Follow these general conventions applicable to MARC 21 fields 1XX , 4XX , 5XX in authority records and fields 1XX , 240 , 246 / 247 , 4XX , 6XX , 70X-75X , and 8XX in bibliographic records.  For bibliographic linking entries (MARC 21 fields 76X-78X) see the section:  Bibliographic Linking Entries.

1.   Punctuation/spacing within headings.  Use internal punctuation to set off unambiguously the units of headings or reference tracings (including name/title portions of name/title fields).  The marks of punctuation for this purpose are a period ( . ), a comma ( , ), a quotation mark ( " ), a question mark ( ? ), an exclamation mark ( ! ), and a hyphen ( - ).

a.   Spaces following periods.  Leave one space after a period or other mark of ending punctuation (see 1. immediately above) that serves to separate units of access points.  If the period or other mark of ending punctuation is followed by a subfield code, the space can be generated on display.  If no subfield code follows, e.g., as in units of parenthetical qualifiers, input the space.  See the examples in the Introduction.

b.   Punctuation preceding the name of language in uniform titles ( 240 ).  Interpret the last sentence of rule 25.5C1 as reading "Precede the language by a full stop unless the uniform title ends with an exclamation mark or a question mark.

240 10 $aBohème.$pSono andati?$lEnglish

but

240 10 $aOpération "Vicaire."$lGerman

Apply a similar approach to music uniform titles created in accord with rules 25.35B-25.35F.

240 10 $aHello Dolly!$sLibretto

but

240 10 $aBoris Godunov (1872).$sLibretto.$lEnglish & Russian

240 10 $aWas noch lebt--.$sVocal score

c.   Ampersand.  Input one space on either side of an ampersand or an ampersand equivalent used in a heading.

130 #0 $aR & D report (University of Texas at Austin. Research and Development Center for Teacher Education)

(Heading on name authority record)

130 0# $aAmerica's favorite inns, B & Bs & small hotels.$pMiddle Atlantic.

(Heading on bibliographic record)

d.   Parenthesis.  If a unit of a heading or reference tracing other than the last ends in a closing parenthesis, input after the closing parenthesis the same punctuation, usually a period, that would be used if there were no parenthesis.

110 1# $aNew York (State).$bGovernor (1929-1932 : Roosevelt)

(Heading on either a bibliographic or name authority record)

110 2# $aCatholic Church.$bPope (1978- : John Paul II).$tRedemptor hominis.$lEnglish

(Heading on a name authority record)

400 1# $aSmith, A. G.$q(Albert Gray),$d1945-$tDiscovering Canada

(Reference on a name authority record)

e.   Quotation mark.  Use American-style double quotation marks instead of other forms of quotation marks.  If a unit of a heading or reference tracing other than the last ends in a quotation mark, input a period or other mark of ending punctuation inside the quotation mark.

110 2# $aCasa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana "Benjamín Carrión."$bNúcleo de Bolívar

(Heading on a name authority record)

111 2# $aSimposio "Antropólogos y Misioneros: Posiciones Incompatibles?"$d(1985 :$cBogotá, Colombia)

(Heading on either a bibliographic or name authority record)

130 #0 $aCollection "Bibliothèque des matières premières."$pSérie "Energie"

(Heading on a name authority record)

710 2# $aName with "quote (qualifier and question mark)?"$tTitle.

(Heading on a bibliographic record)

f.   Open date.  Leave one space between an open date and any data that follow it within the same subfield.

110 1# $aVirginia.$bGovernor (2002- : Warner)

(Heading on either a bibliographic or name authority record)

When a subfield code immediately follows an open date do not leave a space.

600 10 $aCapote, Truman,$d1924-$tBreakfast at Tiffany's.

(Open date followed by a subfield code)

2.  Ending mark of punctuation.  For heading access points, an ending mark of punctuation is a period ( . ), closing parenthesis ( ) ), closing bracket ( ] ), quotation mark ( " ), question mark ( ? ), exclamation mark ( ! ), hyphen ( - ; usually used at the end of an open date).

a.   Name authority records.  Do not end headings or reference tracings with an ending mark of punctuation except when it is part of the data (e.g., a period in an abbreviation) or is called for by the cataloging rules (e.g., a parenthetical qualifier).

100 1# $aSmith, John

100 1# $aSmith, John A.

100 1# $aSmith, J. A.$q(John A.)

100 1# $aSmith, John,$db. 1648?

100 1# $aSmith, John,$d1924-

110 2# $aLibrary of Congress

110 1# $aNew York (State).$bGovernor (1929-1932 : Roosevelt)

110 2# $aMoskovskiĭ fotoklub "Novator"

130 #0 $aCollection "Bibliothèque des matières premières."$pSérie "Energie"

b.   Bibliographic records.  Except for a uniform title (field 240 ), a variant title (field 246 ), a former title (field 247 ), and 4XX series fields, end access points with either a period or other ending mark of punctuation.  End a 240 uniform title, 246 variant title, 247 former title, and 4XX series with an ending mark of punctuation only when such a mark of punctuation is part of the data.  Note that these guidelines relate to punctuation at the end of the data constituting an access point itself.  Under certain circumstances, a field may actually end with MARC 21 subfield $4 (Relator code) or $5 (Institution to which field applies), in which case there is no punctuation at the end of the field.

100 1# $aSmith, John.

100 1# $aSmith, John A.

100 1# $aSmith, John,$db. 1648?

100 1# $aSmith, John,$d1924-

110 2# $aLibrary of Congress.

110 1# $aNew York (State).$bGovernor (1929-1932 : Roosevelt)

700 1# $aBrett, Jan,$d1949-$eill.

700 1# $aDemus, Jorg,$d1928-$4prf

710 2# $aBeecham Choral Society.$4prf

710 2# $aRaymond Foye Editions,$edonor.$5DLC

Note that, as the last example shows, when a heading ends in a designation of function, it may also be followed by subfield $4 or $5 and the field itself does not end with punctuation.

When a heading ends in a quotation mark, place any mark of final punctuation that is also part of the data inside the quotation mark.  Otherwise, place a period inside the mark of punctuation.

710 2# $aName with "quote (qualifier and question mark)?"

710 2# $aMoskovskiĭ gorodskoĭ klub "Kontakty-1."

830 #0 $aCollection "Bibliothèque des matières premières."$pSérie "Energie."

See also:

1.0C.  Punctuation/Spacing:  Table of Contents