Validating MARC Tag Information
You can use Sierra to validate MARC tags, indicators, and subfields on bibliographic, authority, or holdings records.
To validate MARC tag information, you must set your Preferences appropriately.
- To validate MARC tags, indicators, and subfields when you view or edit a bibliographic, authority, or checkin record, set the Show MARC validation option. For information on setting this preference, see Editor Tab in Preferences.
- When you view or edit a record with MARC tag validation, invalid tags appear in the Invalid Text color specified in the Editor Colors tab in Preferences. For information on setting these color preferences, see Editor Colors Tab in Preferences.
In the following example, the system indicates that the 200 tag is invalid, as well as the subfield A contained in that field.
You can contact Innovative to request updated MARC format validity tables.
Validating MARC Tags
You can view and insert valid MARC tag information by viewing MARC Tag Info. To view and update MARC tags:
- Retrieve the MARC record you want and choose Edit.
- Position your cursor anywhere in the field you want to correct. and choose Tools | MARC Tag Info. The MARC tag information window appears.
- Find the appropriate MARC tag, indicator, or subfield by expanding the XXX field label(s).
- To use a new value, select the valid tag, indicator, or subfield and choose Correct.
- When you finish viewing or correcting MARC tag information, choose Close.
- Save the record when you are finished validating MARC tags.
Searching for Valid MARC Tag Information
To find the appropriate MARC tag information for a field, you can use the Search feature in the MARC tag information window. To search for MARC tag information:
- Retrieve the MARC record you want and choose View or Edit.
- Choose Tools | MARC Tag Info.
- In the MARC tag information window, choose Search.
- Enter the MARC tag heading you want in the Find what box. Alternatively, you can choose a previously entered value from the drop-down list in this box.
- Specify any search conditions you want by selecting one or more of the following options:
- Match whole words—Searches only for the word(s) as entered. For example, if you search for the word "author," and select this option, only those headings with the word "author" are found. If you do not select this option, the same search returns headings with "authority," "authorized," and any other words that contain "author" as a part of the heading.
- Match case—Searches only for headings that have the same uppercase and lowercase values as those you enter.
- Wrap search—When reaching the bottom of the list, the search continues by going to the beginning of the list and continuing the search. If you select Up (see the next step), the search continues at the bottom of the list after it reaches the top.
- Indicate the search Direction in relation to the currently highlighted MARC tag information in the window by selecting Up or Down. If you do not select the Wrap search option described in the previous step, a Search complete message appears when you reach the bottom or top of the list.
- When you finish searching for MARC tag information, choose Close.