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MARC FAST-TRACK PROPOSAL
DATE: September 19, 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 and MAGIRT Cataloging and Classification Committee
SUMMARY: This paper proposes 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-DP05; 2025-DP02; 97-6; DP95
STATUS/COMMENTS:
06/25/25 – Discussion Paper 2025-DP05 was converted to a MARC Fast-Track proposal at MAC Annual meeting.
09/19/25 – Submitted to the MARC Steering Group for consideration as a MARC Fast-Track proposal.
11/25/25 – Results of MARC Steering Group review - Approved.
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 proposal 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 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.
This paper stems from Discussion Paper No. 2025-DP05, which was generally supported by the MARC Advisory Committee at the 2025 Annual meeting. A motion was approved to convert the paper as written into a fast-track proposal.
A supporting argument for this proposal 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.
Includes remote sensing series.
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 a 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.
In fields 008/25 and 006/08 (Maps, Type of cartographic material) of the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format, add the following new code (see Section 3 for full description):
r - Remote sensing image
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