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MARC PROPOSAL NO. 2021-03

DATE: December 22, 2020
REVISED:

NAME: Changes to Fields 008/21 and 006/04 for Type of Continuing Resource in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format

SOURCE: ISSN Review Group, ISSN International Centre, Paris

SUMMARY: The current options for type of continuing resource in 008/21 and 006/04 do not provide enough granularity for useful faceting or statistical reporting in the ISSN Portal and likely in library OPACs. Additionally, more granularity is needed for research and scholarship concerning global production of continuing resources. The ISSN Network would like to add additional codes to 008/21 and 006/04 to provide facets for searching in the ISSN Portal and for gathering statistics on types of continuing resources to which ISSN are assigned rather than depending on the non-standard solution it now uses.

KEYWORDS: Continuing Resources (BD); Field 008/21 (BD);  Field 006/04 (BD); Type of Continuing Resource (BD); Periodical (BD); Updating Database (BD); Updating Web Site (BD); Blog (BD); Directory (BD); Journal (BD); Magazine (BD); Newsletter (BD); Repository (BD)

RELATED: 2020-DP10; 2001-05

STATUS/COMMENTS:
12//22/20 – Made available to the MARC community for discussion.

01/26/21 – Results of MARC Advisory Committee discussion: Approved, with the following editorial amendments to portions of the proposed value definitions:

04/28/21 - Results of MARC Steering Group review - Agreed with the MAC decision.


Proposal No. 2021-03: Changes to Fields 008/21 and 006/04 for Type of Continuing Resource

1. BACKGROUND

Current coding of field 008/21 (and 006/04) in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format is as follows:

     008 - Continuing Resources (NR)

        21 - Type of continuing resource (006/04)
# - None of the following
d - Updating database
l - Updating loose-leaf
m - Monographic series
n - Newspaper
p - Periodical
w - Updating Web site
| - No attempt to code

The ISSN Network currently uses ISSN Network-devised codes in field 856 to allow for faceted access to types of open access resources that contain scholarly information including blogs and academic repositories because codes for type of continuing resource are not sufficiently granular.  Additionally, there is a need both in the ISSN Network and the information community for more granular statistics concerning global continuing resources than current codes can provide. Since its inception in the 1970s, the ISSN Network has used 008/21 to denote the type of serial (now type of continuing resource). Over 2.5 million records in the ISSN Portal include this coding. As presently defined, 008/21 code "blank," (none of the following) has to be used for directories and reports and possibly blogs and repositories. Code "p" (Periodical) has to be used for journals, magazines, and newsletters. Given the existence of 008/21 and 006/04, and the intended re-structuring of field 856, the ISSN Review Group believes a standardized solution that provides more granularity in the existing mechanism for indicating type of continuing resource is a better way to meet its needs than continuing to use its own coding in field 856.

2. DISCUSSION

Faceting is increasingly common among discovery systems, including the ISSN Portal.  Since not all systems—including the Portal—use genre headings or subject headings that bring out genres, the 008 codes are needed for facets. Statistics gathering is also needed by the ISSN International Centre to track the types of resources in its database of over 2.5 million metadata records for ISSN assignments. Furthermore, the addition of codes that are more granular than current codes will alleviate the hardship experienced by researchers, scholars, and librarians who experience significant difficulty in obtaining statistical information about global publishing of continuing resources. Without adding these new codes to the continuing resources 008/21, many of the resources for which new codes are desired would be coded "blank" or "p", categories that do not have enough specificity (blank) or granularity (p) for ISSN Network needs. Additionally, adding a specific code for blogs (currently coded "p," "w" or "blank") would remedy current inconsistent coding.

Many of the proposed codes are for types of periodicals. During MAC Annual meeting discussion of 2020-DP10, the question of how to deal with the existing code "p" (periodical) arose. Retaining code "p" so it could be used if less granularity is desired was preferred over deprecating that code. A similar question arises with other types of resources. Instructions are provided in the new revised definitions of the codes to indicate which of the broader codes encompass which of the more granular codes. In general, unless a community decision applies, the principle of specificity should be used: choose the most specific code that applies to the resource.

Although MARC 21 Field 008 includes other positions that can be regarded as addressing types of content, the ISSN Network has used consistently only 008/21, "type of continuing resource" (formerly type of serial) since it began using MARC. The sixth edition of the ISO 3297:2020 standard was published in October 2020, and all of these new codes are defined in the scope of ISSN assignment. Because the scope of ISSN is all continuing resources, making it possible for the ISSN Network to follow its long-standing practice of using 008/21 to denote the type of continuing resource seems most appropriate. Position 24 relates to the identification of an entire work and while some of the types of work listed for that position may be serial in nature, many are unlikely to relate to a continuing resource. Positions 25-27 are only used if a significant part of the item can be represented by the code. Due to the nature and volatility of serial works, catalogers cannot say with certainty what the nature of the contents is until the work is complete. Another concern raised during consideration of 2020-DP10 was avoiding the need for multiple instances of MARC field 006. Since the ISSN Network intends to provide only one code for the primary type of continuing resource and maintaining its practice of using only 008/21 for this purpose, there should be no need to provide additional types by using field 006.

3. PROPOSED CHANGES

In field 008/21 and 006/04 of the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format:

3.1. Revise the definitions for the following codes:

p - Periodical
Current definition: Separate articles, stories, other writings, etc. that are published or distributed generally more frequently than annual.

Proposed revision: A broad category of publications that includes resources with separate articles, stories, other writings, etc. that are published or distributed generally more frequently than annual including journals, magazines, newsletters and blogs. Periodicals can be print or digital. Use this code only if less granularity is desired. Otherwise, codes for the specific types of periodicals should be used be used.

d - Updating database
Current definition: Collection of logically interrelated data stored together in one or more computerized files, usually created and managed by a database management system.

Proposed revision: Collection of logically interrelated data stored together in one or more computerized files, usually created and managed by a database management system and which is accessible via a search interface.

w - Updating Web site
Current definition: Web site that is updated, but does not fit into one of the other codes, such as periodical, newspaper, or database.

Proposed revision: A Web site that is updated, for which none of the other codes, such as database, repository, or blog is appropriate.

Note: The existing definitions for codes l (Updating loose-leaf), m (Monographic series), and n (Newspaper) remain the same. (See 008/21 documentation for current defintions).

3.2. Add and define the following codes:

h -  Blog
An online periodical appearing on a web page that may contain web links and/or comments on a particular topic or subject (broad or narrow in scope), often in the form of short articles arranged in reverse chronological order, the most recently added piece of information appearing first. If less granularity is desired, code "w" (Updating Web site) can be used.
Note: The information can be written or collected by the site owner or be contributed by users.

t- Directory
An itemized listing of information for the identification or location of persons, objects, organizations or places, arranged alphabetically, chronologically, or in other systematic order, and updated over time. Directories can be print or digital. If less granularity is desired for a digital directory, code "w" (Updating Web site) can be used.   

j- Journal
A periodical addressing readers interested in a specific subject or profession. Often includes original research and current developments. Journals can be print or digital.  If less granularity is desired, code "p" (Periodical) can be used.

g- Magazine
A specialized periodical addressing non-scientific, non-professional general interest topics.  Magazines can be print or digital.  If less granularity is desired, code "p" (Periodical) can be used.

s - Newsletter
A short periodical that can be issued by an organization, generally to its members, or to a specific audience to give current information about a topic or  sphere of activity.  Newsletters can be print or digital.  If less granularity is desired, code "p" (Periodical) can be used.

r-  Repository
An online collection, often scholarly in nature, for storing the publications of an institution, a group of institutions. Can also be a collection of materials on a specific subject, or from a specific community. Materials collected include e-prints, technical reports, theses and dissertations, datasets, and teaching and learning materials. If less granularity is desired, code "w" (Updating Web site) can be used. 

4. EXAMPLES

Note: All examples also apply to 006/04.

4.1. Blog

008 21 h
245 00 $a Library juice
022 0_ $a 1544-9378
264 _1 $a San Jose, Calif. : $b R. Litwin, $c 1998-
856 40 $u http://libraryjuicepress.com/blog/

008 21 h
245 04 $a The Lost Valley
022 0_ $a 2292-2601
264 _1 $a [Vancouver] : $b Ronald J. Jack, $c [2007]-
856 40 $u https://thelostvalley.blogspot.com/

4.2. Journal

008 21 j
245 00 $a Zeitschrift für Gesundheitswissenschaften
022 0_ $a 0943-1853
264 _1 $a Heidelberg; Berlin : $b Springer

008 21 j
245 00 $a International journal of bibliometrics in business and management
022 0_ $a 2057-0546
264 _1 $a Olney : $b Inderscience Publishers, $c 2017-
856 40 $u www.inderscience.com/jhom ...

4.3. Magazine

008 21 g
245 00 $a Elle
022 0_ $a 0013-6298
264 31 $a $a Levallois-Perret : $b CMI Publishing, $c 2019-

008 21 g
245 00 $a National Geographic
022 0_ $a 0027-9358
264 _1 $a [Washington, D.C.] : $b National Geographic Society, $c ©1959-

4.4. Directory

008 21 t
245 00 $a Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
022 0_ $a 0191-0221
264 _1 $a New York : $b Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, Inc., $c 1931-

008 21 t
245 00 $a D & B Million Dollar Directory
022 0_$a 1093-4812
264 _1 $a Bethlehem, PA : $b Dun & Bradstreet, Inc., $c 1997-

4.5. Newsletter

008 21 s
245 00 $a Culture et Loisirs
222 0_ $a 1715-7994
264 _1 $a Gatineau, Québec : $b Ville de Gatineau, $c 2006-

008 21 s
110 2_ $a Colorado Association of Libraries
245 10 $a Newsletter / $c Colorado Association of Libraries
022 0_ $a 1939-3733
264 _1 $a Lakewood, CO : $b Colorado Association of Libraries
856 41 $u https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/6966251/colorado-association-of-libraries-cal-newsletter

4.6. Repository

008 21 r
245 00 $a Digital Repository / $c Iowa State University
022 0_ $a 2572-679X
264 _1 $a [Ames, IA] : $b Iowa State University
856 00 $u https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/repository/

008 21 r
245 00 $a Ocean Docs
022 0_ $a 2310-6409
264 _1 $a Rome; Paris : $b Ostend FAO UNESCO IOC IODE
856 00 $u www.oceandocs.net/

008 21 r
022 0_ $a 2331-8422 $2 _1 $l 2331-8422
222 # # $a ArXiv.org
245 1 # $a ArXiv.org.
246 1 # $a ArXiv.org e-Print archive
246 3 # $a E-Print archive
260 # # $a [Ithaca, N.Y.] $b Cornell University $c [1991]-
856 4 0 $u http://bibpurl.oclc.org/web/7130 $u http://arxiv.org/ $x OA-R

5. BIBFRAME DISCUSSION

The new codes proposed for 008/21could be handled in the same manner as the existing codes. Currently the LC BIBFRAME Pilot 2.0 is mapping the 008/21 (Type of continuing resource) to the LC Genre/Form Terms (LCGFT). If a term doesn’t exist in LCGFT the MARC Genre Terms thesaurus is used instead. However, the next MARC to BIBFRAME conversion will place 008/21 data in a new property called the "Serial Publication Type" and a new vocabulary will be added to id.loc.gov.

6. SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES

In field 008/21 and 006/04 (Type of continuing resource) of the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format:

6.1. Revise the definitions for the following codes, as described in Section 3.1.:

p - Periodical
d - Updating database
w - Updating Web site

6.2. Add and define the following codes, as described in Section 3.2.:

h - Blog
t - Directory
j - Journal
g - Magazine
s - Newsletter
r - Repository


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