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MARC 21 REFERENCE MATERIALS

Part VIII: A Summary of Commonly Used MARC 21 Authority Fields
Part IX: A List of Other Fields Often Seen in MARC 21 Authority Records
Part X: The Leader
Part XI: Field 008

Part VIII

A Summary of Commonly Used MARC 21 Authority Fields

This is a summary of the MARC 21 tags used most frequently by libraries when creating their own authority records. For full listings of the MARC 21 tags, indicators and subfield codes, see the MARC 21 Format for Authority Data.

In the explanations of these pages:

Tags -- The tags (3-digit numbers) are followed by the names of the fields they represent. In this summary, and in the MARC 21 Format for Authority Data, if a tag can appear more than once in an authority record, it is labeled repeatable (R). If it can only be used once, it is labeled non-repeatable (NR). For example, a record must only have one authorized heading (1XX fields), however, it may have several see from tracings (4XX fields).

Indicators -- The use of indicators is explained in fields where they are used. Indicators are one-digit numbers. Beginning with the 010 field (Library of Congress Control Number), in every field -- following the tag -- are two character positions, one for Indicator 1 and one for Indicator 2. The indicators are not actually defined in all fields, however. And, it is possible that a second indicator will be used, while the first indicator remains undefined (or vice versa). When an indicator is undefined, the character position will be represented by the character # (for blank space).

Subfield codes -- All the data in each field (beginning with the 010 field) is divided into subfields, each of which is preceded by a delimiter-subfield code combination. The most common subfield codes used with each tag are shown. Each subfield code is preceded by the character $, signifying a delimiter. The name of the subfield follows the code.

In general, every field should contain a subfield ‘a' ($a). Some subfields are repeatable, while others may not be repeated. In this summary, both repeatability and nonrepeatability are noted for all subfields.

Examples: Examples follow the explanation for each field. For clarity, one space has been placed between the tag and the first indicator, one space has been placed between the second indicator and the first delimiter-subfield code, and one space has been inserted between the delimiter-subfield code and the subfield data.

010 Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) (NR, or Not Repeatable)

Indicators undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Library of Congress Control Number (NR)

Example:   010 ##  $a n##84214414#

040 Cataloging Source (NR)

Indicators undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Original cataloging agency (NR)

$c Transcribing agency (NR)

$d Modifying agency (R)

Example:   040 ##  $a DLC
                  $c DLC
                  $d Nc

100 Heading -- Personal Name (NR)

Indicator 1: Type of personal name entry element

0   Forename

1   Surname (this is the most common form)

3   Family name

Indicator 2 undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Personal name (NR)

$b Numeration (NR)

$c Titles and other words associated with a name (R)

$t Title of a work (in name/title headings) (NR)

$d Dates associated with a name (generally, year of birth) (NR)

$q Fuller form of name (NR)

Example:   100 0#  $a Gustaf 
                  $b V, 
                  $c King of Sweden, 
                  $d 1858-1950.

110 Heading -- Corporate Name (NR)

Indicator 1: Type of corporate name entry element

0   Inverted name

1   Jurisdiction name

2  Name in direct order

Indicator 2 undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Corporate name or jurisdiction name as entry element (NR)

$b Subordinate unit (R)

$c Location of meeting (NR)

$d Date of meeting or treaty signing (R)

$t Title of a work (in name/title headings) (NR)

Example:   
         110 2#  $a Association for Childhood Education 
		 International.
                 $b Summer Seminar 
                 $d (1980 :  
                 $c Taipei, Taiwan)

111 Heading -- Meeting Name (NR)

Indicator 1: Type of meeting name entry element

0   Inverted name

1   Jurisdiction name

2  Name in direct order

Indicator 2 undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Meeting name or jurisdiction name as entry element (NR)

$c Location of meeting (NR)

$d Date of meeting (NR)

$t Title of a work (in name/title headings) (NR)

Example:   
         111 2#  $a Symposium International "Manuel Pedroso" 
                     In Memoriam
                 $d (1976 :  
                 $c Guanajuato, Mexico)

130 Heading -- Uniform Title (NR)

Indicator 1 undefined.

Indicator 2: Number of nonfiling characters present

(For initial articles, including spaces)

Subfields used most often:

$a Uniform title (NR)

$f Date of a work (NR)

$l Language of a work (NR)

$p Name of part/section of a work (R)

$s Version (NR)

Example:   130 #0  $a Bible
                  $p O.T.   
                  $p Five Scrolls.  
                  $l Hebrew.  
                  $s Biblioteca apostolica Vaticana.

150 Heading -- Topical Term (NR)

Indicators undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Topical term (NR)

$v Form subdivision (R)

$x General subdivision (R)

$y Chronological subdivision (R)

$z Geographic subdivision (R)

Example:   150 ##  $a Painting, Chinese
                  $y Sung-Yüan dynasties, 960-1368   
                  $x Societies, etc.

151 Heading -- Geographic Name (NR)

Indicators undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Geographic name (NR)

$v Form subdivision (R)

$x General subdivision (R)

$y Chronological subdivision (R)

$z Geographic subdivision (R)

Example:   151 ##  $a United States
                  $x Foreign relations 
                  $y 1933- 
                  $v Periodicals

155 Heading -- Genre/Form Term (NR)

Indicators undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Genre/form term (NR)

$v Form subdivision (R)

$x General subdivision (R)

$y Chronological subdivision (R)

$z Geographic subdivision (R)

Example:   155 ##  $a Hymnals
                  $z Massachusetts 
                  $y 18th century

400 See From Tracing -- Personal Name (R)

Indicator 1: Type of personal name entry element

0   Forename

1   Surname (this is the most common form)

3   Family name

Indicator 2 undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Personal name (NR)

$b Numeration (NR)

$c Titles and other words associated with a name (R)

$d Dates associated with a name (generally, year of birth) (NR)

$q Fuller form of name (NR)

$t Title of a work (in name/title headings) (NR)

Example:   400 1#  $a Singh, Bhagat, 
                  $d 1921-

410 See From Tracing -- Corporate Name (R)

Indicator 1: Type of corporate name entry element

0   Inverted name

1   Jurisdiction name

2  Name in direct order

Indicator 2 undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Corporate name or jurisdiction name as entry element (NR)

$b Subordinate unit (R)

$d Date of meeting or treaty signing (R)

$t Title of a work (in name/title headings) (NR)

Example:   410 1#  $a Honduras.
                  $b Estudios Territoriales, Oficina de

411 See From Tracing -- Meeting Name (R)

Indicator 1: Type of meeting name entry element

0   Inverted name

1   Jurisdiction name

2  Name in direct order

Indicator 2 undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Meeting name or jurisdiction name as entry element (NR)

$c Location of meeting (NR)

$d Date of meeting (NR)

$t Title of a work (in name/title headings) (NR)

Example:   411 2#  $a Jakob-Stainer-Symposium
                  $d (1983 :  
                  $c Innsbruck, Austria)

430 See From Tracing -- Uniform Title (R)

Indicator 1 undefined.

Indicator 2: Number of nonfiling characters present

(For initial articles, including spaces)

Subfields used most often:

$a Uniform title (NR)

$f Date of a work (NR)

$l Language of a work (NR)

$p Name of part/section of a work (R)

$s Version (NR)

Example: 
      430 #0  $a Chronicles of Narnia 
      (Collier Books (Firm))

450 See From Tracing -- Topical Term (R)

Indicators undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Topical term (NR)

$v Form subdivision (R)

$x General subdivision (R)

$y Chronological subdivision (R)

$z Geographic subdivision (R)

Example:   450 ##  $a Music
                  $y 15th century
                  $x Theory

451 See From Tracing -- Geographic Name (R)

Indicators undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Geographic name (NR)

$v Form subdivision (R)

$x General subdivision (R)

$y Chronological subdivision (R)

$z Geographic subdivision (R)

Example:   451 ##  $a West Washington (D.C.)
                  $v Maps

455 See From Tracing -- Genre/Form Term (R)

Indicators undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Genre/form term (NR)

$v Form subdivision (R)

$x General subdivision (R)

$y Chronological subdivision (R)

$z Geographic subdivision (R)

Example:   455 ##  $a Sci-fi

500 See Also From Tracing -- Personal Name (R)

Indicator 1: Type of personal name entry element

0   Forename

1   Surname (this is the most common form)

3   Family name

Indicator 2 undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Personal name (NR)

$b Numeration (NR)

$c Titles and other words associated with a name (R)

$d Dates associated with a name (generally, year of birth) (NR)

$q Fuller form of name (NR)

$t Title of a work (in name/title headings) (NR)

Example:   500 1#  $a Fauré, Gabriel, 
                  $d 1845-1924

510 See Also From Tracing -- Corporate Name (R)

Indicator 1: Type of corporate name entry element

0   Inverted name

1   Jurisdiction name

2  Name in direct order

Indicator 2 undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Corporate name or jurisdiction name as entry element (NR)

$b Subordinate unit (R)

$d Date of meeting or treaty signing (R)

$t Title of a work (in name/title headings) (NR)

Example:   510 1#  $a Missouri.
                  $b State Highway Patrol. 
                  $b Criminal Records Section

511 See Also From Tracing -- Meeting Name (R)

Indicator 1: Type of meeting name entry element

0   Inverted name

1   Jurisdiction name

2  Name in direct order

Indicator 2 undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Meeting name or jurisdiction name as entry element (NR)

$c Location of meeting (NR)

$d Date of meeting (NR)

$t Title of a work (in name/title headings) (NR)

Example:   
         511 2#  $a International Drip/Trickle 
                    Irrigation Congress

530 See Also From Tracing -- Uniform Title (R)

Indicator 1 undefined.

Indicator 2: Number of nonfiling characters present

(For initial articles, including spaces)

Subfields used most often:

$a Uniform title (NR)

$f Date of a work (NR)

$l Language of a work (NR)

$p Name of part/section of a work (R)

$s Version (NR)

Example:   530 #0  $a Dead Sea scrolls

550 See Also From Tracing -- Topical Term (R)

Indicators undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Topical term (NR)

$v Form subdivision (R)

$x General subdivision (R)

$y Chronological subdivision (R)

$z Geographic subdivision (R)

Example:   550 ##  $a Indians of North America
                  $x Wars
                  $y 1862-1865

551 See Also From Tracing -- Geographic Name (R)

Indicators undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Geographic name (NR)

$v Form subdivision (R)

$x General subdivision (R)

$y Chronological subdivision (R)

$z Geographic subdivision (R)

Example:   
         551 ##  $a Belgrano (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

555 See Also From Tracing -- Genre/Form Term (R)

Indicators undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Genre/form term (NR)

$v Form subdivision (R)

$x General subdivision (R)

$y Chronological subdivision (R)

$z Geographic subdivision (R)

Example:   
				555 ##  $a 3-D films

670 Source Data Found (R)

Indicators undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Source citation (NR)

$b Information found (R)

Example:   670 ##  $a His Ireland, 1974. 
                  $b t.p. (Howard Smith)

680 Public General Note (R)

Indicators undefined.

Subfields used most often:

$a Heading or subdivision term (R)

$i Explanatory text (R)

Example:   
         680 ##  $i Here are entered works on 
         methane as a combustible gas formed in coal mines.
         Works on methane present in a stratum 
         of coal are entered under $a Coalbed methane.

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Part IX

A List of Other Fields Often Seen in MARC 21 Authority Records

001	Control number
003	Control number identifier
005	Date and time of latest transaction
008	Fixed-length date elements (See Part XI)
035	System control number
053	LC classification number
083	Dewey Decimal classification number

Authority records for series often contain the following fields:

640	Series dates of publication and/or sequential designation
641	Series numbering peculiarities
642	Series numbering example
643	Series place and publisher/issuing body
644	Series analysis practice
645	Series tracing practice
646	Series classification practice

Authority records sometimes contain the following reference fields:

663	Coomplex see also reference -- Name
664	Complex see reference -- Name
665	History reference
666	General explanatory reference -- Name

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Part X

The Leader

There are 24 positions in the Leader, numbered from 00 to 23. For a fuller explanation, see the MARC 21 Format for Authority Data.

An example of a Leader is the following:

LDR  00677nz###2200145n##4500

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Part XI

Field 008

Field 008 is used for Fixed-Length Data elements. There are 40 character positions in field 008, numbered from 00-39. Undefined positions must contain either a blank (#) or a fill character ( | ). Please note that like all of the other variable control fields, field 008 has no indicators or subfield codes. For a fuller explanation, see the MARC 21 Format for Authority Data.

An example of a 008 field is the following:

008  860107in#acannaaan##########sa#ana#####u

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