MARC Records
The District School Board of Pasco County has maintained a MARC union database since 1989. Our prime concern is to ensure the quality and consistency of our database. Vendors wishing to supply MARC records to our media centers with their book orders must successfully submit a sample MARC file that meets or exceeds the specifications in this document. Please, read the following document carefully and completely before contacting us with questions. All information required to submit a successful sample is included below.
Most book vendors require customers to complete an “option” or “profile” form prior to MARC record processing. This document constitutes the MARC record processing “profile” for all schools in the Pasco County School District. The individual media specialist should not be required to provide this information, but should make the notation “As Per Pasco County Specs” or something along that line, indicating that the book vendor must seek that information here. In many cases, the book vendor has “jobbed out” their cataloging, in which case they have no need at all for this information, as the catalog jobber would already have gone through the approval process and have this information. Insisting that the media specialist provide it only wastes her or his time and holds up the order.
Please also note that this document does not concern itself with book processing options (cards, pockets, covers, spine labels, etc.). Each school is free to decide on whatever physical processing they require. That information is to be provided by the individual media specialist.
Vendors should note that acceptance by SUNLINK does not assure acceptance by Pasco.
We reserve the right to update, correct, or improve these guidelines at any time. The latest version of this document may always be found on our website.
This link is subject to change without notice.
A. The approval process
1. Vendors wishing to supply MARC records with their book orders must submit a sample MARC file for approval before their MARC records will be accepted for loading into our database.
2. The sample MARC file must consist of at least 50 uniquely different MARC records, each including a correctly formatted local holdings field, be representative of the vendor’s whole database, and include a corresponding sample of their barcode labels for testing with our scanners.
3. Pasco uses 14-digit CODABAR barcodes (mod 10) and MARC tag 949 for all item records. An example of how to correctly format an item record for Pasco is included in Section E of this document.
4. If the vendor’s sample is judged to be acceptable, the vendor will receive a list of holdings codes for our schools, and a unique range of barcodes will be assigned to the vendor. The vendor will be responsible for maintaining this range of barcodes, and maintaining consistency and integrity between orders.
5. Samples must be sent to the address given in Section F at the end of this document at the vendor’s expense.
6. The vendor must include with the sample the cost of a MARC record, if any, that a school will incur when requesting MARC records as part of a purchase order.
7. We are now accepting samples of records for Nonprint items. These samples must be submitted separately from sample records for Print items. Approval for Print item records does not imply approval for Nonprint items, in fact it is possible to be accepted for Print item records and be rejected for Nonprint.8. All schools will be notified electronically when any vendor, after submitting a sample which is approved, submits subsequent processing that does not comply with these guidelines, or which has an adverse effect on the school which placed the order.
B. General processing procedures
MARC records for materials ordered by our schools is to be submitted as an attachment on an e-mail message (preferred), set up as a file on a web-based ftp site for download. Records Files sent as attachments containing more than 100 items must be zipped.
2. A separate file is required for each order.
3. Records for Nonprint items must be in separate files from Print items. Records for Playaways and E-Books must also be in a separate file with a material type of ELECTRONIC (see below).
4. Filenames must follow the 1991 MICROLIF protocol. Data files must strictly conform to US-MARC. Files that contain records that contain null characters, records terminated with CR/LF, intra-record gaps, files terminated with DOS EOF, files padded with blanks or nulls, or any similar anomaly will be returned for correction.
5. MARC records should not be supplied for canceled, out-of-print, back-ordered, or otherwise not-supplied items. Records for such items should be sent on separate disks when the order is filled, if at all.
6. If an order contains “brief”, “mini”, “skeletal”, or incomplete records, the complete order will be rejected.
7. Barcodes for items ordered by the schools must be assigned in a continuous and sequential manner. For example, if a school orders 10 items, the vendor will assign barcodes 1-10 to this order. The next item ordered by any school should be assigned barcode 11, and so on. If for some reason a barcode is assigned to an item that is backordered, consider that barcode used and no longer available, whether the item comes back into stock or not.
8. MARC records must be accompanied by a printed report listing the vendor’s order number, the school name, and the barcode, brief title, call number, control number, and cost of each item on the diskette.
9. MARC records must not be shipped with the order to the schools.
10. MARC records are to be delivered to the Delivery address specified at the end of this document, and these records must arrive on or before the day that the ordered items arrive at the school.
SPECIAL NOTE CONCERNING CALL NUMBERS vs. SPINE LABELS
It has become important to standardize certain prefixes used in call numbers. While individual media centers have some latitude in designating materials in a manner that serves their mission with regard to spine labels, call number prefixes in catalogue records must be internally consistent. When applying a prefix to a call number in a catalogue record, always use the prefixes described below. Unless you the vendor are able to provide a different prefix on the spine label from that which is in the 949 field, the spine labels will also need to use these prefixes.
Approved Prefixes for Print materials are as follows:
BIG BOOK Used for Big Book Editions
EASY Used for Easy Reading materials.
FICTION Used for works of fiction
PROF Used for materials in a Professional Library collection
REF Used for Reference works
SC Used for Story Collections
Prefixes for Nonprint materials are as follows:
CASS Used for audio cassettes, regardless of the source material
CD Used for audio compact discs
CS Used for any format of computer software
DVD Used for digital video discs
EBOOK Used for E-books KIT Used for assembled groupings of mixed media
LD Used for Laser Discs
MAP Used for Maps
REALIA Used for 3D objects
VIDEO Used for videotapes
Additionally, optional location codes may be used to further define a location of an item and may be included in the call number. Such codes precede the Material Prefix and are as follows:
BIO used for Biographies
GRA used for Graphic Novels
OS used for Oversized books
LTG Used for Literature to Go kits
PB Used for paperbacks that are shelved in a different location due to
their smaller size
PLA Used for Playaway devices
RR Used for Reading or Resource Room
SC Used for Story Collections (as above)
SPA Used for Spanish Language materials if shelved in a different location
REVISED 09/25/06 Call Number Standardization
Unless otherwise directed, please use the following conventions for creation of call numbers.
For Fiction:
Prefix + ABC (usually the first three letters of author’s last name in caps)
ex. FICTION LEW for a book written by C.S. Lewis
For Non-Fiction:
Dewey Decimal Number + ABC (usually the first three letters of author’s last name in caps)
ex. 596 WES for a book about Vertebrates by Dr. Herbert West
For an item with a special location:
Location + Prefix +ABC
ex. PB FICTION WEL for a paperback book written by H.G. Wells shelved away from the Fiction section
C. Cataloging procedures
A few words about our cataloging philosophy…
Our main goal is to maintain a consistent, quality database, and we will pursue this to some degree at the expense of expediency. We will not accept cataloging that does not meet our definition of good quality cataloging (summarized below). Also, we cannot accept records that do not include the required tags, appropriately formatted, for machine loading and matching on our system (Sirsi Unicorn).
At the same time, we recognize that cataloging is a somewhat subjective activity. In the case of a dispute in this area, we may submit the sample to the MARC database consultant at our OCLC regional consortium, and consider whatever decision or recommendations they make. In the end, however, we will accept or reject records based on whatever we believe is in our own best interest.
Cataloging Requirements
We view unadulterated Library of Congress records as a “lowest common denominator”. Samples from vendors that delete data from LC source file records, or incorrectly modify LC source file records, will be rejected without remorse. On the other hand, we welcome additions to LC MARC records that include: source of review (510), intellectual level (521), notes of book awards (586) fields, and other value-added information appropriate for schools.
Additionally, our District has recently adopted the Lexile standard as a tool in the development of reading skills. If a book has been rated with a Lexile rating, please be sure to include that information in a 521 tag.
We have recently analyzed our requirements for vendor-provided MARC records. Because we are now accepting submissions for approval for non-print records, we have expanded our minimum requirements. As before, we expect the following:
1. All records must contain leaders coded according to USMARC rules.
2. All records must contain 001s that represent unique keys. All 001s must be prefixed by a 3-letter vendor code that is not currently in use by LC. The only exception to this will be LC source records themselves where the vendor has duplicated the 010 in the 001.
3. All LC source records must contain the LC 010 field. For no other purpose should the 010 be used. We will not accept records where the vendor enters their own control number in the 010. In the case of non-LC source records, either the 020 or 022 must be used when appropriate. Also, we now require that the 035 field be populated with the number assigned by OCLC.
4. All records must contain fully coded 008 fields, and 007s where applicable. 008s for non-LC records should contain “d” in the source field.
5. No files that contain CIP or “partial” records will be accepted.
6. All records should contain a 520 field; 90% of records submitted must contain a 520.
7. Call numbers must be Dewey, with segmentation marks, and include three- letter cutters.
8. Subject headings must be LCSH. Children’s subject headings may also be supplied, but not as a substitute for “Adult” headings. In the absence of an “Adult” LCSH in a record that has been modified from an LC record, vendors must apply their cataloging tools to provide one. Works of Fiction should also provide a 655 field with the headings taken from either Genre headings from LCSH or Guidelines on Subject Access to Individual Works of Fiction, Drama, Etc (Chicago: American Library Association), which would lead to a second indicator 7 and having a value of gsafd put in $2.
9. Records must include the cost paid to the vendor for the item; this cost should be entered in the 949 (See below).
10. Any field defined as National Level Mandatory by LC should be included in the record if appropriate.
The following table indicates the required minimum tags for MARC records and the corresponding minimum subfields for vendor provided records to our district.
For All Records (regardless of format):
| Leader | Subfield |
| 001 |
|
| 008 ((subfields for each format should be applied correctly)) | |
| 010 (if applicable) | $a |
| 020 (if applicable) |
$a |
| 022 (if applicable) | $a |
| 035 (OCLC system number) | $a |
| 041 (if applicable) | $a, $b |
| 082 (if applicable) | $a, $b, $2 |
| 092 | $a, $b, $2 |
| 1XX | $a, other subfields as applicable |
| 100 (if applicable) |
$a, other subfields as applicable |
| 240 (if applicable) | $a, $b, $c |
| 245 | $a, $b, $c |
| 246 (if applicable) | $a |
| 250 | $a |
| 260 | $a, $b, $c |
| 300 | $a, $b, $c, $e |
| 4XX | $a |
| 5XX | |
| 505(if applicable) | $a |
| 520 | $a |
| 521 (if applicable) | $a, $b |
| 526 (if applicable) | |
| 546 (if applicable) | $a |
| 586 (if applicable) | $a |
| 6XX | $a, other subfields as applicable |
| 600 | $a, other subfields as applicable |
| 650 | $a, other subfields as applicable |
| 651 (if applicable) | $a, other subfields as applicable |
| 655 (if applicable) ***see note 8 above*** | $a, other subfields as applicable |
| 7XX (if applicable) | $a, other subfields as applicable |
| 700 (if applicable) | $a, other subfields as applicable |
| 710 (if applicable) | $a, other subfields as applicable |
| 740 (if applicable) | $a, other subfields as applicable |
| 856 (if applicable) | $a, other subfields as applicable |
| 949 | as per our instructions below |
| For Books: All of the above, plus | |
| 504 | $a |
| 521 | $a, $b |
| For All Nonprint: Everything under For All Records, plus: | |
| 007 | correct subfields per format |
| 024 | $a, $d (if applicable) |
| 245 | $h [medium] |
| Additional tags for specific Media types: For Videorecordings, Sound Recordings, and Computer Files (media designation taken from 245 subfield h): |
|
| 521 | $8 (if applicable) |
| 538 | $a |
| For Videorecordings and Sound Recordings (media designation taken from 245 subfield h) | |
| 028 | $a, $b |
| 306 | $a |
| 508 | $a |
| 511 (if applicable) | $a |
| For cases where Accompanying Material is present, including but not limited to Kits (media designation taken from 245 subfield h): | |
| 006 | |
D. Reserved tags
Unicorn reserves the use of the following tags:
596
597
598
599
999
E. Local holdings processing
We create item records from MARC tag 949; this tag must be formatted exactly as outlined below. Please note that Unicorn uses the “pipe” character | as the subfield delimiter.
There must be one separate 949 field for each item purchased.
Do not include duplicate MARC records on the same diskette.
Subfields must be in the order as indicated below. Values given in all capital letters are to be used as shown as they are considered to be “policies” by Unicorn.
949 format:
subfield a: Dewey call number and cutter number
subfield v: Volume number (if appropriate)
subfield w: DEWEY
subfield i: barcode number (CodaBar Mod 10)
subfield m: Library (agency code - see list)
subfield l: ON-SHELF
subfield p: purchase price
subfield t: Item type (see below)
subfield x: PRINT, NON-PRINT or ELECTRONIC (Playaways and E-books)
Proper values for subfield t are:
BOOK, AV-AUDIO, AV-VISUAL, SOFTWARE, REF-BOOK, KIT, EBOOK
Here is an example of an 949 field properly formatted for our system:
|a336.0973RED|wDEWEY|i324249999990016|mJBS|lON-SHELF|p$19.95|tBOOK|xPRINT
VERY IMPORTANT
When sending samples, please:
use the agency code: JBS
and a starting barcode of: 3 2424 99999 001x
F. Contact Information
Delivery address for MARC record processing
Media Services
ATTN: Media Automation
District School Board of Pasco County
7205 Land O’Lakes Blvd.
Land O’Lakes, FL 34638
email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Personal Contact:
Joseph W. O’Sullivan, Systems Analyst
Pasco County School District
7205 Land O’Lakes Blvd.
Land O’Lakes, FL 34638
e-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
(Rev. 06=8/06/10)
