MARC Record Guide

Provider-Neutral E-Resource

MARC Record Guide: P-N/RDA version

September 3, 2019 revision

Program for Cooperative Cataloging

Washington, D.C.

2019

BIBCOmail@loc.gov

Introduction

The provider-neutral (P-N) model uses a single bibliographic record to describe multiple online manifestations of a resource, regardless of which publisher or aggregator is making the content available. The description should apply only to equivalent manifestations of the same expression; substantial (not just incidental) differences may indicate a different expression, which should be described in a separate record. The model is intended to encompass online resources that are simultaneously issued in physical format and online, online digital reproductions of physical format resources, and online born-digital resources.

The provider-neutral model was initially designed for use with AACR2, the descriptive standard approved for use by the Program for Cooperative Cataloging at the time, and was adopted for serials in 2003, for textual monographs in 2009, and for multiple formats in 2011. The original guidelines have been supplemented below with elements from RDA in order to assist in the creation of original RDA records and for deriving provider-neutral records from RDA-based physical format records. Note that only MARC fields specifically relevant to online resources are included in the guidelines.

RDA Provider-Neutral Metadata Application Profile (MAP) for Serials, Integrating Resources, and Monographs

Use these guidelines in conjunction with the MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data, the BIBCO Standard Record (BSR) RDA Metadata Application Profile, the CONSER Standard Record (CSR) RDA Metadata Application Profile, and the appropriate modules of the CONSER Cataloging Manual (CCM), including Module 31 (Remote Access Electronic Serials), Module 33.18 (Electronic Newspapers), and Module 35 (Integrating Resources). The last document also serves as BIBCO Participants’ Manual Appendix A.

RDA Provider-Neutral Metadata Application Profile (MAP) for Streaming Media

This MAP may also be used for streaming media although extra caution should be exercised to ensure that different expressions are not consolidated onto the same record. For example, a streaming video with English captions and one without are considered different expressions and should not be brought together on the same provider-neutral record. Other pitfalls to watch out for include (but are not limited to) subtitling, dubbing, audio descriptions, and deleted or restored scenes. It is recommended that use of this MAP be made in conjunction with the OLAC Best Practices for Cataloging Streaming Media.

Recommendations for Best Use of Provider-Neutral Records in Libraries

Libraries may make policy decisions on whether to use single or multiple records for their e-resources in their own catalogs. They may use a single provider-neutral record that incorporates all specific provider and other local information on one record – or use multiple records, each with one specific provider/URL on it. Whatever decisions PCC member libraries make for their local catalogs, they still need to follow the provider-neutral guidelines when coding master records in OCLC as PCC records. Any records added to OCLC are subject to being merged or having provider-specific information removed.

Characteristics of a Provider-Neutral E-Resource Record

The provider-neutral record is intended to be a base record in the shared bibliographic environment to which libraries can add provider-specific information locally. Only certain categories of provider-specific information are allowed in provider-neutral records. These include:

Additional titles that are specific to the aggregator
Field 588 “description based on” notes for born-digital resources
Publisher and/or aggregator URLs that do not contain institution-specific components such as proxy server data (e.g., https://science.sciencemag.org/content/by/year, not https://science-sciencemag-org.nuls.idm.oclc.org/content/by/year). Multiple 856 fields may be added to each bibliographic record.
For monographs, additional ISBNs or other identifiers.

The following kinds of information should not be included in a provider-neutral record:

Provider names are not given in edition statements, publication statements, distribution statements, manufacture statements, series statements, notes, host item entries, or access points, nor are they added to authorized access points as qualifiers.
Notes about access restrictions, file formats, file sizes, prices, subscription information, or system requirements specific to particular providers are not used.
Such information as individual database names, individual e-package names, or third party aggregators is omitted.
Field 533, which was used for descriptive data about a specific reproduction, is no longer included in the record except in the case of records for DLF Registry of Digital Masters, HathiTrust Digital Library, and other digital preservation projects.

These kinds of information are considered local information.

Some resources may have only a single provider at the time of cataloging, but may become available through other providers afterwards. Thus, it is important to keep the records as “neutral” as possible from the very outset of cataloging. The qualifier (Online) should not be added to any series access point to distinguish it from its original source format.

In exceptional cases, e.g., a reproduction of a rare book, essential local information may be given in the record in 5XX fields, as long as each 5XX field contains a subfield $5, giving the institutional MARC 21 code for the institution adding the local information.

Explanation of Symbols Used in the Guidelines:

M (Mandatory); A (Mandatory if applicable); O (Optional); X (not used); N/A (not applicable)

Note that the “A” category (Mandatory if applicable) is not synonymous with RDA “Core if.” RDA pre-defines some elements as core and requires them for resource description “when applicable and readily ascertainable” (RDA 0.6.4); others are core only under certain conditions, usually when one or more RDA elements cannot be ascertained. Just as in the BIBCO Standard Record (BSR) RDA Metadata Application Profile, the provider-neutral MAP uses a combination of RDA Core, Core if, and PCC Core elements, applicable in different ways to different formats and types of issuance.

MARC Element	MARC Label	RDA Element	Serials & Integrating Resources (IRs)	Monographs	Notes
Leader/06	Type of record	[MARC control field equivalent of the predominant Content type (6.9)]	M	M	Code for the most significant material type of the resource being cataloged. Leader/06 should correspond with RDA content type (MARC 336). See Term and Code List for RDA Content Types.
Leader/07	Bibliographic level	Mode of issuance (2.13/PCC core)	M	M
006/00	Form of material	[MARC control field equivalent of additional Content types (6.9)]	A/O	A/O	Libraries cataloging in OCLC or other shared bibliographic databases must use MARC 21 control field 006/00 with the assigned value “m” when the MARC Leader/06 is set to any code other than “m”. Optionally, add an additional 006 field with the appropriate first byte value when the resource is an online reproduction of a manuscript. The code used will vary according to the type of reproduction (“t” for a reproduction of manuscript language material, “a” for notated music manuscript, and “f” for manuscript cartographic materials).
007/00	Category of material	[some 007 positions equate to various RDA elements, such as media type and numerous carrier attributes found in chapter 3, e.g. 3.2]	M	M	Always supply Category of material “c” (Electronic resource) For material other than online books, textual serials, and notated music, use an additional 007 field for other characteristics not specified in the first 007 field (first byte “v” for videorecordings, “a” for maps, etc.). Code at least the first two bytes of each 007.
007/01	Specific material designation	[MARC control field equivalent of Carrier type (online resource)] 3.3	M	M	Use code “r” (this applies to the remote electronic 007 only)
008/23 008/29	Form of item	[MARC control field equivalent of Carrier type (online resource)] 3.3	M	M	Use code “o” in 008/23 for all formats except Cartographic and Visual materials. These two formats use byte 008/29 instead. All other bytes of the 008 should reflect the original manifestation.
010	Library of Congress Control Number	N/A	A LC or CONSER partners IRs: CONSER catalogers: assign Field 010 if authenticating record. BIBCO catalogers: May add Field 010 if arrangements have been made with LC for a supply of LCCNs	A LC or LC/CIP partners only	Do not transfer or use any 010 fields in the online version that apply to the print version of the resource.
020	International Standard Book Number	Identifier for the manifestation (2.15/Core)	N/A (Serials) A (IRs). If resource has an ISBN it is likely that this applies to the print version. If so place the ISBN in Field 776 $z	M Record each e-version ISBN in a separate 020 $a; record other ISBNs in 020 $z (preferably in separate fields); copy the physical format ISBN to Field 776 $z. If it is unclear which format the ISBN represents—as often occurs with simultaneously issued versions—use $z for any ISBN in the e-version record.
022	International Standard Serial Number	Identifier for the manifestation (2.15/Core)	A Record the e-version ISSN in $a; record ISSN of the physical format in $y if it already exists in the record (and in Field 776 $x). If available, also record the ISSN-L in $l and the source of the ISSN in $2.	N/A	Do not add $l if the online record only has $y.
024	Other Standard Identifier	Identifier for the manifestation (2.15/Core)	N/A	A	Examples: ISMN (International Standard Music Number) Universal Product Code (UPC) International Article Number EAN ISTC (International Standard Text Code) ISRC (International Standard Recording Code)
028	Publisher number	Identifier for the manifestation (2.15)	N/A	A </