MARC in 2011 Alan Hopkinson

Early MARC MARC developed by Library of Congress 1966; MARC II and UK MARC developed in 1968 (UK MARC has more subfields) MARC II > LC MARC > US MARC > MARC21 IFLA developed UNIMARC IN 1973 Many features were improvement on MARC MARC developed by Library of Congress 1966; MARC II and UK MARC developed in 1968 (UK MARC has more subfields) MARC II > LC MARC > US MARC > MARC21 IFLA developed UNIMARC IN 1973 Many features were improvement on MARC Record structure (ISO 2709) remained static Record structure (ISO 2709) remained static

UNIMARC: origins Joint project: Library of Congress, British Lib., National Library of Canada to develop an interpretative manual to improve consistency of UNIMARC as international exchange format Joint project: Library of Congress, British Lib., National Library of Canada to develop an interpretative manual to improve consistency of UNIMARC as international exchange format Conversions developed between US MARC and UNIMARC and UK MARC and UNIMARC UNIMARC adopted by countries as a national exchange format: e.g. China, France, Italy, Japan, Portugal, South Africa, USSR, Yugoslavia Conversions developed between US MARC and UNIMARC and UK MARC and UNIMARC UNIMARC adopted by countries as a national exchange format: e.g. China, France, Italy, Japan, Portugal, South Africa, USSR, Yugoslavia

MARC or UNIMARC? In 1997 LC changed policy: In 1997 LC changed policy: – renamed US MARC > MARC21 UNIMARC would not be used as international exchange format Australia (1991), New Zealand and UK (2004) national libraries change from national format (e.g.UK MARC) to US MARC / MARC21 Australia (1991), New Zealand and UK (2004) national libraries change from national format (e.g.UK MARC) to US MARC / MARC21

Changes UNIMARC continued to be used in most countries UNIMARC continued to be used in most countries – France, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia and neighbours (COBISS’s COMARC), Russia (RUSMARC), Greece, China, Japan, Taiwan South Africa, Czech Republic and Slovak Republic moved to MARC21 South Africa, Czech Republic and Slovak Republic moved to MARC21

MARC and cataloguing codes Bibliographic exchange formats depend on cataloguing codes for their data element definition UNIMARC hospitable to ISBD related formats MARC21 hospitable to AACR > RDA (Resource Discovery and Access) UNIMARC in process of implementing RDA

Other definitions used in UNIMARC Standard numbers, ISBN, ISMN, ISSN Authority records (UNIMARC/A) Classification schemes National practices (UNIMARC)

UNIMARC features – More logical structure (zoned) 0xx Standard Numbers 1xx Coded data 2xx ISBD data 3xx Notes 4xx Linking data 5xx Title Access points 6xx Subject data 7xx Name access points 8xx National usage

Granularity of subfields UNIMARC 700 $aHopkinson$bAlan MARC $aHopkinson, Alan

Title field MARC21 v. UNIMARC $aThe printer's manual$h[microform] /$cby Caleb Stower ; with a new introduction by John Bidwell. The printer's companion / by Edward Grattan ; with a new introduction by Clinton Sisson $aThe printer's manual$bmicroform$fby Caleb Stower$gwith a new introduction by John Bidwell$cThe printer's companion$fby Edward Grattan$gwith a new introduction by Clinton Sisson

Coded data UNIMARC: Many different fields 100General Processing Data 101Language of the Item 102Country of Publication or Production 105Coded Data Field: Textual materials, Monographic 106Coded Data Field: Textual materials – Physical Attributes 110Coded Data Field: Continuing Resources 115Coded Data Field: Visual Projections, Videorecordings and Motion Pictures 116Coded Data Field: Graphics 117Coded Data Field: Three-dimensional artifacts and realia

Coded data: MARC Fixed-Length Data Elements - Additional Material Characteristics Physical Description Fixed Field Fixed-Length Data Elements Character Position BK CF MP MU CR VM MX Date entered on file ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 06 Type of date/Publication status ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

UNIMARC governance IFLA Core activity led by National Library of Portugal Permanent UNIMARC Committee: 9 members from different countries plus UK plus LC/OCLC Anyone can make suggestions via members Meets formally once per year

UNIMARC Guidelines 1.Guidelines for Using UNIMARC for Component Parts (May 1999)Guidelines for Using UNIMARC for Component Parts 2.Guidelines for Using UNIMARC for Microforms (May 1999)Guidelines for Using UNIMARC for Microforms 3.Guidelines for Using UNIMARC for Older Monographic Publications (Antiquarian) (April 1998)Guidelines for Using UNIMARC for Older Monographic Publications 4.UNIMARC Minimal Level Record (Feb. 1999)UNIMARC Minimal Level Record 5.Multi-level Description: Encoding Options for UNIMARC (Feb. 1999)Multi-level Description: Encoding Options for UNIMARC 6.Electronic Resources (Aug. 2000)Electronic Resources 7.Music (July 2005)Music 8.Serials and Other Continuing Resources (October 2006)Serials and Other Continuing Resources

Use of MARC in internet age Key library management systems implement UNIMARC (ISO 2709) Import bibliographic records via Z39.50 Bibliographic records sent in file from bookseller corresponding to book invoice Records created by cataloguers where not available externally

Exchange format record structure ISO 2709 adopted as international standard in 1973 (based on magnetic tape structure) MarcXML / MarcXchange, XML not ISO cam a DLC s1993 caua j eng : $15.95

MarcXchange ISO 25577: MarcXchange DIS_25577__E_.pdf Contains UNIMARC examples

New XML formats MODS: Metadata Object Description Schema – Rich but not too rich metadata format – DL projects, archiving websites, OAI METS: schema for containing digital data objects with their metadata See standards showcase, ALA mets-ala/mods-mets-ala.html

Future of MARC formats XML is more exchangeable on the WWW Despite XML alternatives, records are transferred via traditional ISO 2709 between suppliers and library management systems – Commercial reasons (easier to control) – Inertia (why change a system if it works) – Inflexibility of ISO 2709 helps

Future of UNIMARC Similar reasons as general reasons for MARC Extensive use in various countries Support from IFLA Sources of records are being extended

Thank you!