Specificity of Tagging in

Evaluating MARC Cataloging Software

Sometimes a computer-cataloging program will use MARC tagging, but will only use a limited number of the possible fields within each section of MARC. For example, a simplified MARC-compatible program might assign all subject headings a 650 tag (topical), bypassing the more specific name and geographic tags that can also be used for subjects. This type of simplifying may be found in several of the sections of MARC. Many times these programs are ones that prompt the cataloger with a blank to fill in for ‘author’ or ‘subject’, rather than giving the cataloger a screen with a MARC template in it. Some programs will provide a MARC template, but will not allow the cataloger to add fields and tags as needed. This is as restricting as not being given a template at all.

Problems may arise when a computer program that limits the use of some MARC fields tries to search a database that uses all of the fields for MARC. Sometimes the more limited programs are not able to find all of the possible records in a complete MARC database because they do not tag the information in the same way. While these problems occur less frequently than they have in the past, it is important to understand the difference between MARC-compatible or simplified MARC (using MARC-style tagging, but not all of the MARC fields), and full-MARC or complete-MARC (generating a MARC template for full use of the available fields). Any libraries that plan to participate in a network or share cataloging, now or in the future, should be using cataloging programs that make available the full range of MARC fields.

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