Anatomy of a UNIMARC record
Example: Alain-Fournier's novel "Le Grand Meaulnes", translated into English as "The lost domain".001 0192122622@
010##$a0-19-212262-2$d�12.95@
020##$aUS$b59-12784@
020##$aGB$bb5920618@
100##$a19590202d1959####|||y0engy0103####ba@
1011#$aeng$cfre@
102##$aGB$ben@
105##$aac######000ay@
2001#$a{NSB}The {NSE}lost domain$fAlain-Fournier$gtranslated from the French by Frank
Davison$gafterword by John Fowles$gillustrated by Ian Beck@
210##$aOxford$cOxford University Press$d1959@
215##$aix,298p,10 leaves of plates$cill, col.port$d23cm@
311##$aTranslation of: Le Grand Meaulnes. Paris : Emile-Paul, 1913@
454#1$1001db140203$150010$a{NSB}Le {NSE}Grand Meaulnes$1700#0$aAlain-Fournier$f1886- 1914$1210##$aParis$cEmile-Paul$d1913@
50010$a{NSB}Le {NSE}Grand Meaulnes$mEnglish@
606##$aFrench fiction$2lc@
676##$a843/.912$v19@
680##$aPQ2611.O85@
700#0$aAlain-Fournier,$f1886-1914@
702#1$aDavison,$bFrank@
801#0$aUK$bWE/N0A$c19590202$gAACR2@
98700$aNov.1959/209@
Before looking at the MARC fields in detail, it is important to understand how the coding defines the data content. This is done by means of
field enumerators which are composed of the following elements:
- Tag: a three digit number, e.g. 700, which defines the type of bibliographic data.
- Indicators: two single digit numbers right after the tag, eg 700#0 , that either refine the field definition or show how the field should be treated for catalogue production, e.g. by signalling that a note should be made. Blanks are shown by the hash sign # to distinguish them from a space.
- Within each field, data is coded into one or more subfields, e.g. 700#0$a ... $b ..., etc., according to the kind or function of the information. The effect of the subfield coding is to refine further the definition of the data for computer processing. The subfield identifiers consist of a special character, represented by a $ in the examples, and a lower case alphabetic character or a number 0-9.
- Each field is followed by an end of field mark represented by the "at" sign @ in the examples.
Where necessary, # has been used to represent a blank.The role of the field enumerators is explained with reference to the preceding record.
Details
001 0192122622@
001 (the record identifier) is a unique number or combination of letters and numbers that serves to identify the record in a file. It is almost the only field not to have indicators.
010##$a0-19-212262-2$d�12.95@
This field holds the ISBN ($a) and price ($d). If the item were also available as a paperback then a second 010 field would hold a second ISBN and price, with a $bPbk to show that the data referred to the paperback version. Since the indicators serve no special function, they are both blank.
020##$aUS$b59-12784@
020##$aGB$bb5920618@
These fields show that the item has been assigned a national bibliography number that is unique to that bibliography. The first (59-12784) has been assigned by the Library of Congress so the country code ($a) is US.
1 2 3
012345678901234567890123456789012345
100## 19590202d1959####|||y0engy0103####ba@
This is a fixed-length field where the meaning of a character is dependent on its position. Hence the transcription above is preceded by numbers showing the character positions (cp).
| cp 0-7 | show that the record was added to the file in 1959 February 2nd. |
| cp 8-12 | show that the record is a monograph (d) published in 1959. |
| cp 13-16 | are not used for monographs and so contain blanks. |
| cp 17-19 | can include codes to show the intended audience, e.g. for children aged 9-14 (code d).
Here the positions hold the fill character (|) showing that the information is not provided by the agency. |
| cp 20 | indicates whether the item is a government publication. "y" means "no" |
| cp 21 | indicates whether the record has been modified (1) or not (0). This means that changes have had to be made because of the character sets used cannot express certain special characters and transliteration has been used. For example, "where there is a heart symbol in the title - I [heart symbol] Paris - the title may have to be transcribed as "I [love] Paris". |
| cp 22-24 | gives the language of cataloguing, in this case English. |
| cp 25 | gives the transliteration code. "y" means that no transliteration has been used |
| cp 26-33 | contain codes for the character sets used. 01 shows that the basic Latin set has been used, 03 covers the extended Latin set. The four blanks show that no additional sets have been used. |
| cp 34-35 | gives the script of the title as given in the item (which may not be the same as that of the record's title). In this case it is Latin. |
1011#$aeng$cfre@
This field gives details of the languages involved. The value of the first indicator (1) shows that the item is a translation. It is a translation into English ($a) from French ($c).
102##$aGB$ben@
The country of publication field contains the ISO standard code for the country (Great Britain). The code for the locality within the country ("en" for England) is peculiar to the cataloguing agency, as there is no ISO standard for this.
105##$aac######000ay@
The coded data field for books and other monographic publications is almost as complex as field 100. It indicates what illustrations the item has, whether it is a biography etc.
2001#$a{NSB}The {NSE}lost domain$fAlain-Fournier$gtranslated from the French by Frank Davison$gafterword by John Fowles$gillustrated by Ian Beck@
The title field has first indicator "1", showing that the title is significant: in a browsable list - printed microform or electronic - there would be an added entry filing at "Lost domain". To avoid having the title file in the "T" part of an alphabetical listing, the "The[space]" is preceded and succeeded by a special character (represented here by {NSB}and {NSE}) to show where the non-sorting characters begin and where they end. These characters would not appear in any listing or on a reader's computer screen.
$f indicates the first statement of responsibility; subsequent statements are coded $g.
210##$aOxford$cOxford University Press$d1959@
Details of publication, distribution etc. can be quite complex. In this case only three subfields are needed: $a for place, $c for publisher and $d for date. Cases where more detail was needed would include items by a minor publisher whose address could not readily be obtained; the address would appear in subfield $b.
215##$aix,298p,10 leaves of plates$cill, col.port$d23cm@
This field holds the physical description.
311##$aTranslation of: Le Grand Meaulnes. Paris : Emile-Paul, 1913@
This is a Note pertaining to linking fields and is produced by the computer rather than input by the cataloguer. For details see field 454 below.
454#1$1001db140203$150010$a{NSB}Le {NSE}Grand Meaulnes$1700#0$aAlain-Fournier$f1886- 1914$1210##$aParis$cEmile-Paul$d1913@
This is a linking field, in this case pointing to the original of which the item is a translation. Each $1 (one) subfield holds the contents of a field: 001 Record identifier, 500 Uniform title, 700 author, 210 publication details. In sophisticated systems only the 001 would be needed: the reader could use it to call up the record for the original French item. For use in other systems and where the file does not contain a record for the original, enough detail is given to identify the item.
Second indicator "1" means "Make a note". At a convenient time the computer would produce 311 Translation of: [because this is what tag 454 means] and add the title and publication details.
50010$a{NSB}Le {NSE}Grand Meaulnes$mEnglish@
A uniform title. The first indicator serves the same function as that for the 200 field. The $m (language) subfield allows the catalogue to group together all English translations of this work.
606##$aFrench fiction$2lc
This field holds Topical name [i.e. Thing] as subject. The $2 code shows that the thesaurus used is the list of Library of Congress Subject Headings.
676##$a843/.912$v19@
This field holds a Dewey Decimal Classification number from the 19th edition of DDC (hence the $v). The "/" is a "prime mark": libraries with little French literature could drop it and everything beyond it - giving a class number of "843".
680##$aPQ2611.O85@
This is the Library of Congress class number.
700#0$aAlain-Fournier,$f1886-1914@
The tag means "Personal name - primary intellectual responsibility". The second indicator is 0 as this is a name entered under forename rather than under surname. The $f subfield holds the author dates of birth and death.
702#1$aDavison,$bFrank@
The tag means "Personal name - secondary intellectual responsibility". The second indicator is 1 as this is a name entered under surname. The forename is in the $b subfield
801#0$aGB$bWE/N0A$c19590202$gAACR2@
This "Originating source" field gives details of the creation of the record. This is especially useful for union catalogues, which by definition contain records from different agencies. Subfield $a holds the code for the country and $b the code for the agency creating the record. $c is the date of creation and $g holds details of the cataloguing code used - in this case the
Anglo-American cataloguing rules, 2nd edition.
98700$aNov.1959/209@
987 is a local field. In this case it contains the shelf-mark.
For an example of this record without the fields, subfields etc., see
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