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MARC PROPOSAL NO. 2008-05/3

Proposal 2008-05/3: New content designation Content type, Media Type, Carrier Type

1. BACKGROUND

RDA instructs catalogers to record three separate data elements for Media type (RDA 3.2.0.2) Carrier type (RDA 3.3.0.2) and Content type (RDA 6.11). These RDA instructions, and the values assigned within each element, were developed from the RDA ONIX Framework for Resource Categorization: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/jsc/working2.html#chair-10, and the report of the GMD/SMD Working group: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/jsc/working2.html#chair-6.

These three elements are intended as replacements for the general material designation (GMD) defined in AACR2 1.1C, which is currently recorded in field 245 (Title statement) subfield $h (Medium). The challenges of mapping the AACR2 GMD values to the RDA values are beyond the scope of this proposal. The MARC Advisory Committee favored new content designation for Media type, Carrier type and Content type during its discussions of Discussion Paper 2008-DP04 (Encoding RDA, Resource Description and Access data in MARC 21) in January, 2008. The discussion in this paper covers options for recording these three elements in textual form. Appendix A and Discussion paper 2008-DP05/3 cover recording these elements in coded form.

2. DISCUSSION

The data elements under discussion may partially overlap in scope with content designation established elsewhere in MARC 21. The RDA/MARC Working Group looked at several options involving defining new values, re-using existing variable length fields, and calculating the data elements from the field 007/00 (Category of material) and 007/01 (Specific material designation) values. Defining new variable length fields provides a clean and identifiable change from previous practice without compromising the semantic integrity of either the new RDA elements or existing MARC 21 elements. Rather than attempt to redefine the scope of existing content designation, the guidance from the MARC Advisory Committee in January 2008 was to establish new content designation for all three elements.

2.1 Content type

As a characteristic of the FRBR Work or FRBR Expression, the Content type is defined in RDA Chapter 6 "Identifying Works and Expressions." The data elements are arranged in RDA in groups corresponding to:

The Content type data element, (RDA 6.11), is the first element in the "Other identifying attributes of expressions" group. (Appendix A contains the RDA terms used to record content type.)

The scope statement of 6.11 (Content type) is:

Content type reflects the fundamental form of communication in which the content is expressed and the human sense through which it is intended to be perceived. For content expressed in the form of an image or images, Content type also reflects the number of spatial dimensions in which the content is intended to be perceived and the perceived presence or absence of movement.

Catalogers are instructed to record the appropriate Content type(s) as an identifying attribute of the expression.

2.2 Media type

As a characteristic of the FRBR Manifestation, Media type is one of the data elements established in RDA Chapter 3 "Carrier" which describe the characteristics of the resource. (Appendix A contains the RDA terms used to record media type.)

The scope statement in RDA 3.2.0.1.1 for Media Type is:

Media type reflects the general type of intermediation device required to view, play, run, etc., the content of a resource.

Catalogers are instructed to record the type or types of media on which the resource is conveyed. The terms are selected from a controlled list in RDA 3.2.0.2. "Catalogers may record as many terms as are applicable to the resource being described."

Because RDA allows catalogers to record multiple values, if appropriate, the content designation for Media type should be repeatable. It could be argued that it is not necessary to record the Media type in separate content designation, or even that it is not necessary to record the Media type at all because it can always be inferred accurately from examining the Carrier type.

2.3 Carrier type

As a characteristic of the FRBR Manifestation, Carrier type is one of the data elements established in RDA Chapter 3 "Carrier" which describe the characteristics of the resource (Appendix A contains the RDA terms used to record carrier type).

The scope statement in RDA 3.3.0.1.1 for Carrier Type is:

Carrier type reflects the format of the storage medium and housing of a carrier in combination with the type of intermediation device required to view, play, run, etc., the content of a resource.

Catalogers are instructed to record the Carrier type or types in the bibliographic record using terms from a controlled list given in RDA 3.3.0.2. Each term is identified on the list as belonging to one of several broad categories that correspond to the Media types.

Each specific carrier value belongs to a group of Carrier type values all belonging to one media type. Each carrier value belongs to only one broader Media type value. Note that the values "other" and "unspecified" are notwithstanding.

Descriptions of manifestations with multiple media and/or carriers may require recording multiple Carrier types so this content designation should be repeatable.

While RDA does not prescribe that the Media type and Carrier type be associated in pairs, recording each as separate subfields within the same field may prevent attempts to "mix and match" the values.

3. PROPOSED OPTIONS

The three new data elements are intended to replace the general material designation traditionally encoded as text in the eye-readable and prominently-placed field 245 (Title statement) subfield $h (Medium). It is proposed to define one new variable-length field in the bibliographic and authority formats to record the Content type of the FRBR expression in a textual form.

There are options for placing content designation for the media and carrier types within the MARC 21 structure. An entirely new variable-length field may be defined for each, or new subfields may be defined for each within one newly defined field.

3.1 Content type

Field 336 (Content type) may be defined to carry content type information in both the MARC 21 authority and bibliographic fields. Field 336 (Content type) may be repeatable, however subfield $2 (Source of term) is not repeatable to allow a content type to be associated with a source code. Field 336 would be repeated when different vocabulary sources are used.

Field 336 (Content type) may be defined as:

3.2 Media type and Carrier type

3.2.1 Option 1: Defining subfields for Media and Carrier types in field 336.

Subfields may be defined for Media and Carrier types in the proposed field 336 (See section 3.1) of the MARC 21 bibliographic format. This will allow collation for all three related RDA elements: Content type, Media type and Carrier type. However, because Media and Carrier types are not defined as authority elements, this would prevent field 336 to be defined similarly in both the bibliographic and authority formats.

Field 336 (Content type) may be defined as:

3.2.2 Option 2: Defining one field for both Media and Carrier types

Field 337 (Media and Carrier type) may be defined in the MARC 21 bibliographic format to carry the media type and carrier type. Designating the new elements as subfields within the same field permits pairs to be closely associated. Making field 337 (Media and Carrier type) repeatable will allow new pairs to be recorded for resources with multiple format designations.

Field 337 may be defined as:

3.2.3 Option 3: Defining two fields for Media and Carrier types

Fields 337 (Media type) and 338 (Carrier type) may be defined in the MARC 21 bibliographic format to carry media and carrier types. Defining separate fields for both media and carrier types allow different source lists to be used for media and carrier type designation.

Field 337 may be defined as:

Field 338 may be defined as:

4. PROPOSED CHANGES

5. EXAMPLES

Example 1: Media and Carrier recorded in field 337

Portion of a bibliographic record:

       LDR  54321nam#a2233333#i4500
       007  ta
       100 1# $aEllerbeck, Rosemary
       336 ## $atext$2rdacontent
       245 10 $aRose, Rose where are you? /$cby Rosemary Ellerbeck.
       337 ## $aunmediated$bvolume$2rda

Portion of an authority record:

       336 ## $atext$2rdacontent
       100 1# $aEllerbeck, Rosemary.$tRose, Rose where are you?
Example 2: Media type recorded in field 337 and Carrier type recorded in field in 338

Portion of a bibliographic record:

       LDR   54321nam#a2233333#i4500
       007   ta
       100 1# $aEllerbeck, Rosemary
       336 ## $atext$2rdacontent
       245 10 $aRose, Rose where are you? /$cby Rosemary Ellerbeck
       337 ## $aunmediated$2rdamedia
       338 ## $avolume$2rdacarrier

Portion of an authority record:

       336 ## $atext$2rdacontent
       100 1# $aEllerbeck, Rosemary.$tRose, Rose where are you?
Example 3: Media and Carrier in field 337

Portion of a bibliographic record:

       100 1# $aBaker, Nick
       336 ## $amoving image$2rdacontent
       245 10 $aMarch of the librarians /$ccreated and narrated by Nick Baker
       337 ## $acomputer$bonline resource$2rda

Portion of an authority record:

       336 ## $amoving image$2rdacontent
       100 1# $aBaker, Nick.$tMarch of the librarians.
Example 4: Media and Carrier in field 337

Portion of a bibliographic record:

       LDR    34543njm#a2211111#i4500
       006    g---########vl
       006    aa##########000#p#
       007    sd#fsngnnmmned
       007    vd cvaizs
       007    ta
       008    051129s2005    nyurcn   d          eng d
       110 2# $aSystem of a Down (Musical group)
       336 ## $aperformed music$2rdacontent
       336 ## $amoving image $2rdacontent
       336 ## $atext$2rdacontent
       245 10 $aHypnotize /$cSystem of a Down
       337 ## $aaudio$baudio disc$2rda
       337 ## $avideo$bvideo disc$2rda
       337 ## $aunmediated$bsheet$2rda

Portion of an authority record:

       336 ## $aperformed music$2rdacontent
       336 ## $amoving image $2rdacontent
       336 ## $atext$2rdacontent
       110 2# $aSystem of a Down (Musical group).$tHypnotize.
Example 5: Media and Carrier in fields 337 and 338

Portion of a bibliographic record:

       LDR    34543njm#a2211111#i4500
       006    g---########vl
       006    aa##########000#p#
       007    sd#fsngnnmmned
       007    vd cvaizs
       007    ta
       008    051129s2005    nyurcn   d          eng d
       110 2# $aSystem of a Down (Musical group)
       336 ## $aperformed music$2rdacontent
       336 ## $amoving image $2rdacontent
       336 ## $atext$2rdacontent
       245 10 $aHypnotize /$cSystem of a Down
       337 ## $aaudio$2rdamedia
       337 ## $avideo$2rdamedia
       337 ## $aunmediated$2rdamedia
       338 ## $aaudio disc$2rdacarrier
       338 ## $avideo disc$2rdacarrier
       338 ## $asheet$2rdacarrier

Portion of an authority record:

       336 ## $aperformed music$2rdacontent
       336 ## $amoving image $2rdacontent
       336 ## $atext$2rdacontent
       110 2# $aSystem of a Down (Musical group).$tHypnotize.
Example 6: Content, Media and Carrier recorded in field 336

Portion of a bibliographic record:

       LDR    54321nam#a2233333#i4500
       007      ta
       100 1# $aEllerbeck, Rosemary
       336 ## $atext$bunmediated$cvolume$2rda
       245 10 $aRose, Rose where are you? /$cby Rosemary Ellerbeck

Portion of an authority record:

       336 ## $atext$2rdacontent
       100 1# $aEllerbeck, Rosemary.$tRose, Rose where are you?
Example 7: Content, Media and Carrier in field 336

Portion of a bibliographic record:

       LDR    34543njm#a2211111#i4500
       006    g---########vl
       006    aa##########000#p#
       007    sd#fsngnnmmned
       007    vd cvaizs
       007    ta
       008    051129s2005    nyurcn   d          eng d
       110 2# $aSystem of a Down (Musical group)
       336 ## $aperformed music$baudio $caudio disc$2rda
       336 ## $amoving image $bvideo $cvideo disc $2rda
       336 ## $atext$bunmediated$csheet$2rda
       245 10 $aHypnotize /$cSystem of a Down

Portion of an authority record:

       336 ## $aperformed music$2rdacontent
       336 ## $amoving image $2rdacontent
       336 ## $atext$2rdacontent
       110 2# $aSystem of a Down (Musical group).$tHypnotize.

APPENDIX A

Many of the RDA word lists for Content, Media, and Carrier may also be encoded in coded form in a record, increasing consistency for retrieval with existing records. See also Proposal 2008-DP05/3.

Content type 6.11 (Leader/6)

Media Type 3.2 (007/00)

Carrier Type 3.3

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