authority record control number or standard number
Subfield $0 contains the system control number of the related authority record, or a standard identifier such as an International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI). The control number or identifier is preceded by the appropriate MARC Organization code (for a related authority record) or the Standard Identifier source code (for a standard identifier scheme), enclosed in parentheses. In the latter case, the parenthetical "(uri)" is redundant and should not be included if the identifier is given in the form of a Web retrieval protocol, e.g., HTTP URI, which is self-identifying.
See MARC Code List for Organizations for a listing of organization codes and Standard Identifier Source Codes for code systems for standard identifiers. Subfield $0 is repeatable for different control numbers or identifiers.
Subfield $0 is to be used for recording URIs which represent objects in RDF triple statements.
Subfield $0 would have to be broadened in scope, to accommodate Classification record control numbers, in addition to Authority record control numbers and standard numbers.
In Discussion Paper 2016-DP28 a second option was explored, the definition of a new subfield $1 specifically designated to carry a "Classification record control number". During the discussion by the MARC Advisory Committee in its meeting in June 2016, there was a general preference for the expansion of subfield $0 (Authority record control number or standard number) to encompass classification record control numbers rather than defining a new subfield $1 to record this information. It was noted that subfield $1 should be kept in reserve for accommodating changes in MARC with a potentially higher impact.
In the Discussion Paper we asked whether subfield $0 (Authority record control number or standard number) should be renamed to "Authority or classification record control number or standard number". It was consensus among the MARC Advisory Committee that "classification control" can be subsumed under "authority control", so that the name of subfield $0 can be left unchanged. The broadened scope of subfield $0 is be mentioned in the MARC documentation (Appendix A "Control Subfields").
In addition, it was noted that if there were any fields besides 084 (Other Classification Number) in which it would be desirable to define subfield $0 for classification record control numbers (as listed above), then details should be provided to the German National Library. In October 2016 a question to the MAC listserv, with the subject "Links to Classification Records - where?" was answered by Kat Timms (Information Standards Specialist, Published Heritage Branch, Library and Archives Canada / Government of Canada). She stated that no single record would correspond to a classification number given in fields 082 and 083, and recommended an abbreviated list, containing the following fields:
050 - Library of Congress Call Number (R)
052 - Geographic Classification (R)
055 - Classification Numbers Assigned in Canada (R)
060 - National Library of Medicine Call Number (R)
070 - National Agricultural Library Call Number (R)
080 - Universal Decimal Classification Number (R)
085 - Synthesized Classification Number Components (R)
086 - Government Document Classification Number (R)
Furthermore it was noted during the MAC meeting in June 2016 that subfield $0 should in addition be defined in fields of the MARC Authority Format which carry classification information. Addressing this suggestion, we explored the MARC Authority Format and list the following fields:
050 - Library of Congress Call Number (R)
052 - Geographic Classification (R)
053 - LC Classification Number (R)
055 - Library and Archives Canada Call Number (R)
060 - National Library of Medicine Call Number (R)
065 - Other Classification Number (R)
070 - National Agricultural Library Call Number (R)
080 - Universal Decimal Classification Number (R)
083 - Dewey Decimal Classification Number (R)
087 - Government Document Classification Number (R)
3.1. Bibliographic Format:
084 ## $aPS 4080$0(DE-576)201436450$2rvk
084 ## $aPS 4100$0(DE-576)201239000$2rvk
084 ## $aST 601$0(DE-576)20114283X$2rvk
084 ## $aZN 6040$0(DE-576)200877518$2rvk
3.2. Authority Format:
065 ## $aPS 4080$0(DE-576)201436450$2rvk
065 ## $aPS 4100$0(DE-576)201239000$2rvk
065 ## $aST 601$0(DE-576)20114283X$2rvk
065 ## $aZN 6040$0(DE-576)200877518$2rvk
Notes:
"DE-576" is the ISIL = MARC Organization Code for the Southwestern Regional Library Network (see entry at http://sigel.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/nc/suche/?isil=DE-576).
The classification RVK itself has an ISIL = MARC Organization Code "DE-625" on its own (see entry at http://sigel.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/nc/suche/?isil=DE-625).
The record control numbers in the MARC records have the potential to support the transformation of data into BIBFRAME.
5.1. In the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format, define subfield $0 in the following fields:
050 - Library of Congress Call Number (R)
052 - Geographic Classification (R)
055 - Classification Numbers Assigned in Canada (R)
060 - National Library of Medicine Call Number (R)
070 - National Agricultural Library Call Number (R)
080 - Universal Decimal Classification Number (R)
084 - Other Classification Number (R)
085 - Synthesized Classification Number Components (R)
086 - Government Document Classification Number (R)
5.2. In the MARC 21 Authority Format, define subfield $0 in the following fields:
050 - Library of Congress Call Number (R)
052 - Geographic Classification (R)
053 - LC Classification Number (R)
055 - Library and Archives Canada Call Number (R)
060 - National Library of Medicine Call Number (R)
065 - Other Classification Number (R)
070 - National Agricultural Library Call Number (R)
080 - Universal Decimal Classification Number (R)
083 - Dewey Decimal Classification Number (R)
087 - Government Document Classification Number (R)
5.3. In the MARC 21 Bibliographic and Authority Formats, broaden the scope of $0 to include classification record control numbers:
In the respective appendices "Appendix A: Control Subfields" of the MARC Bibliographic Format and of the MARC Authority Format, document the broadened scope of $0 (Authority record control number or standard number) by changing the first sentence of the description from:
"Subfield $0 contains the system control number of the related authority record, or a standard identifier such as an International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI)."
to
"Subfield $0 contains the system control number of the related authority or classification record, or a standard identifier such as an International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI)."
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