The MARC 21 Format for Holdings Data is designed to be a carrier for holdings information for three types of bibliographic items that are identified by a code in Leader/06 (Type of record):

Single-part item - item which is complete in a single physical part, for example, a single map, a score, a one-volume book, a computer file (Leader/06, code x).

Multipart item - item which is complete, or intended to be complete, in a finite number of separate physical parts, for example, a set of maps, a musical score and parts, a ten-volume encyclopedia, a multimedia kit, a manuscript collection (Leader/06, code v).

Serial item - item which is issued in successive parts at regular or irregular intervals and is intended to be continued indefinitely, for example, a journal, a serial update service to a looseleaf publication (Leader/06, code y).

In contrast with data elements that are applicable to a universal bibliographic description of these types of items, holdings information may include:

copy-specific information for an item;

information that is peculiar to the holding organization;

information that is needed for local processing, maintenance, or preservation of the item; and

version information.

See also:

Holdings Data Format:  Introduction