MARC PROPOSAL NO. 2009-06/3

1. BACKGROUND

RDA identifies for each media type an associated repertoire of carrier types. It then specifies the description of carriers and words to use in those descriptions. In April 2009, a few carrier words were added to the RDA carriers descriptions. This proposal maps them to their appropriate places in MARC 21 and suggests that two be established as new coded values in MARC 21 007/01 (Specific material designation) to facilitate the mapping of RDA descriptions to MARC 21. Other carrier characteristics were discussed in the proposal 2009-01/2 and section 4 of that proposal can be consulted for additional context.

2. DISCUSSION

Microform carriers:

RDA has added the microform carrier “microfilm roll”. MARC field 338 was approved for carrier information with $a for the carrier name and $b for the carrier code. “Microfilm roll” can therefore be specified in field 338 $a. A list of draft codes was established for the corresponding 338 $b code subfield and “microfilm roll” would need to be added to that list. A code is also needed for the Microform 007/01 where current values are:

• a - Aperture card
• b - Microfilm cartridge
• c - Microfilm cassette
• d - Microfilm reel
• e - Microfiche
• f - Microfiche cassette
• g - Microopaque
• u - Unspecified
• z - Other
• | - No attempt to code

“Microfilm reel” is already a value in 007/01 (and is also on the RDA list) but a microfilm can be rolled without being on a reel and there is a need to distinguish these two phenomena. To facilitate the identification of microform rolls, a new code is needed for Microform 007/01.

• j - microfilm roll (with draft 338 code mj)

Projected image carriers:

RDA has added the projected image carrier “film roll”. As noted above, MARC field 338 was approved for carrier information with $a for the carrier name and $b for the carrier code. “Film roll” can therefore be specified in field 338 $a. A list of draft codes was established for the corresponding 338/$b code subfield and “film roll” could be added to that list. A code is also needed for t he Motion picture 007/01 where current values are:

• c - Film cartridge
• f - Film cassette
• r - Film reel
• u - Unspecified
• z - Other
• | - No attempt to code

“Film reel” is already a value in 007/01 (and is on the RDA list) but a film can be rolled without being on a reel and there is a need to distinguish these two phenomena. A new code needs to be added to Motion picture 007/01.

• o - film roll (with draft 338 code po)

(Note that MARC Projected graphic 007/01 does have a value for “microstrip roll” so it does not need modification, however, since RDA combines the projected graphic and the motion picture carriers into one list, perhaps “film roll”, which formerly was not on the RDA list for either film or for filmstrips, is intended to apply to both in RDA. The code “o” was proposed above because it is the code that is used on the Projected graphic 007/01 for “filmstrip roll”.)

Unmediated carriers:

“Object” is a carrier under the Media type “Unmediated” in RDA as a three-dimensional artifact or a naturally occurring object. As noted above, MARC field 338 was approved for carrier information with $a for the carrier name and $b for the carrier code. “Object” can therefore be specified in field 338 $a. A list of draft codes was established for the corresponding 338/$b code subfield and “object” can be added to that list. In this case “object” is already encoded in MARC 21 in LDR/06 (Type of record / Three-dimensional artifact or naturally occurring object). Therefore only a draft 338/$b code is needed.

           LDR/06 code r - object (with draft 338 code ur)

Digital file encoding format / Text encoding formats: megadots

RDA lists under “Describing carriers” around 35 digital encoding formats including some that apply to audio and video. To provide a specific encoding for them in MARC 21 would have required the extension of the Electronic resource 007, and a few additions to other encoding list in the 007. Since the digital encoding formats are already numerous and the vocabulary is certain to grow, the RDA/MARC Working Group decided not to add these in coded form to MARC since they are already expressed in MARC field 300 $b. Therefore the new RDA vocabulary term, “megadots” will be expressed in textual form in the appropriate existing MARC field.

Applied material: mixed material

RDA specifies under “Describing carriers” a list of “Applied material” such as ink, gouache, oil paint, charcoal, chalk, plaster, acrylic paint, dye, crayon, graphite, pastel, tempura, and watercolor. The stipulation is to list all that apply. In April another was added, “mixed material” for cases where there were several and they could not be specified. Applied material information is not currently in MARC 21 in coded form but field 340 (Physical medium) has a subfield $c (Materials applied to the surface) where the information is recorded. The RDA/MARC Working Group thus decided not to add an additional coded value area to the Nonprojected graphic 007 for this information, so “mixed material” will be expressed in textual form in the appropriate existing field, 340 $c.

3. PROPOSED CHANGES

In the MARC 21 Bibliographic format add the following coded values:

• Microform 007/01: j - microfilm roll (with draft 338 code mj)
• Motion picture 007/01: o - film roll (with draft 338 code po)

Add the following draft code to the 338/$b code list under Unmediated carrier:

• ur - object