1. Recent Developments in MARC21, the Music Edit
Jim Soe Nyun, Chair Encoding Standards Subcommittee
Town Hall Presentation
February 23, 2017
Orlando, Florida
Hello, everyone. I’m Jim Soe Nyun, Chair of CMC’s Encoding Standards Subcommittee. I’m here today to talk to you about recent changes to the MARC 21 format.

2. Some context: “MARC must die[!]” --Roy Tennant, Library Journal, 2002
But before I go on let me start with this quote from Roy Tennant that I’m sure most of you have heard by now: “MARC must die!” That statement is now 15 years old.

3. Some context: “MARC must die[!]” --Roy Tennant, Library Journal, 2002
“If MARC dies, it will be through obesity.” --Sally McCallum, OCLC Linked Data Roundtable, ALA Midwinter, 2017
Jump forward with me 15 years to recent times, when Sally McCallum was heard saying this at the recent ALA Midwinter meeting: “If MARC dies, it will be through obesity.” Yes, MARC is still with us—and growing. Let me point out the changes and—yes—additions that have taken place in the format during the past year that will be of interest to music catalogers.

4. MARC Update 22, Bibliographic, April 2016
■ New content designators:
Codes
Code n - Not Applicable in Sound Recording 007/03 (Speed) 
Code n - Not Applicable in Sound Recording 007/10 (Kind of material) 
Code r - Remote in Sound Recording 007/01 (Specific material designation) 
Code s - Standalone device in Electronic Resource 007/01 (Specific material designation) 
Subfields
$r Total number of individuals performing alongside ensembles (NR) in 382          (Medium of Performance)
$t Total number of ensembles (NR) in 382 (Medium of Performance)
$0 Authority record control number or standard number (R) in 753 (System          Details Access to Computer Files)
$2 Source of term (NR) in 753 (System Details Access to Computer Files)
■ Changes in content designator names and definitions:
Character Positions
Speed redescribed in Sound Recording 007/03 (Speed)
Kind of material redescribed in Sound Recording 007/10 (Kind of material)
Codes
Code b - Chip cartridge redescribed in Electronic Resource 007/01 (Specific material designation)
Code s - Sound Recording redescribed in Sound Recording 007/00 (Category of material)
Subfields
$e Number of ensembles renamed Number of ensembles of the same type in 382          (Medium of Performance)
■ New content designators:
$r Total number of individuals performing alongside ensembles (NR) in 382          (Medium of Performance)
$t Total number of ensembles (NR) in 382 (Medium of Performance)
■ Changes in content designator names and definitions:
There have been two formal MARC updates this year, no. 22 and 23. These are the changes in Update 22. I know most of you can’t read this, but I’ll go into this in more detail in a few seconds. I’m subjecting you to this tiny typeface so that you can get a sense of how many of these changes will be of interest to you. This is the raw update…

5. MARC Update 22, Bibliographic, April 2016
■ New content designators:
Codes
Code n - Not Applicable in Sound Recording 007/03 (Speed) 
Code n - Not Applicable in Sound Recording 007/10 (Kind of material) 
Code r - Remote in Sound Recording 007/01 (Specific material designation) 
Code s - Standalone device in Electronic Resource 007/01 (Specific material designation) 
Subfields
$r Total number of individuals performing alongside ensembles (NR) in 382          (Medium of Performance)
$t Total number of ensembles (NR) in 382 (Medium of Performance)
$0 Authority record control number or standard number (R) in 753 (System          Details Access to Computer Files)
$2 Source of term (NR) in 753 (System Details Access to Computer Files)
■ Changes in content designator names and definitions:
Character Positions
Speed redescribed in Sound Recording 007/03 (Speed)
Kind of material redescribed in Sound Recording 007/10 (Kind of material)
Codes
Code b - Chip cartridge redescribed in Electronic Resource 007/01 (Specific material designation)
Code s - Sound Recording redescribed in Sound Recording 007/00 (Category of material)
Subfields
$e Number of ensembles renamed Number of ensembles of the same type in 382          (Medium of Performance)
■ New content designators:
$r Total number of individuals performing alongside ensembles (NR) in 382          (Medium of Performance)
$t Total number of ensembles (NR) in 382 (Medium of Performance)
■ Changes in content designator names and definitions:
…and this is the update with music-interest changes highlighted in red. I doubt any of you in the hall can read this. Worry not. I’ll come back to the individual changes in a moment.
Because of the long development cycles of MARC21 many of these were changes that were first discussed two years ago. MLA didn’t initiate all of these changes, but we did have a seat at the table when they were made. Let me quickly point out the specific changes.

6. MARC Update 22, Bibliographic, April 2016
■ New content designators:
Codes
Code n - Not Applicable in Sound Recording 007/03 (Speed) 
Code n - Not Applicable in Sound Recording 007/10 (Kind of material) 
Code r - Remote in Sound Recording 007/01 (Specific material designation) 
Code s - Standalone device in Electronic Resource 007/01 (Specific material designation) 
Now I’ll quickly go over the changes that are likely of immediate interest to anyone working with music. These first changes came about through work by the Canadian Committee on Metadata Exchange, and define codes for three positions in the 007 to give us better ways to describe digital sound recordings, including audio that is mounted on a remote server and would not have characteristics that we could ascertain easily.

7. MARC Update 22, Bibliographic, April 2016
Subfields
$r Total number of individuals performing alongside ensembles (NR) in 382          (Medium of Performance)
$t Total number of ensembles (NR) in 382 (Medium of Performance)
$0 Authority record control number or standard number (R) in 753 (System          Details Access to Computer Files)
$2 Source of term (NR) in 753 (System Details Access to Computer Files)
■ Changes in content designator names and definitions:
Character Positions
Speed redescribed in Sound Recording 007/03 (Speed)
Kind of material redescribed in Sound Recording 007/10 (Kind of material)
Marc Field 382 saw a lot of attention during this and the subsequent cycle of updates. Before this update, we only had $s, which allowed us to record the total number of individuals in a medium of performance for a solo or chamber work. Update 22 saw the introduction of two new subfields, $r and $t, to give us ways to better quantify the numbers of performers when the medium of performance includes one or more ensembles of indeterminate numbers of performers.
Because of the way the MARC Updates are issued, you’ll see me jump around a little from the results of one proposal to the results of another. The next lines of changes return the CCM proposal I just mentioned, and point out two previously extant values that had their definitions changed. Here, the re-definitions cover “speed” and “kind of material”…

8. MARC Update 22, Bibliographic, April 2016
Codes
Code b - Chip cartridge redescribed in Electronic Resource 007/01 (Specific material                            designation)
Code s - Sound Recording redescribed in Sound Recording 007/00 (Category of                            material)
Subfields
$e Number of ensembles renamed Number of ensembles of the same type in 382          (Medium of Performance)
…and here you see that the definitions for “chip cartridge” and “sound recording” itself have changed. The latter is a modification that clarifies that the concept of “sound recording” can encompass piano rolls and music box discs that technically may not be recordings of audio events that actually took place.
Also, in the category of changes, is $e of the 382, for which we changed the label to clarify its use.

9. MARC Update 22, Authority, April 2016
■ New content designators:
Subfields
$r Total number of individuals performing alongside ensembles (NR) in 382          (Medium of Performance)
$t Total number of ensembles (NR) in 382 (Medium of Performance)
■ Changes in content designator names and definitions:
$e Number of ensembles renamed Number of ensembles of the same type in 382          (Medium of Performance)
Rounding out changes to MARC Update 22 are these new and redefined subfields for Field 382 that parallel changes in the Bibliographic Format.
Before going on to the next update I’d like to point out changes that in MARC Update 22 were components of changes made to OCLC that were announced in Technical Bulletin 266. The following update that I’m about to discuss, however, contains some MARC changes that will not be available in the OCLC system until the next system update.

10. MARC Update 23, Bibliographic, November, 2016
■ New content designators:
Fields
647Subject Added Entry-Named Event (R)
885Matching Information (R)
Indicators
0281st indicator Type of number:
6 - Distributor number
Subfields
$e Relator term (R) in 752 (Added Entry-Hierarchical Place Name)
$0 Authority record control number or standard number (R) in 257 (Country          of Producing Entity)
$0 Authority record control number or standard number (R) in 377 (Associated          Language)
$3 Materials specified (NR) in 382 (Medium of Performance)
$4 Relator code (R) in 752 (Added Entry-Hierarchical Place Name)
Codes
Code n - Non-ISBD punctuation omitted in Leader/18 (Descriptive cataloging form) 
Code p - Piano score in Music 008/20 (Format of music) 
Code u - General linking, type unspecified in $8 (Field link and sequence number)                             in Appendix A (Control Subfields) 
■ Changes in content designator names and definitions:
Fields
028Publisher Number redefined and renamed Publisher or Distributor Number
046Special Coded Dates field definition and scope redescribed
Indicators
0281st indicator: Type of publisher number renamed Type of number
1 - Matrix number - instruction removed: "Use as an identifying number       when the item has no issue or label number"
3 - Other music number renamed Other music publisher number
4 - Videorecording number renamed Video recording publisher number
Subfields
$a Publisher number renamed Publisher or distributor number in 028          (Publisher and Distributor Numbers)
$a Stock number redescribed in 037 (Source of Acquisition)
$b Source redescribed in 028 (Publisher and Distributor Numbers)
$b Date 1, B.C. date renamed Date 1, B.C.E. date in 046          (Special Coded Dates)
$d Date 2, B.C. date renamed Date 2, B.C.E. date in 046          (Special Coded Dates)
$k Beginning or single date created redescribed in 046          (Special Coded Dates)
$0 Authority record control number or standard number redescribed in           Appendix A (Control Subfields)
Codes
Code b - Full score, miniature or study size renamed Miniature or study score                             and redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
Code i - Condensed score redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
Code k - Vocal score redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
Code l - Score redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
Code z - Other redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
■ Editorial modifications: 
Examples revised in 382 (Medium of Performance)
The second MARC Update of the year, No. 23, arrived in November.

11. MARC Update 23, Bibliographic, November, 2016
■ New content designators:
Fields
647Subject Added Entry-Named Event (R)
885Matching Information (R)
Indicators
0281st indicator Type of number:
6 - Distributor number
Subfields
$e Relator term (R) in 752 (Added Entry-Hierarchical Place Name)
$0 Authority record control number or standard number (R) in 257 (Country          of Producing Entity)
$0 Authority record control number or standard number (R) in 377 (Associated          Language)
$3 Materials specified (NR) in 382 (Medium of Performance)
$4 Relator code (R) in 752 (Added Entry-Hierarchical Place Name)
Codes
Code n - Non-ISBD punctuation omitted in Leader/18 (Descriptive cataloging form) 
Code p - Piano score in Music 008/20 (Format of music) 
Code u - General linking, type unspecified in $8 (Field link and sequence number)                             in Appendix A (Control Subfields) 
■ Changes in content designator names and definitions:
Fields
028Publisher Number redefined and renamed Publisher or Distributor Number
046Special Coded Dates field definition and scope redescribed
Indicators
0281st indicator: Type of publisher number renamed Type of number
1 - Matrix number - instruction removed: "Use as an identifying number       when the item has no issue or label number"
3 - Other music number renamed Other music publisher number
4 - Videorecording number renamed Video recording publisher number
Subfields
$a Publisher number renamed Publisher or distributor number in 028          (Publisher and Distributor Numbers)
$a Stock number redescribed in 037 (Source of Acquisition)
$b Source redescribed in 028 (Publisher and Distributor Numbers)
$b Date 1, B.C. date renamed Date 1, B.C.E. date in 046          (Special Coded Dates)
$d Date 2, B.C. date renamed Date 2, B.C.E. date in 046          (Special Coded Dates)
$k Beginning or single date created redescribed in 046          (Special Coded Dates)
$0 Authority record control number or standard number redescribed in           Appendix A (Control Subfields)
Codes
Code b - Full score, miniature or study size renamed Miniature or study score                             and redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
Code i - Condensed score redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
Code k - Vocal score redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
Code l - Score redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
Code z - Other redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
■ Editorial modifications: 
Examples revised in 382 (Medium of Performance)
As with the first Update of the year, this one also had many changes that should be of interest to us.

12. MARC Update 23, Bibliographic, November, 2016
Indicators
0281st indicator Type of number:
6 - Distributor number
Subfields
$e Relator term (R) in 752 (Added Entry-Hierarchical Place Name)
$0 Authority record control number or standard number (R) in 257 (Country          of Producing Entity)
$0 Authority record control number or standard number (R) in 377 (Associated          Language)
$3 Materials specified (NR) in 382 (Medium of Performance)
$4 Relator code (R) in 752 (Added Entry-Hierarchical Place Name)
Codes
Code n - Non-ISBD punctuation omitted in Leader/18 (Descriptive cataloging form) 
Code p - Piano score in Music 008/20 (Format of music) 
Code u - General linking, type unspecified in $8 (Field link and sequence number)                             in Appendix A (Control Subfields) 
The first part of the update, this screen, contains results from three separate MARC Proposals from MLA, one of those with OLAC co-sponsorship.
One proposal defined a new indicator value of “6” in Field 028 to indicate that the number contained in the field is a distributor number. This was a fairly complex proposal, and subsequent screens will have other changes associated with it.
A simpler proposal asked for $3 to be defined in the 382. We got it.
Another proposal worked to clarify some definitions of Format of music, position 20 of the 008. We changed some definitions as you’ll see later, and we also added a new code for piano score.

13. MARC Update 23, Bibliographic, November, 2016
■ Changes in content designator names and definitions:
Fields
028Publisher Number redefined and renamed Publisher or Distributor Number
046Special Coded Dates field definition and scope redescribed
Indicators
0281st indicator: Type of publisher number renamed Type of number
1 - Matrix number - instruction removed: "Use as an identifying number       when the item has no issue or label number"
3 - Other music number renamed Other music publisher number
4 - Videorecording number renamed Video recording publisher number
Subfields
$a Publisher number renamed Publisher or distributor number in 028          (Publisher and Distributor Numbers)
$a Stock number redescribed in 037 (Source of Acquisition)
$b Source redescribed in 028 (Publisher and Distributor Numbers)
Returning to the results of the proposal looking to establish a home for distributor numbers, the name of the 028 field was changed to describe its enlarged role, the meanings of several indicators clarified or restricted, and two subfields were renamed or redescribed. The old MARC documentation was not perfectly clear when you would use Field 028 versus Field 037 for certain kinds of numbers; so, in the process of defining “distributor number” in the 028, we clarified the scope of “Stock number” in Field 037, Source of Acquisition.

14. MARC Update 23, Bibliographic, November, 2016
Codes
Code b - Full score, miniature or study size renamed Miniature or study score                             and redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
Code i - Condensed score redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
Code k - Vocal score redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
Code l - Score redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
Code z - Other redescribed in Music 008/20 (Format of music)
■ Editorial modifications: 
Examples revised in 382 (Medium of Performance)
The final changes to the MARC Bibliographic Format in Update 23 hail from the MLA proposal to let catalogers better describe the kind of score in Music’s 008/20 in ways that complement RDA. Here you see that five code definitions were redescribed.
The final changes announced in Update 23 were changes not to MARC21 but to the supporting documentation. As with two proposals, these changes impact Field 382, Medium of Performance.

15. Revised Examples in Field 382 Documentation
Few fields in the MARC format have seen so much change in so short a time as the 382. Since its birth in 2012, some subfield definitions have changed, and the number of subfields greatly expanded. While the field developed and matured, the examples in its documentation didn’t keep up, and contained a historical core sample of recent practice layered with early practice from when there were only a very few subfields defined.
We acknowledge that the MARC documentation is primarily a tool to understand the components that make up the formats, and is not intended to also serve as a guide to best practices. Still, seeing the internal consistencies and old-style practice in the examples in Field 382’s documentation made us feel that we could do better. This past summer a team of several Encoding Standards Subcommittee members plus one from the Vocabularies Subcommittee worked through the examples and developed updates and replacements for the deficient examples. When MARC Update 23 was published these changes went live in the MARC21 documentation. We hope these change make the documentation much easier to use.
Here you see a screen shot of the documentation for the Bibliographic 382. I don’t expect you to be able to read the changes, but you can see all the little lines of red text that represent changed examples.

16. MARC Update 23, Authority, November, 2016
■ Editorial modifications: 
Examples revised in 382 (Medium of Performance)
My final slide shows the Authority Format portion of MARC Update 23. Here you see acknowledgement that we also cleaned up the examples in the documentation for the Authority Format for Field 382.
There you have it, the published changes made to MARC21 in MARC: definitely not dead. Yes, you’ve seen the formats gain just a bit of mass, but you can see that we’re also working quite a bit on retraining and strengthening what’s already in MARC to keep it relevant to what’s going on in our world today.