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DATE: May 22, 2025
REVISED:
NAME: Adding a Code for Remote Sensing Image to Fields 008/25 and 006/08 (Maps) in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format
SOURCE: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mt. Scopus Library - Cataloging Committee for Cartographic Materials; MAGIRT Cataloging and Classification Committee
SUMMARY: This paper continues the discussion of adding an additional code for "Remote sensing images" to fields 008/25 and 006/08 (Maps, Type of cartographic material) in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format in order to provide increased granularity for useful faceting and statistical reporting in library OPACs.
KEYWORDS: Maps (BD); Remote sensing images (BD); Field 008/25 (Maps) (BD); Field 006/08 (Maps) (BD); Type of cartographic material (BD); Aerial photographs (BD)
RELATED: 2025-DP02; 97-6; DP95
STATUS/COMMENTS:
05/22/25 – Made available to the MARC community for discussion.
06/25/25 – Results of MARC Advisory Committee discussion: The paper was generally supported by MAC. A motion was approved to convert the paper into a Fast-Track proposal, with the proviso that the authors potentially adddress map series and/or map serials in the code definition. The paper was referred to the MARC Steering Group for final processing and approval as a Fast-Track proposal.
In MARC21, the following three fields are used to describe coded information in a bibliographic record:
006 - Fixed-Length Data Elements - Additional Material Characteristics
007 - Physical Description Fixed Field - General information
008 - Fixed-Length Data Elements - General information
If the bibliographic record describes a cartographic material, the LDR in position 06 has the type of record: e = cartographic material
RDA defines a wide array of materials as cartographic works all coded as "e" in LDR position 6: "A work that is realized as a cartographic dataset, a cartographic image, a cartographic moving image, a cartographic tactile image, a cartographic tactile three-dimensional form, or a cartographic three-dimensional form."
Those cartographic materials can be distinguished into different types of cartographic material in two control fields: field 008 (Fixed-Length Data Elements - General Information) and field 006 (Fixed-Length Data Elements - Additional Material Characteristics). In both fields the existing Types of cartographic materials (008/25 and 006/08) that can be coded are:
a - Single map
b - Map series
c - Map serial
d - Globe
e - Atlas
f - Separate supplement to another work
g - Bound as part of another work
u - Unknown
z - Other
| - No attempt to code
In this list there are basically three defined types of cartographic material:
- map
- globe
- atlas
The other categories are "map series" (Number of related but physically separate and bibliographically distinct cartographic units intended by the producer(s) or issuing body(s) to form a single group); "map serial" (a serial in the subject of maps); and a separate "supplement" or "bound part" to another work.
If the material does not fall into one of those defined categories of cartographic material, one has no choice but to use "Other". The definition of this code is: "None of the other defined codes are appropriate".
When an aerial photograph or remote sensing image is cataloged, the only logical choice is "Other", although current practice varies. The fact that in current practice either code "a" (Single map) or code "z" (Other) is used for aerial photographs and remote sensing images, points to ambivalence and uncertainty of where to classify this type of cartographic material. Defining a separate category would solve the ambiguity.
This paper seeks to add a code to allow coding for remote sensing images to allow for greater granularity in indicating what type of cartographic work the bibliographic record is describing.
During the discussion of the previous paper, 2025-DP02, at the MARC Advisory Committee Midwinter meeting in January 2025, there was general support for the addition of a code for remote sensing images but some concerns were raised. There was a general agreement that there be a clarification of the term "remote sensing image" and of how aerial photographs relate to remote sensing images. Also suggested was the possibility of using genre terminology to denote whether a cartographic resource is a remote sensing image. This is in essence what the cartographic community has to do now and this is not totally fulfilling the needs of the community.
A supporting argument for the proposed change is the fact that field 007 has three distinct categories of material for cartographic materials: 007 (Map), 007 (Globe) and 007 (Remote-sensing image).The three categories for cartographic materials in field 007 are based on distinct elements in each category that set it apart from the other two.
Remote sensing images, including aerial photographs, are important cartographic materials with their own distinct characteristics and uses. Therefore, it is advisable to be able to have them coded as a separate type, instead of lumping them as "single map" with regular maps, or as "others", which is a vague and undefined category. This need was recognized in field 007 but not in fields 006 and 008.
If there is a separate 007 field for a specific type of cartographic material (Remote-Sensing Image), which fills a need by enabling the coding of specific details of remote sensing images which are not relevant to other cartographic materials, it stands to reason, and would seem an obvious choice, that remote sensing images should also have their own code as a type of cartographic material in fields 008/25 and 006/08 (Maps). This can be accomplished simply by adding an additional value "r" = Remote sensing image to the list in those fields. In view of the ever growing need for machine readable coded information, for which purpose the 008 and 006 fields were devised, we strongly advise that this new code be added.
With the announcement of "Modern MARC" by the Library of Congress in January of 2025, there is a move away from coded data to textual data recorded in the 3XX fields. In Field 336 (Content type), we run into the same limitation as in fields 008 and 006 with the options of: cartographic dataset, cartographic image, cartographic moving image, cartographic tactile image, cartographic tactile three-dimensional form, and cartographic three-dimensional form. Aerial photography and remote sensing images are once again lumped together with other maps with the term "cartographic image". Adding a code for remote sensing images could give credence to adding a term at a later date.
To adequately describe remote sensing images as a specific type of cartographic material in the 008 and 006 (Maps) fixed fields in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format, an additional value is proposed, as follows:
008/25 and 006/08 - Type of cartographic material
One-character alphabetic code that indicates the type of cartographic item described.r - Remote sensing image - A remote sensing image, including satellite images and aerial photographs, that lacks additional map content. For an image with information added after the image has been captured, code a (Single map) is used.
Example of an existing record for an aerial photographLDR 01430nem#a2200385#i#4500
006 e#######z###o#0###
007 ar#az|||
007 ru#bc0bbuaa
008 000000e19611019is########z###o#0#z#zxx#d
035 $$a (HUJ)9921423760403701
245 $$a [Aerial Photograph] Flight 125 Photo 4179.
[https://huji.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/972HUJI_INST/9os3m6/alma9921423760403701]Example of a proposed record for an aerial photograph
LDR 01430nem#a2200385#i#4500
006 e#######r###o#0###
007 ar#az|||
007 ru#bc0bbuaa
008 000000e19611019is########r###o#0#z#zxx#d
035 $$a (HUJ)9921423760403701
245 $$a [Aerial Photograph] Flight 125 Photo 4179.
Example of an existing record for a satellite imageLDR 01405cem a2200421Ii 4500
006 e#######z###o#0###
007 ar#canzn
008 140523s1976####vau#######z##f##0###eng#dExample of an proposed record for a satellite image
LDR 01405cem a2200421Ii 4500
006 e#######r###o#0###
007 ar#canzn
008 140523s1976####vau#######r##f##0###eng#d
The MARC-to-BIBFRAME conversion can be modified to include this addition. This software does not currently convert remote-sensing data from the 007 field, but that decision could be reevaluated.
6.1. Does MAC agree that there is a need for this code in MARC, or would it be more appropriate to add a content type in RDA?
6.2. Are there other formats where the addition of a code would be appropriate? Would this be useful for visual materials?
6.3. Are there any other considerations this paper did not address?
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