Best Practices For Cataloging Artist Files Using MARC

Best Practices for Cataloging Artist Files Using MARC updates the cataloging recommendation included in Artist Files Revealed: Documentation and Access, published by the Artist Files Working Group in 2009/2010, and was guided by the following goals:

  • Provide conformance to RDA
  • Specify a reasonable level of descriptive detail, including an updated definition of artist files
  • Improve indexing, especially for grouping and processing large sets of records in union cataloging environments such as WorldCat
  • Lower the barrier for institutions to create MARC cataloging for their artist files
  • Lower the barrier for institutions who have already completed MARC cataloging to normalize them according to the updated recommendation
  • Respect the diversity of institutional practices for cataloging artist files

This recommendation uses the definition of artist files as codified in Artist Files Revealed: Documentation and Access, with minor corrections:

The subjects of artist files represented in most collections encompass, but are not limited to, the following:

Individuals: Administrators, architects, artists, authors, bookbinders, collectors, connoisseurs, critics, conservators, craftsmen, curators, dealers, designers, educators, filmmakers, historians, journalists, patrons, printers, publishers, scholars, etc.

Institutions: Academic institutions, architectural firms, archives, auction houses, commercial galleries, foundations, foundries, galleries, governmental bodies, historic sites, institutes, kunsthalles, libraries, monuments, museums, publishers, religious organizations, research centers, private collections, societies, etc.

Notes

  • This best practices document does not address authority control, other than specifying “artist files” for form/genre access.
  • Though MARC 21 is used as the recommended data format, fields and content can be adapted to other formats.
  • Institutions are of course free, and even encouraged, to enhance their records by providing additional access points, subjects, etc.
  • The ARLIS/NA Cataloging Advisory Committee based many of its recommendations on “Collections-Level Cataloging” (C14) in the Library of Congress’ Descriptive Cataloging Manual: Collection-Level Cataloging.

Document History

Ind
1		 Ind
2		 Value/Example Notes/Discussion
LDR/06
Type of Record		 “p” – Mixed materials
LDR/07
Bibliographic Level		 “c” – Collection
LDR/08
Type of Archival Control		 Blank – No specific type of control
LDR/17
Encoding Level		 “7” – Or other code as appropriate; see Notes/Discussion Cf. LC DCM C14.4.4.18.1

Per OCLC Metadata Quality: if institutions are batchloading into OCLC, incoming code will be converted to “M” (this will change in the future, but right now this is how it works). Non-PCC institutions won’t be able to use a value of 7 when working directly in OCLC through Connexion or Record Manager. Institutions working in Connexion or Record Manager should use “K.”

Value of “7” states that headings have been checked against an authority file, which might not always be the case for artist files loaded in a batch process.
LDR/18
Descriptive Cataloging Form		 “i” – ISBD
008/06
Type of Date/Publication Status		 “i” (inclusive), “k” (bulk),  or “n” as needed If a file is still growing, use code “m” and record the earliest date in the 008/07-14 as Date 1 and “9999” as the value in Date 2.
008/07-14
Date 1 and Date 2		 Provide dates if known Cf. LC DCM C14.4.4.18.4
008/15-17
Country of Publication, etc.		 “xx#” (# = blank)
Provide specific country code if needed or known
May use blanks		 Use country code from MARC Code List for Countries.
008/35-37
Language Code		 Code predominant language code; use “und” if there is no linguistic content. Use language code from  MARC Code List for Languages.

Additional language codes may be added in the 041 field.
040
Cataloging Source		 $a [cataloging agency code] $b [language code] $e rda $e dcarlisnaaf $c [cataloging agency code] Use institution’s OCLC library code or  MARC organization code in $a and $c.

Use language code in $b from MARC Code List for Languages.

Use code “dcarlisnaaf” from the Description Convention Source Codes to indicate that the record conforms to this standard and to supply an additional indexed field for finding these records. Code approved by Network Development and MARC Standards Office on 2018-08-31. See comments at bottom of page for OCLC implementation schedule.

View WorldCat indexing and searching for this field.
245
Title Statement		 0 0 $a Jim Clark : $k artist file.

$a Roman Bronze Works Foundry : $k artist file.

$a  Buffalo Bill Historical Center : $k artist file.

 View WorldCat indexing and searching for this field. Subfield k, which codifies “a term that is descriptive of the form of the described materials,” does not have a distinct WorldCat index but is included in title and keyword indexes, including ti:, kw:, and td:.
300
Physical Description		 Best to use:
$a various pieces

Also okay to use:
$a folders
$a items

 “Various pieces” is preferred, but some institutions may wish to use “folders” or “items” or the exact number of folders or  items to help express the size of the collection.

This field is repeatable.
336
RDA Content Types		 Best to use specific types, such as:
$a text $b txt $2 rdacontent
$a still image $b sti $2 rdacontent

Also okay to use:
$a other $b xxx $2 rdacontent
$a unspecified $b zzz $2 rdacontent

 Additional content types may be assigned as needed.

Use codes from Term and Code List for RDA Content Types.
337
RDA Media Types		 Best to use specific types, such as:
$a unmediated $b n $2 rdamedia
$a projected $b g $2 rdamedia
$a computer $b c $2 rdamedia

Also okay to use:
$a other $b x $2 rdamedia
$a unspecified $b z $2 rdamedia

 Additional media types may be assigned as needed.

Use codes from Term and Code List for RDA Media Types.
338
RDA Carrier Types		 Best to use specific types, such as:
$a volume $b nc $2 rdacarrier
$a sheet $b nb $2 rdacarrier
$a card $b no $2 rdacarrier

Also okay to use:
$a other $2 nz $2 rdacarrier
$a unspecified $b zu $2 rdacarrier

 Additional carrier types may be assigned as needed.

Use codes from Term and Code List for RDA Carrier Types.
520
Summary, Etc.: Scope and Content		 2 $a Mixed collection of published and unpublished material that may include items such as announcements, articles, artist statements and manifestos, brochures, clippings, correspondence, digital media, exhibition catalogs and checklists, interviews, invitations, manuscripts, memorabilia, oral histories, posters, press releases, resumes/CVs, reviews, slides, and other similar material. These items are typically small in size and not individually cataloged. This statement combines examples from both Art and Architecture Thesaurus and Artist Files Revealed: Documentation and Access. The authority record from Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms for Library and Archival Materials references definitions from both sources.

While it is permissible to use the 500 for the general description of an artist file, the 520 is more specific and frees the 500 field up to capture notes of a more general nature.
6XX
Subject Added Entry		 1

2

2

 0

0

0

 $a Clark, Jim, $d 1938-

$a Roman Bronze Works Foundry.

$a Buffalo Bill Historical Center.
655
Index Term – Genre/Form		 7 Best to use:
$a Artist files. $2 lcgft $0 (lcgft)gf2017027219

Also okay to use:
$a Artist files. $2 aat $0 (aat)300312067

 Best to use the term from the Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms for Library and Archival Materials, which specifically codifies terms for identifying genre/form.

$2 supplies the code for the controlled vocabulary taken from the Genre/Form Code and Term Source Codes

$0 supplies the identifier for the term

  • URI for lcgft term
  • URI for aat term

View WorldCat indexing and searching for this field.

Additional genre/forms may be assigned as needed.
7XX
Added Entry		 1

2

2

 $a Clark, Jim, $d 1938-

$a Roman Bronze Works Foundry.

$a Buffalo Bill Historical Center.

2 Comments

  1. Author

    A bit of a setback in setting up validation of the code at OCLC per Jay Weitz. Jay wrote on September 10, 2018:

    The code “dcarlisnaaf” was announced by LC in its Technical Notice (August 31, 2018) (http://www.loc.gov/marc/relators/tn180831src.html).  As always (and contrary to what NDMSO says below), the notice includes the proviso:  “The codes should not be used in exchange records until 60 days after the date of this notice to provide implementers time to include newly-defined codes in any validation tables.”  This code was announced too late for us to include it in the upcoming OCLC-MARC Update.  It will be validated as part of our next available installation, which hasn’t yet been scheduled but will likely be before the end of the calendar year.  I’ve set a reminder to myself to let Sam know when it is validated.

    In the meantime, we usually suggest that catalogers keep track of the bibliographic records in which the code would have been used so that they may go back and add it once the code is validated.  Thanks, Sam, for your patience.

  2. Author

    Alway exciting to get an email like this from NDMSO:

    Hello,

    We have issued an announcement (http://www.loc.gov/marc/relators/tn180831src.html). Code will be added to list next week, but you may begin using it now.

    Best regards,

    NDMSO

    ———————————————–
    Network Development and MARC Standards Office
    101 Independence Ave., S.E.
    Washington, DC 20540-4402 U.S.A.
    TEL: +1-202-707-6237
    FAX: +1-202-707-0115
    NET: ndmso@loc.gov
    ———————————————–

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