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DATE: January 15, 2026
REVISED:
NAME: Additions and Revisions to Accessibility Fields 341 and 532 in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format
SOURCE: Canadian Committee on Metadata Exchange (CCM)
SUMMARY: This paper proposes additional indicators and subfields for fields 341 (Accessibility Content) and 532 (Accessibility Note) in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format.
KEYWORDS: Field 341 (BD); Accessibility content (BD); Field 532 (BD); Accessibility note (BD); Accessibility (BD); Sensory hazards (BD); Data provenance (BD); Conformance (BD); Uniform Resource Identifier (BD); Source of term (BD)
RELATED: 2025-DP12; 2024-02; 2023-DP05; 2018-03; 2017-11; 2017-DP03
STATUS/COMMENTS:
01/15/26 – Made available to the MARC community for discussion.
02/18/26 – Results of MARC Advisory Committee discussion: Partially approved. Only the field 341 changes in the proposal were approved, with the following amendments: 1) adjust the field definition to read: “Information about the accessibility of the content of a resource…”; 2) remove the 2nd indicator value "3" in the proposal and make proposed value "4" into value "3". Proposed changes to Field 532 were omitted, as MAC did not support the idea of transforming a note field into a very structured description, as proposed in the paper. The field 532 issues explored in the paper may return as a follow-up proposal or discussion paper.
05/19/26 – Results of MARC Steering Group review - Agreed with the MAC decision.
MARC fields 341 (Accessibility Content) and 532 (Accessibility Note) were added to the MARC Bibliographic Format in November 2018. Field 341 was updated in June 2024 based on changes proposed in MARC Proposal 2024-02. As fields 341 and 532 have become more widely implemented, additional useful data that could be recorded in these fields has been identified but requires the addition of subfields and indicators to these fields and rephrasing of the field 341 Field Definition and Scope.
Field 341 is currently defined, in part, in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format as follows:
FIELD DEFINITION AND SCOPE
Information about modes of access to the content of a resource, including its primary mode of access and alternative mode(s) of access or accessibility features.
Field 532 is currently defined, in part, in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format as follows:
FIELD DEFINITION AND SCOPE
Textual information describing the accessibility features, hazards, and deficiencies of a resource, including technical details relating to accessibility features. This field may be used to expand on or to qualify data in field 341 (Accessibility Content).
This proposal builds upon the ideas explored in MARC Discussion Paper 2025-DP12, which was shared with the MARC community and discussed in the 2025 MAC Annual Meeting. MAC was generally receptive to the field 341 changes, however, there were some concerns articulated for field 532, particularly with respect to the proposed granularity of the field. It was not clear why all the granularity was needed. All the subfielding seemed to be making the field more complex than it needed to be. There was also a question about how multiple 341 fields, as well as how the absence of accessibility content, would be handled in a display. The authors have provided justification for the granularity by referencing recommendations included in EPUB Accessibility 1.1 Conformance and Discoverability Requirements for EPUB publications (W3C Recommendation 17 October 2024). Examples in the proposal have been reworked, but discussion of how absence of accessibility would be displayed seemed to be out of scope for a MARC proposal and probably best handled through best practices. That said, something like Accessibility features (visual): No accessibility features present [or simply None] is one suggestion.
This proposal calls for a means to clearly state the presence or absence of accessibility features in a resource. Three conditions need to be distinguished:
Indicating that a resource has accessibility features will allow a user to select just those resources that are known to have accessibility features.
Indicating explicitly that accessibility features are absent signals to the user that the resource has been evaluated for accessibility and that no accessibility features are present, permitting users to omit from their search results resources that are known to lack accessibility features and do not meet their accessibility requirements.
The content of some resources is accessed by multiple modes. For example, an audiovisual resource, whose content is accessed through both the auditory and visual modes or the content of an electronic book with images, accessed in both the textual and visual modes. A cataloger should be able to indicate that accessibility features are present for one mode, both, or neither mode.
Additionally, we propose indicating that the accessibility of a resource is unknown, or that the accessibility of the resource is known not to have been evaluated. Use cases would include resources that have not been fully cataloged or resources cataloged by agencies lacking the resources to determine accessibility. Most cataloging agencies would not record this information retrospectively for previously cataloged resources.
In Section 3.1.3, this proposal calls for the definition of the second indicator in field 341 (Accessibility Content) to distinguish between the three conditions described above.
Sensory hazards—such as flashing, motion and sound—restrict the accessibility of users who are adversely affected by these hazards. When such hazards have been clearly identified, it would be advisable to inform users about the presence of these hazards.
The accessibility of resources can be determined by declaration of conformance to an accessibility standard such as WCAG 2.1. Conformance can be certified by an accredited third-party certifier or self-certified by the creator of the resource. Useful metadata that can be recorded related to conformance are:
The EPUB Accessibility 1.1 Conformance and Discoverability Requirements for EPUB publications (17 October 2024) W3C Recommendation (https://www.w3.org/TR/epub-a11y-11/) recommends that EPUB publications provide metadata describing the level of accessibility conformance achieved as well as metadata identifying who performed the accessibility evaluation (Section 3.5 Conformance reporting). In addition to the name of the evaluator, it is recommended to record the evaluation date and evaluator credentials, and to provide a link to an accessibility conformance report. (Section 3.5.3 Evaluator information.)
Identifying the source of accessibility metadata using data provenance metadata, supports user confidence in the reliability of the metadata. While field 040 provides information on the original cataloging agency that created a bibliographic record as well as cataloging agencies that have made subsequent modifications to a bibliographic record, this field does not associate specific modifications made to a bibliographic record with the institutions that made them. Data provenance metadata can be provided at the field level, using field 883, but there is no means to provide subfield-level data provenance metadata in fields 341 and 532. Due to the granularity of accessibility metadata we recommend the use of Appendix J to record subfield-level data provenance metadata. Appendix J requires the definition of a subfield in which to record this metadata in fields 341 and 532.
Revise the text of the field 341 Field Definition and Scope clarifying that the field is used to record metadata relating to the accessibility of a resource, including but not limited to access mode, alternative modes, and accessibility features.
Current Text:
Information about modes of access to the content of a resource, including its primary mode of access and alternative mode(s) of access or accessibility features.
Proposed Text:
Information about the accessibility of a resource, including modes of access to the content of the resource as well as accessibility features providing alternative modes of access, and warnings about sensory hazards.
In line with the proposed revision of the field 341 Field Definition and Scope, revise the labels and values of the first indicator to indicate that the data recorded is not restricted to adaptive features but can include other types of accessibility information (e.g., sensory hazards).
First Indicator - Application
Current Text:
0 - Adaptive features to access primary content
Adaptive features to access primary content of a resource.1 - Adaptive features to access secondary content
Adaptive features to access secondary content of a resource.Proposed Text:
0 - Accessibility information related to primary content
Accessibility information related to the primary content of a resource.1 - Accessibility information related to secondary content
Accessibility information related to secondary content of a resource.
Define the second indicator in field 341 to indicate the presence or absence of accessibility features as well as the presence of sensory hazards in the resource. Add an additional indicator value to indicate that the accessibility of the resource is unknown or has not been evaluated for accessibility.
Second Indicator – Presence of Accessibility Features/Hazards
# - No information provided
No information is provided as to the presence or absence of accessibility features or hazards.1 - Accessibility features present
The resource contains accessibility features recorded in subfields $b-$e for the access mode identified in subfield $a341 01 $avisual$daudioDescription$2sapdv
2 - No accessibility features present
The resource does not contain any accessibility features for the access mode identified in subfield $a341 02 $avisual$2sapdv
3 - Presence of accessibility features unknown or undetermined
The presence or absence of accessibility features for the access mode identified in subfield $a is either unknown or undetermined341 03 $avisual$2sapdv
4 - Sensory hazards present
The resource is known to contain sensory hazards (flashing, motion, sound) that may affect some individuals.341 04 $hflashing$2sapdv
Add a subfield code to record sensory hazards and a subfield code to record data provenance:
Subfield Codes
$h - Sensory hazards (R)
A known sensory aspect of a resource, such as visual flashing or motion simulation that may induce a negative physiological reaction.$7 - Data provenance (R)
See description of this subfield in Appendix J: Data Provenance Subfields.
Add a new first indicator value and add new subfields for recording metadata indicating the conformance of a resource to an accessibility standard. This includes defining a subfield to accommodate a URL to an external Certifier's report. There is precedent for recording URLs in a notes field in the Bibliographic Format: 506 (Restrictions on Access Note); 538 (System Details Note); 540 (Terms Governing Use and Reproduction Note); 542 (Information Relating to Copyright Status); 545 (Biographical or Historical Data); 552 (Entity and Attribute Information Note); 555 (Cumulative Index/Finding Aids Note); 561 (Ownership and Custodial History); 563 (Binding Information); 583 (Action Note).
Add a new first indicator value "5" to clearly mark the contents of the note as Conformance metadata.
First Indicator - Display constant controller
5 - Conformance
Provides information on the conformance of the resource to an established accessibility standard such as WCAG 2 Level AAA.
Add subfields in which to record accessibility standard conformance metadata ($i, $p, $q, $r, $t, $u), the definition of a subfield ($2) to record the source of a term used and the definition of a subfield ($7) to record data provenance using Appendix J.
Subfield Codes
$i - Display text (NR)
Display and identification of the materials described in subfield $u.$p - Accessibility standard to which resource conforms (NR)
Records the accessibility standard to which a resource is certified to conform (e.g., WCAG).$q - MARC organization code or the name of third-party certifier (NR)
Identifies a third party (not the creator, producer, or publisher of the resource) that has certified the resource meets the accessibility standard cited in subfield $p.$r - MARC organization code or the name of self-certifying publisher (NR)
Identifies the publisher or the producer of a resource that has self-certified that the resource meets the accessibility standard cited in subfield $p.$t - Date conformance certified (NR)
Records the date on which the accessibility of a resource has been certified as meeting the standard cited in subfield $p. The date is recorded preferably in line with Representation of Dates and Times (ISO 8601).$u - Uniform Resource Identifier (NR)
Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), for example a URL or URN, which provides electronic access data in a standard syntax. This data can be used for automated access to an electronic item using one of the Internet protocols.$2 - Source of term (NR)
Identification of the source of terms when they are from a controlled list.$7 - Data provenance (R)
See description of this subfield in Appendix J: Data Provenance Subfields.
4.1.1. Presence or Absence of Accessibility features
A DVD with Described Video
341 01 $avisual$daudioDescription$2sapdv
A DVD with Captions for the feature film, but not for Bonus Features
341 01$3Feature:$auditory$bclosedCaptions
341 12 $3Bonus features: $aauditoryA PDF for which accessibility has not been evaluated
341 03 $atextual
4.1.2. Presence of Sensory Hazards
Indicates the presence of a flashing hazard in the resource.
341 04 $hflashing$2sapdv
4.1.3. Data Provenance
Indicates which cataloging agency added metadata about the visual content of an electronic book
341 01 $avisual$balternativeText$2sapdv$7(dpeaa/dpsfb)CaQMG
4.2.1. Conformance
This resource conforms to EPUB Accessibility Specification 1.1 as certified by LIA (Fondazione Libri Italiani Accessibility) on July 27, 2025, URL to Certifier's Report provided.
532 5# $81$pEPUB Accessibility Specification 1.1$2onix
532 5# $81$qLIA$t20250727 $iCertifier report:$u https://catalogo.fondazionelia.org/content/2-giugno-9788815409096
4.2.2. Source of Term
Irish Digital Cultures: Identity, Contexts, Space. London: Routledge, 2025. (ebook: 9781003595380): https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9781003595380/irish-digital-cultures-deirdre-flynn-mary-mcgill
This resource conforms to requirements of EPUB Accessibility Spec 1.1 and WCAG version 2.2 level AA, as certified by Benetech (MARC Organization Code: CaPaBT) on the date: 20251204.532 5# $81$pEPUB Accessibility Specification 1.1$2onix
532 5# $81$pWCAG v2.2$2onix
532 5# $81$pWCAG level AA$2onix
532 5# $81$qCaPaBT$t20251204
4.2.3. Data Provenance
Indicates which cataloging agency has added subfield $p to indicate the accessibility standard to which the resource conforms.
532 5# $pEPUB Accessibility Specification 1.0 A$7(dpeaa/dpsfp)CaQMG$2onix
The ContentAccessibility class/property has not been fully developed in BIBFRAME. If this proposal is adopted, the data conversion programs will be modified. A potential modification could be the creation of a bf:noteType for the content accessibility note in MARC 532, which would differentiate it from the more structured information in MARC 341.
Make the following changes to field 341 (Accessibility Content) and field 532 (Accessibility Note) in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format:
6.1. In Field 341, revise the Field Definition in Scope, as described in Section 3.1.1.
6.2. In Field 341, revise the text of first indicator values, as described in Section 3.1.2.
6.3. In Field 341, define the second indicator and values to be used in the second indicator, as described in Section 3.1.3.
6.4. In Field 341, add new subfield codes for sensory hazards and data provenance as described in Section 3.1.4.
6.5. In Field 532, add a new first indicator value to mark the contents of the note as standard conformance metadata, as described in Section 3.2.1.
6.6. In Field 532, add new subfield codes relating to conformance and data provenance, as described in Section 3.2.2.
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