PROPOSAL NO.: 2002-15

DATE: May 8, 2002
REVISED:

NAME: Defining field 065 (Other Classification Number) in the MARC 21 Authority Format

SOURCE: Russian State Library

SUMMARY: This paper proposes adding field 065 (Other Classification Number) to the MARC 21 Authority Format in order to be able to record classification numbers that come from schemes not accommodated in the other classification number fields in Authority records. The classification numbers are those related to the 1XX heading in established heading records.

KEYWORDS: Classification number (AD); Field 065 (AD); Other classification number (AD)

RELATED:

STATUS/COMMENTS:

5/8/02 - Made available to the MARC 21 community for discussion.

06/17/02 - Results of the MARC Advisory Committee discussion - Approved.

07/11/02 - Results of LC/NLC review - Approved.


PROPOSAL No. 2002-15: Defining field 065 (Other Classification Number) in the MARC 21 Authority Format

1. BACKGROUND

The MARC 21 Authority format includes two basic types of classification number fields. The 050, 055, 060, 070, 082, and 086 provide the call/class number for a series in an authority record for the series. The 053 (LC Classification Number), 083 (Dewey Decimal Classification Number), and 087 (Government Document Classification Number) fields provide for single numbers or spans of class numbers that are associated with the 1XX heading in established heading and subdivision records. Class numbers are currently recorded primarily for subject headings and personal name headings, although there is no restriction to these categories.

The Russian State Library (RSL) has requested a field for the latter type of number so they can record the numbers from their Bibliotechno-bibliograficheskaíà klassifikatsiíà (BBK) that are associated with the 1XX heading. The BBK is widely used, not only in Russia, but in other countries of the former Soviet Union. The RSL has been an important contributor to MARC 21 by assuring the usefulness of the format in situations where the cataloging rules, language, and even the script are different from those of the original MARC users.

2. DISCUSSION

As noted above, there are currently three fields for the type of classification number requested by the RSL. Two are specific, for Library of Congress Classification and Dewey Decimal classification, and one is for a group of schemes, Government Document classification schemes. A new field that accommodates all other classification schemes would minimize future change and at the same time serve the increasing global use of the format.

Choice of tag
In the Bibliographic format, Other Classification Schemes are carried in field 084. The Bibliographic 084 data is more comparable to Authority format data found in the series call number fields, 050, 055, 060, etc. Besides, the tag 084 has already been used for Classification Scheme and Edition in the Classification format and different use of the same tag is avoided between the two authority-type formats, Authority and Classification. Tag 065 is therefore proposed (with 064 possibly used in the future for series numbers from other schemes if such a field is needed).

Field structure
Like LCC, the BBK classification scheme is alphanumeric. BBK classification makes use of letters from the Cyrillic alphabet in the alphabetic portions of a classification number. Whole numbers and decimals are added to main classes, as well as numeric and alphabetic subdivisions when classes must be subdivided.

The subfields in this new field would be defined like the other similar classification number fields in the Authority format, providing for classification number spans related to some headings, and explanatory terms. Since the application of the classification number might be specific to one institution, subfield $5 is also specified to indicate the institution to which the field applies, as in 053 and 083.

EXAMPLES (some transliterated):

065 ## $a Z294.4-5g $2 rubbk $5 RuMoRGB
150 ## $a Istochniki sveta $x Istoriíà

065 ## $a Sh1v663.2 $2 rubbk $5 RuMoRGB
150 ## $a ÍÀzykoznanie $x Strukturnye metody

065 ## $a V152.2íà73 $2 rubbk $5 RuMoRGB
150 ## $a Lineinaíà algebra

3. PROPOSED CHANGES:

In the MARC 21 Authority Format: Define repeatable field 065 (Other Classification Number) as follows:

065 Other Classification Number (R)

First indicator - undefined; blank
Second indicator - undefined; blank

$a - Classification number element--single number or beginning of span (NR)
$b - Classification number element--ending number of span (NR)
$c - Explanatory term (NR)
$2 - Number source (NR)
$5 - Institution to which field applies (R)
$6 - Linkage (NR)
$8 - Field link and sequence number (R)


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