Topic

This session discusses MARC, the data format underlying the catalog, and how it connects to and impacts the searches you can do in the AAS Catalog.

Questions addressed include

• Why does it matter if I choose “as a phrase” or “all of these” when keyword searching?
• What do those punctuation marks in the record mean?
• How does a cataloger see the catalog?
• What kind of information do catalogers make note of and how do they record it? (And why does this matter?)
• What information is this search actually searching? (Is it doing what I think it is?)
• What the heck is MARC?

Formally, topics include

• MAchine Readable Cataloging (MARC), a very brief history and overview
• MARC fields and subfields, the structure thereof
• MARC fields and subfields, the content thereof
• Resources catalogers use for MARC fields with formally-structured content
• AAS Catalog searches and the MARC fields they’re searching
• Specialized indexing

Handouts

MARC fields in WebVoyage.xlsx
AAS Catalog Intro to MARC Reference Sheet.pdf
AAS Catalog Intro to MARC slides.pdf
AAS Catalog Intro to MARC slides powerpoint.pptx