Statewide Cataloging Best Practices

Standard Print Recommendations

MARC FieldGuideline
Fixed fields: LDR, 007, 008Fixed fields should be as complete and accurate as possible: format, language, audience, and other pertinent discovery details are derived from these fields. May require editing to ensure optimal discovery.
Note: The predominant language should be designated in the 008 field for optimal user discovery. If work is multilingual and a predominant language cannot be determined, use local discovery/ILS indexing needs to determine which language should be represented in the 008.
020/022/028Appropriate identifying number 020/022/028. Consider adding subfield q (Example: $q paperback)
40Add when known
41Language code (reflects all languages present in material)
$a spa 
$a eng $a spa 
https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd041.html
082 or 092Add Dewey number to nonfiction
1XXInclude relationship designator. (Example: $e author.)
245Title statement and statement of responsibility
246Titles with numbers, alternate spellings, split words. Use when relevant.
250Edition statement if appropriate
264Publication information - As complete as possible
300Physical description. (Example: 231 pages : $c 24 cm)
3xxFollow RDA. Consider adding 336 still image for picture books (Common examples found in Appendix B)
4XXTranscribe series if present
5XXEnter the following notes if applicable: 
500 - General note
520 - Summary statement
521 - Audience
505 - Contents
588 - Source of description if applicable
504 - Bibliography note
546Add a note indicating language of text as appropriate (examples follow)
Poems in French and English.
Text in Chinese.
Chiefly in Ojibwa, summaries in English.
Parallel text in French and English.
6XXUse at least one controlled LC subject heading and additional headings as appropriate. 
Include juvenile subheadings as appropriate.
Consider including 65x field with Young adult fiction or Young adult literature.
Use at least one 655 LC genre heading.
Consider use of local subjects or genres as appropriate
7XXUse relationship designators when appropriate. (Example: $e illustrator.)
8XXIf series is traced