BACKGROUND

In 1996, the first indicator value 2 (Multiple surname) in X00 fields in MARC 21 was made obsolete. Value 1 (Single surname) was redefined as "surname" to be used for headings with either single or multiple surnames. At the time value 2 was made obsolete, various factors contributed to a delay in implementation, including, more recently, the installation of the LC ILS. (By exception, the change was implemented by the British Library and three NACO libraries (National Library of Scotland, Cambridge, and Oxford) linked with the BL in a UK cooperative called the Copyright Libraries Shared Cataloguing Programme (CLSC), and the UK's National Art Library. Authority records contributed by the Dance Heritage Coalition also contained the change.)

Now that the LC ILS has been installed, LC assessed the best way to implement this change within the context of available resources. After consulting various libraries and agencies about the proposed implementation plan, LC has decided to implement the change beginning January 1, 2000 according to the following guidelines for LC/NACO libraries.

BASIS OF IMPLEMENTATION

The basis of the implementation of the indicator change is that authority and bibliographic records will be treated independently, i.e., there will be no attempt to keep authority and bibliographic records in synchronization. The goals of the implementation are to assure that:

1. all newly created authority and bibliographic records reflect the change;
2. all existing records that are changed will be consistent within themselves.

APPLICABILITY

The guidelines apply to fields 100, 400, and 500 in all authority records (name, series, subjects). They apply to the following fields in bibliographic records: 100; 400; 600; 700; 800.

GUIDELINES

1. Newly created records. Discontinue using value 2 in newly created authority and bibliographic records.

2. Existing records. Limit changes to those encountered in regular work. Do not look for changes in the indicator value per se.

   2.1. Authority records. If changing an authority record that contains one or more multiple surname fields with Indicator 1 = 2, change the value 2 to 1 in all such fields as needed.

   2.1.1. Corresponding bibliographic records. Do not change corresponding bibliographic records unless there is another reason for changing them, in which case change the value 2 to 1 in all candidate fields as needed.

   2.1.2 Related authority records. Do not extend the changes stimulated by a particular authority record to related authority records unless there is another reason for changing them, in which case change the value 2 to 1 in all candidate fields as needed .

   2.2 Bibliographic records. If changing a bibliographic record for some other reason and that record contains one or more multiple surname fields with Indicator 1 = 2, change the value 2 to 1 in all such fields as needed.

   2.2.1 Corresponding authority records. Do not change corresponding authority records unless there is another reason for changing them, in which case change the value 2 to 1 in all candidate fields as needed.

   2.2.2 Related bibliographic records. Do not extend the changes stimulated by a particular bibliographic record to related bibliographic records unless there is another reason for changing them, in which case change the value 2 to 1 in all candidate fields as needed.

Cataloging Directorate and
Network Development and MARC Standards Office
Library of Congress

November 23, 1999

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