MARC is an acronym for MAchine-Readable Cataloging.  The five MARC 21 communication formats, Bibliographic Data, Authority Data, Holdings Data, Classification Data, and Community Information, are widely used standards for the representation and exchange of bibliographic, authority, holdings, classification, and community information data in machine-readable form.

Each MARC format provides detailed field descriptions and guidelines for applying the defined content designation and identifies conventions to be used to insure input consistency.

For information on characteristics common to all MARC formats, select a topic from the list below:

Elements of a MARC Record

Components of a MARC Record

Description of Record Parts

Content Designators

Obsolete Content Designators

Multiscript Records  (Alternate Graphics)

Field and Subfield Repeatability

Field Linking

Fill Character and Related Values

Display Constants

Record Content Responsibility  (Responsible Parties Rule)

Record Level Requirements  (National-Level and Minimal-Level Requirements)

Organization of the MARC Format Documents

Main parts

General Information sections

Components of the detailed descriptions

Typographical Conventions

To return:

MARC 21 Formats:  Contents