MARC fields - Local practices :

MARC 856 - Electronic location and access

1. Scope

Field 856 contains the information needed to locate and access an electronic resource, and may be included whether the bibliographic record is based on that resource or a version thereof or a related resource.

2. Indicators

1st indicator - Access method.
2nd indicator - Relationship to the document that serves as the basis of the bibliographic description.

For complete instructions for these subfields, see:

MARC 21 Concise Format for Bibliographic Data: 856 - Electronic Location and Access
OCLC Bibliographic Format and Standards: 856 - Electronic Location and Access

3. Subfields (non-comprehensive treatment)

3.1 The most common subfields applied to 856 entries in NCL records are:

|u Uniform Resource Identifier.
|z Public note.

3.2 NCL uses standardized verbiage for 856 |z (i.e., Public Note) entries.  Because these public notes appear first and prominently onscreen in the Sirsi output of the bibliographic record, they are brief and standardized.

3.2.1 To point to the electronic document that is the basis of the record:

856    40    |u URI                                                                   [no subfield |z necessary to qualify |u]

3.2.2 To point to the version of a document that is available full-text via the Internet

856    41    |u URI |z Online version in HTML             [use if full text is online in HTML format]
856    41    |u URI |z Online version in PDF (size of the file (optional))             [use if full text is online in PDF format.
                                                                                                                             Put size of the file in the parenthesis--this is optional]
856    41    |u URI |z Online version in PDF and TIFF
856    41    |u URI |z Online version in Open Book format

Qualify any Public Note with "PURL" (an initialism for "Persistent Uniform Resource Locator") when appropriate:

856    41    |u URI |z Online version (PURL)                [especially apply to G.P.O. archived documents]
856    41    |u URI |z Online version in PDF format (PURL)

3.2.3 To point to the parts of electronic document collections

3.2.4 To point to a related document that is available via the Internet

856    42    |u URI |z Current edition online
856    42    |u URI |z Current issue online
856    42    |u URI |z Updated version online
856    42    |u URI |z Abstracts online
856    42    |u URI |z Table of contents online
856    42    |u URI |z Request data online                [applies for NODC's National Virtual data System
                                                                                  (NVDS); for fuller explanation, see: Special
                                                                                  cataloging situations - Cruise reports]

When more than one version or related document are present, repeat MARC 856 as necessary.

3.3 To point to the electronic document not available online anymore

Delete broken link from NOAALINC, but don't delete the URL in Worldcat record, enter a Public Note in |z as following:
856    40    |u URI |z This electronic address not available when searched on [Date]
If the electronic document with broken URL is NOAA's publication, and NCL has the print copy of the online document, also add note in 530 as following:
530     Also available in print from NOAA Central Library.

For additional instructions and subfields, see:

MARC 21 Concise Format for Bibliographic Data: 856 - Electronic Location and Access
OCLC Bibliographic Format and Standards: 856 - Electronic Location and Access

See also:    Special cataloging situations - Internet resources

Last updated: March 4, 2009