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MARC FAST-TRACK PROPOSAL
DATE: April 6, 2026
REVISED:
NAME: Revising Sign Language Instructions in Field 008/35-37 in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format
SOURCE: OCLC
SUMMARY: This paper proposes updating the instruction in field 008/35-37 (Language) about recording a specific sign language in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format.
KEYWORDS: Field 008/35-37 (BD); Language (BD); Sign Language (BD)
RELATED: 2026-DP02; 2025-DP14; 2018-02
STATUS/COMMENTS:
02/19/26 – Discussion Paper 2026-DP02, was partially converted to a MARC Fast-Track proposal at the MAC Midwinter Meeting, specifically Section 3.1, dealing with sign languages.
04/06/26 – Submitted to the MARC Steering Group for consideration as a MARC Fast-Track proposal.
04/16/26 – Results of MARC Steering Group review - Approved.
In reviewing field 041 (Language Code) for OCLC's paper 2025-DP14, we noticed three issues that were not central to the discussion paper, which was focused on the relationship between fields 041 and 008/35-37. We described these three issues in the discussion section of that paper. MAC asked that the second and third issues be addressed in a single discussion paper for the Midwinter 2026 meeting, which resulted in Discussion Paper No. 2026-DP02. In that paper, the following two issues were explored:
At the 2026 Midwinter meeting of the MARC Advisory Committee, a motion was approved to split discussion of the two issues. The sign language issue (covered in Section 3.1) was approved to convert to a Fast-Track proposal, with a change to the first example (remove the first 041 field and correct the second indicator in the other 041 field). The other issue about "English alphabetical order" did not have consensus, so OCLC declined to pursue it further. The parts of 2026-DP02 related to English alphabetical order are not included in this paper.
Language information is recorded in field 008/35-37 and may also be recorded in other fields, usually field 041 (Language Code) and field 546 (Language Note). An institution may use both field 041 and 546 or choose to use one of those fields. The Field Definition and Scope areas for fields 041 and 546 refer to each other, but do not specify requirements about using one or the other. However, within the description of the code sgn – Sign languages in field 008/35-37, there is a very specific instruction about using fields 546 and 041. This is the current text and example:
sgn - Sign languages
Primary medium of communication is a sign language, e.g., a book containing pictures of the handshape of each letter of a particular sign system, or a videorecording that is signed. The particular sign language system is stated in field 546 (Language Note), e.g., American Sign Language. The codes for secondary and related languages may be indicated in field 041 (Language Code).008/35-37 sgn
041 0# $a sgn $a eng
546 ## $a American Sign Language, with some text in English.
We believe the instruction about using field 546 was added before there were codes available for particular sign language systems and was never reviewed as more codes were added to the Language Code and Term Source Codes lists. Proposal 2001-06 added subfield $2 (Source of code) to field 041, but there was no mention of updating 008/35-37. ISO 639-3, which contains codes for individual sign languages like American Sign Language, was published in 2007. CCM's response to question 7 in their comments on 2025-DP14 indicates they agree with us: "Seems to have been an oversight when 041 was expanded to include non-MARC codes."
OCLC's proposed revision to sgn – Sign languages clarifies that both field 041 and 546 may be used to record information about an individual sign language. It also rephrases the instruction so that it does not sound like a requirement to use field 546. We also note that the description "a videorecording that is signed" may be misleading as the code "sgn" would be used when sign language is the primary language. We have suggested a slight rewording of that description more consistent with language used in field 041.
We also propose deleting the last sentence: "The codes for secondary and related languages may be indicated in field 041 (Language Code)." We think the reference to field 041 here is unnecessary as instructions about using field 041 for other languages are already provided in other areas of 008/35-37 and throughout the 041field page. For example, the fourth paragraph of 35-37 – Language says, "If more than one language code is applicable, the code for the predominant language is recorded in 008/35-37, and the codes for all of the languages, including the predominant language, are recorded in one or more occurrences of field 041 (Language Code)."
Our proposed revision does not change any current cataloging practices. It merely provides an accurate description of ways in which individual sign languages may be recorded in MARC fields.
In field 008/35-37 (Language) of the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format, make the following changes:
(Note: changes indicated by strikethroughs and underlining)
Revision:
sgn - Sign languages
Predominant language of itemPrimary medium of communication is a sign language, e.g., a book containing pictures of the handshape of each letter of a particular sign system, or a moving image resource with a sign language as the predominant languagevideorecording that is signed. An individual sign language may be indicated in field 041 (Language Code), field 546 (Language Note), or both. The particular sign language system is stated in field 546 (Language Note), e.g., American Sign Language. The codes for secondary and related languages may be indicated in field 041 (Language Code).
008/35-37 sgn
041 07 $a csl $2 iso639-3
008/35-37 sgn
041 0# $a sgn $a eng
546 ## $a American Sign Language, with some text in English.
Clean version:
sgn - Sign languages
Predominant language of item is a sign language, e.g., a book containing pictures of the handshape of each letter of a particular sign system, or a moving image resource with a sign language as the predominant language. An individual sign language may be indicated in field 041 (Language Code), field 546 (Language Note), or both.
008/35-37 sgn
041 07 $a csl $2 iso639-3
008/35-37 sgn
041 0# $a sgn $a eng
546 ## $a American Sign Language, with some text in English.
There are no BIBFRAME implications in these proposed changes.
In field 008/35-37 (Language) of the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format revise code "sgn" as described in Section 3.
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