Introduction (Examples of MARC 21

When Graphic Materials rules govern the content of MARC fields 245 through 590, the cataloging source is given as "gihc" in field 040 subfield $e . The following MARC records, created between 1987 and 1995, describe pictures in the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division (P&P). They illustrate a variety of media and genres; published and unpublished materials; minimal-level and full-level cataloging. The examples also show varying levels of description. Readers will find sample records for single items, groups, and collections.

The examples help clarify the relationship of Graphic Materials descriptive conventions to the headings and MARC control fields for which Graphic Materials does not provide guidelines. The examples represent only how the descriptive guidelines in Graphic Materials rules are applied in P&P cataloging; other combinations of description and indexing tools are possible. Proper noun access points are taken from the Library of Congress Name Authorities (LCNA) or Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), or are formulated according to AACR2 and the Library of Congress Subject Headings Manual, as appropriate. Topical headings and genre and physical characteristics terms are taken from the Thesaurus for Graphic Materials (designated "lctgm" and "gmgpc" in subfield 2 of MARC fields 650 and 655 ).

Readers should consult the MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data for the most current information on field definitions and coding used in the examples.