MARC format validity tables

The library can edit the MARC format validity tables that Sierra uses when checking the validity of MARC codes; the system also uses these tables to provide MARC tag "Help" in the full screen editor. (You can contact Innovative to request updated MARC format validity tables.)

When you choose this option, the system offers a list of tables to edit:

SYSTEM OPTIONS (Database maintenance)

1 > MARC 21 Authority format
2 > MARC 21 Bibliographic format
3 > UKMARC Bibliographic format
4 > Chinese MARC Bibliographic format
5 > Chinese MARC Bibliographic format (spa)
6 > MARC 21 Bibliographic format (spa)
7 > UNIMARC Authority format
8 > UNIMARC Bibliographic format
___________________________________________________________________________
  Key a number or
  P > PRINT
  R > RETURN to Database maintenance menu
  Choose one (1-8,P,R)

When you choose one of the MARC format validity tables, the system loads it into the Full Screen Editor. Use the editor as you do when editing a bibliographic record.

MARC 21 Authority format
^E > END         ^F > Show FULL Menu         OVERWRITE

001 Control number
005 Date and time of latest transaction
008 Fixed-length data elements
010 Library of Congress control number
I1 Blank
I2 Blank
|a LC control number
|z cancelled/invalid LC control number
014 Link to bibliographic record for serial or multi-part item
I1 Blank
I2 Blank
|a Control number of related bibliographic record
020 International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
I1 Blank
I2 Blank
|a International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
|c Terms of availability
|z cancelled/invalid ISBN
022 International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
I1 Blank

Each MARC tag included in a MARC format validity table has three types of entries associated with it:

MARC tag, e.g.,	010 Library of Congress control number
Indicators, e.g.,	I1 Blank I2 Blank
Subfields, e.g.,	\|z cancelled/invalid LC control number

MARC tag

You must enter the MARC tag. Each MARC tag entry consists of a MARC tag followed by a single space, followed by a description of the tag's use. For example:

245 Title statement

Each MARC tag can appear only once in a given MARC format validity table; there does not have to be an entry for each MARC tag in each table. Enter the tags as three digit numbers, using preceding zeros when necessary, e.g., 010. Enter the tags in ascending numerical order.

Indicators

Specify valid value(s) for either or both indicators; the values you enter apply to the preceding MARC tag. If there is no entry for an indicator, Sierra treats all values as valid for that indicator. If there are any indicator entries in the validity table for a given MARC tag, the indicators in the record for that tag must match one of the values in the table or Sierra alerts you that there is an invalid indicator. Keep all the values for each indicator together; within each indicator enter "blank" first (if it is a valid value) and then the values in numeric order.

There are three parts to each indicator entry; the parts are separated from each other by a space:

The capital letter 'I' followed by a '1' for indicator one or a '2' for indicator two, i.e., I1 or I2.
The value for the indicator. This can be either the word "blank", a single number, or a range of numbers, e.g., blank, or 2, or 0-4.
An explanation of what the value(s) of the indicator mean.

For example, if you are editing the indicators for the MARC 245 field for bibliographic records, you might enter:

245 Title statement

I1 0 No title added entry

I1 1 Title added entry

I2 0-9 Nonfiling characters

Subfield

Make an entry for each valid subfield for a given MARC tag (you do not have to make an entry for subfield 'a'; the system assumes that subfield 'a' is valid for all MARC tags). If the entry for a valid subfield is left out of this table, the system gives an invalid subfield report for records that contain it. Subfield entries consist of a vertical line (|) followed by the subfield identifier. Leave a space, and then enter an explanation of the data the subfield contains. For example, the entries for the MARC 245 field might look like the following: