Underneath the MARC records that we all know and love is a somewhat cryptic structure that tells our systems how to read the record. Luckily, this structure rarely gets corrupted, but when it does, it’s good to have a basic understanding of how to read and understand a MARC Format.<\/p>\n
The MARC format is a text based format, meaning you can open it with a text editor. It is probably a good idea to only open a few (or only one!) record in a text editor, because it’s very difficult to read otherwise.<\/p>\n
Every MARC record starts with a leader, the leader gives your system information about the record, including how big it is and what type of a record it is. Next is what is called a directory. Just like a normal directory, it\u00a0tells you\u00a0what tags are in it, and where the data for each tag is located.<\/p>\n
This is how a leader is defined for a Bibliographic Record:<\/p>\n
Leader: \r\n\r\nPosition | Description\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Explination\r\n------------------------------------------\r\n00-04 | Record Length\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = This is how long the record is\r\n05\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Record Status\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = Is the record new, changed or deleted\r\n06\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Type of record\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = Authority, Book, Computer file, etc.\r\n07\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Bibliographic level\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = Monograph\/Serial\/etc.\r\n08\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Type of control\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = Archival or not\r\n09\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Character coding scheme\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = MARC8 or UTF8\r\n10\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Indicator count\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = # of indicators each tag has\r\n11\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Subfield code count\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = # of subfield codes that make up 1 subfield\r\n12-16 | Base address of data\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = The byte where actual record data begins\r\n17\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Encoding level\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = Level of encoding\/cataloging\r\n18\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Descriptive cataloging form = AACR2\r\n19\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Multipart resource record level = # (blank)\r\n20\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Length of the length-of-field = # of bytes to store how long each tag is\r\n21\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Length of the starting-character-position = # of bytes to store where tag begins\r\n22\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Length of the implementation-defined portion = Rarely used\r\n23\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Undefined\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = Not used<\/pre>\nLooking at a leader can be confusing, but it’s also the only way to find some problems.<\/p>\n
Here is an example record, as it may appear on your screen:
\n001\u00a0__\u00a03180021
\n005\u00a0__\u00a020050216201852.0
\n008\u00a0__\u00a0040805s2005\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 nyu\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 b\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 001 0 eng\u00a0
\n010\u00a0__\u00a0\u25bca\u00a0 2004018260
\n020\u00a0__\u00a0\u25bca0415971675 (alk. paper)
\n035\u00a0__\u00a0\u25bca(DLC)\u00a0 2004018260
\n040\u00a0__\u00a0\u25bcaDLC\u25bccDLC\u25bcdDLC\u25bcdCaONFJC\u25bcdOrLoB-B
\n043\u00a0__\u00a0\u25bcan-us—
\n050\u00a000\u00a0\u25bcaPS374.H56\u25bcbO73 2004
\n082\u00a000\u00a0\u25bca813\/.5409358\u25bc222
\n090\u00a0__\u00a0\u25bcaPS374.H56\u25bcbO73 2005
\n100\u00a01_\u00a0\u25bcaOrb\u00e1n, Katalin.
\n245\u00a010\u00a0\u25bcaEthical diversions :\u25bcbthe post-holocaust narratives of Pynchon, Abish, DeLillo, and Spiegelman \/\u25bccKatalin Orb\u00e1n.
\n260\u00a0__\u00a0\u25bcaNew York :\u25bcbRoutledge,\u25bcc2005.
\n300\u00a0__\u00a0\u25bcaix, 209 p. ;\u25bcc24 cm.
\n440\u00a0_0\u00a0\u25bcaLiterary criticism and cultural theory
\n504\u00a0__\u00a0\u25bcaIncludes bibliographical references (p. 193-205) and index.
\n505\u00a000\u00a0\u25bcgCh. 1.\u25bct”Mauschwitz” : monsters, memory, and testimony — \u25bcgCh. 2.\u25bctFamiliarity and forgetfulness in Walter Abish’s fiction — \u25bcgCh. 3.\u25bctPinpricks on the Ars(e) Narrandi : liminality and oven-games in Gravity’s rainbow.
\n600\u00a010\u00a0\u25bcaPynchon, Thomas\u25bcxKnowledge\u25bcxHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
\n600\u00a010\u00a0\u25bcaSpiegelman, Art\u25bcxKnowledge\u25bcxHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
\n600\u00a010\u00a0\u25bcaAbish, Walter\u25bcxKnowledge\u25bcxHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
\n600\u00a010\u00a0\u25bcaDeLillo, Don\u25bcxKnowledge\u25bcxHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
\n650\u00a0_0\u00a0\u25bcaAmerican fiction\u25bcy20th century\u25bcxHistory and criticism.
\n650\u00a0_0\u00a0\u25bcaHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945), in literature.
\n650\u00a0_0\u00a0\u25bcaJudaism and literature\u25bczUnited States\u25bcxHistory\u25bcy20th century.
\n650\u00a0_0\u00a0\u25bcaWorld War, 1939-1945\u25bczUnited States\u25bcxLiterature and the war.
\n650\u00a0_0\u00a0\u25bcaEthics in literature.
\n650\u00a0_0\u00a0\u25bcaJews in literature.
\n852\u00a00_\u00a0\u25bcbkr\u25bchPS374.H56\u25bciO73 2005
\n856\u00a041\u00a0\u25bc3Table of contents\u25bcuhttp:\/\/www.loc.gov\/catdir\/toc\/ecip0421\/2004018260.html
\n949\u00a0__\u00a0\u25bcaApproval\u25bcb1628024-35\u25bcc67.20\u25bcd1\u25bci20027328\u25bcjUSD\u25bctBook<\/p>\nNow, if we are to take a look at the actual MARC structure, it looks like this (when looking at an underlying MARC record, you may not be able to see all of the special characters like end of field and end of record marks, but they are there):<\/p>\n
01872cam a2200397 a 450000100080000000500170000800800410002501000170006602000280008303500220011104000360013304300120016905000240018108200<\/span><\/p>\n
210020509000240022610000210025024501180027126000340038930000250042344000430044850400640049150502240055560000620077960000<\/span><\/p>\n
620084160000600090360000590096365000590102265000500108165000660113165000650119765000260126265000240128885200280131285600<\/span><\/p>\n
7801340949005601418\u001e3180021\u001e20050216201852.0\u001e040805s2005\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 nyu\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 b\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 001 0 eng\u00a0 \u001e\u00a0 \u001fa\u00a0 2004018260\u001e\u00a0 \u001fa0415971675 (alk. paper)\u001e\u00a0 \u001fa(DLC)\u00a0 2004018260\u001e\u00a0 \u001faDLC\u001fcDLC\u001fdDLC\u001fdCaONFJC\u001fdOrLoB-B\u001e\u00a0 \u001fan-us—\u001e00\u001faPS374.H56\u001fbO73 2004\u001e00\u001fa813\/.5409358\u001f222\u001e\u00a0 \u001faPS374.H56\u001fbO73 2005\u001e1 \u001faOrb\u00e1n, Katalin.\u001e10\u001faEthical diversions :\u001fbthe post-holocaust narratives of Pynchon, Abish, DeLillo, and Spiegelman \/\u001fcKatalin Orb\u00e1n.\u001e\u00a0 \u001faNew York :\u001fbRoutledge,\u001fc2005.\u001e\u00a0 \u001faix, 209 p. ;\u001fc24 cm.\u001e 0\u001faLiterary criticism and cultural theory\u001e\u00a0 \u001faIncludes bibliographical references (p. 193-205) and index.\u001e00\u001fgCh. 1.\u001ft”Mauschwitz” : monsters, memory, and testimony — \u001fgCh. 2.\u001ftFamiliarity and forgetfulness in Walter Abish’s fiction — \u001fgCh. 3.\u001ftPinpricks on the Ars(e) Narrandi : liminality and oven-games in Gravity’s rainbow.\u001e10\u001faPynchon, Thomas\u001fxKnowledge\u001fxHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)\u001e10\u001faSpiegelman, Art\u001fxKnowledge\u001fxHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)\u001e10\u001faAbish, Walter\u001fxKnowledge\u001fxHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)\u001e10\u001faDeLillo, Don\u001fxKnowledge\u001fxHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)\u001e 0\u001faAmerican fiction\u001fy20th century\u001fxHistory and criticism.\u001e 0\u001faHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945), in literature.\u001e 0\u001faJudaism and literature\u001fzUnited States\u001fxHistory\u001fy20th century.\u001e 0\u001faWorld War, 1939-1945\u001fzUnited States\u001fxLiterature and the war.\u001e 0\u001faEthics in literature.\u001e 0\u001faJews in literature.\u001e0 \u001fbkr\u001fhPS374.H56\u001fiO73 2005\u001e41\u001f3Table of contents\u001fuhttp:\/\/www.loc.gov\/catdir\/toc\/ecip0421\/2004018260.html\u001e\u00a0 \u001faApproval\u001fb1628024-35\u001fc67.20\u001fd1\u001fi20027328\u001fjUSD\u001ftBook\u001e<\/span><\/p>\n
And here is a sample analysis of this record:<\/p>\n
\u001dLeader: \r\n\r\nPosition | Description\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Data\r\n------------------------------------------\r\n00-04 | Record Length\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = 01872 : confirmend in a hex editor the record is this length\r\n05\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Record Status\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = c\r\n06\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Type of record\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = a\r\n07\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Bibliographic level\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = m\r\n08\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Type of control\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = # (blank)\r\n09\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Character coding scheme\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = a\r\n10\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Indicator count\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = 2\r\n11\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Subfield code count\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = 2\r\n12-16 | Base address of data\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = 00397 : confirmed in hex editor this is correct\r\n17\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Encoding level\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = # (blank)\r\n18\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Descriptive cataloging form = a\r\n19\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Multipart resource record level = # (blank)\r\n20\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Length of the length-of-field portion = 4\r\n21\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Length of the starting-character-position portion = 5\r\n22\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Length of the implementation-defined portion = 0\r\n23\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 | Undefined\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = 0<\/pre>\nDirectory: \r\n\r\nTag | Field length | Starting character position\r\n001 0008 00000\r\n005 0017 00008\r\n008 0041 00025\r\n010 0017 00066\r\n020 0028 00083\r\n035 0022 00111\r\n040 0036 00133\r\n043 0012 00169\r\n050 0024 00181\r\n082 0021 00205\r\n090 0024 00226\r\n100 0021 00250\r\n245 0118 00271\r\n260 0034 00389\r\n300 0025 00423\r\n440 0043 00448\r\n504 0064 00491\r\n505 0224 00555\r\n600 0062 00779\r\n600 0062 00841\r\n600 0060 00903\r\n600 0059 00963\r\n650 0059 01022\r\n650 0050 01081\r\n650 0066 01131\r\n650 0065 01197\r\n650 0026 01262\r\n650 0024 01288\r\n852 0028 01312\r\n856 0078 01340\r\n949 0056 01418| (56+1418 = 1474) 1474 = Ending field terminator below<\/pre>\nFields:
\n(For our convenience in readin the record we have replaced certain non-displayed fields with graphical representations)
\n| = field terminator (also used to terminate the directory)
\n$ = subfield code delimiter
\n^ = record terminator
\n_ = utf8 characters have been replaced by an undersore so the postions line up in a non-hex display<\/p>\n3180021|20050216201852.0|040805s2005\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 nyu\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 b\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 001 0 eng\u00a0 |\u00a0 $a\u00a0 2004018260|\u00a0 $a0415971675 (alk. paper)|\u00a0 $a(DLC)\u00a0 2004018260|\u00a0 $aDLC$cDLC$dDLC$dCaONFJC$dOrLoB-B|\u00a0 $an-us—|00$aPS374.H56$bO73 2004|00$a813\/.5409358$222|\u00a0 $aPS374.H56$bO73 2005|1 $aOrb__n, Katalin.|10$aEthical diversions :$bthe post-holocaust narratives of Pynchon, Abish, DeLillo, and Spiegelman \/$cKatalin Orb__n.|\u00a0 $aNew York :$bRoutledge,$c2005.|\u00a0 $aix, 209 p. ;$c24 cm.| 0$aLiterary criticism and cultural theory|\u00a0 $aIncludes bibliographical references (p. 193-205) and index.|00$gCh. 1.$t”Mauschwitz” : monsters, memory, and testimony — $gCh. 2.$tFamiliarity and forgetfulness in Walter Abish’s fiction — $gCh. 3.$tPinpricks on the Ars(e) Narrandi : liminality and oven-games in Gravity’s rainbow.|10$aPynchon, Thomas$xKnowledge$xHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)|10$aSpiegelman, Art$xKnowledge$xHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)|10$aAbish, Walter$xKnowledge$xHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)|10$aDeLillo, Don$xKnowledge$xHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)| 0$aAmerican fiction$y20th century$xHistory and criticism.| 0$aHolocaust, Jewish (1939-1945), in literature.| 0$aJudaism and literature$zUnited States$xHistory$y20th century.| 0$aWorld War, 1939-1945$zUnited States$xLiterature and the war.| 0$aEthics in literature.| 0$aJews in literature.|0 $bkr$hPS374.H56$iO73 2005|41$3Table of contents$uhttp:\/\/www.loc.gov\/catdir\/toc\/ecip0421\/2004018260.html|\u00a0 $aApproval$b1628024-35$c67.20$d1$i20027328$jUSD$tBook|^<\/p>\n
Ending field terminator\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 = 1474
\nRecord terminator position = 1475<\/p>\nSummary
\n———————————
\nEnding field position = 1475
\nBase address of data\u00a0 = 397<\/p>\n1475 + 397 = 1872 (Record Length)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Underneath the MARC records that we all know and love is a somewhat cryptic structure that tells our systems how to read the record. Luckily, this structure rarely gets corrupted, but when it does, it’s good to have a basic understanding of how to read and understand a MARC Format. The MARC format is a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[73,20],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ac.bslw.com\/community\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ac.bslw.com\/community\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ac.bslw.com\/community\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ac.bslw.com\/community\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ac.bslw.com\/community\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/ac.bslw.com\/community\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30,"href":"https:\/\/ac.bslw.com\/community\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26\/revisions\/30"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ac.bslw.com\/community\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ac.bslw.com\/community\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ac.bslw.com\/community\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}