Music Cataloging Procedures Home

The first step is ALWAYS to check Symphony to determine whether the item in hand is an added copy or volume. Note that it may be held by Laupus or ECSU and be in Symphony, even if Joyner/Music Library doesn't have it. (Though this is less common for music than it is for books.) If you do not find a record in Symphony, and you use OCLC WorldCat to find a record, this is the procedure for editing.

This document lists the fields that ECU checks for score copy cataloging. Fields not listed can, in general, simply be left as they are.

Check Fixed Fields, Standard Numbers, and Codes:

Check these fixed fields:

Lang (language of primary text; use zxx for purely instrumental music.)
Comp (goes along with 6xx)
AccM (goes along with Accompanying Material note)
Ctry (goes along with 260 $a) MARC Code List for Countries
Desc a (cataloged according to AACR2. If not "a", set aside for Music Cataloger to review.) (If Desc: i and 040 $e rda present, may edit if trained in RDA cataloging; see RDA scores)
FMus (goes along with 300 $a)
DtSt and Dates (go along with 260 $c)

Check standard numbers for accuracy and presence:

020 __ ISBN

024 2_ ISMN (older format ISMNs - M followed by 8 numbers, ex: M571100511) (2nd indicator may vary)

024 3_ ISMN (newer format ISMNS: 14 digits beginning 979 0 ex: 9790345123458) (2nd indicator may vary)

028 23 Plate number (found on bottom of the pages of music) (2nd indicator may vary)

028 33 Publisher number (usually found on the back or the title page, other introductory pages, or first page of music) (2nd indicator may vary)

Check codes:

041 Language code Code 041 0_ if score does not include translation of a song text. Code 041 1_ if it does include translation of a song text. Put each language in a seperate subfield.

$a Language code of text (i.e. the song text)
$e Language code of librettos (and any printed lyrics that appear separate from the actual music, such as the beginning or end)
$g Language code of accompanying material other than librettos.
$m Original language of accompanying material
$n Original language of libretto

Common languages:

eng (English)
fre (French)
ger (German)
ita (Italian)
lat (Latin)
spa (Spanish)
Full list of languages

Do not use field 041 if Lang is sufficient to convey full information for the item.

048 Musical instruments/voices code. You will often have to add this field. See 048 Coding Cheat Sheet (Word document). All bib records must have an 048 field, with a few exceptions. Scores NOT requiring an 048 include:

• collections of miscellaneous instrumentation
• folk music
• operas, musicals, & other large vocal works
• pop music
• unkown instrumentation (don't bother listening to the CD to figure out the instrumentation)
• See OCLC Bib Formats -- 048 for a complete list.

049 Holding Code: EREM (All scores are EREM. If you use constant data, this will be updated automatically at the end of the process, but otherwise you need to edit it manually.)

Check Match Fields and Notes:

245 Title. Make sure it's an accurate transcription of the title page, including title, subtitle, and statement of responsibility (spelling and fullness). Edit if it is not. However, if the 245 contains incorrect information (e.g., "edited by Joe Smith" instead of "edited by Bill Jones") you probably have the wrong record. Check indicators, especially the second, which is a non-filing indicator (used if 245 begins with an article).

245 10 4 tone poems / $c Arnold Bax.
246 33 Four tone poems

245 14 The good & the bad.
246 33 Good and the bad

For numerals, the reverse is also true:

245 10 Three Ulster airs : $b for voice and piano / $c by Hamilton Harty.
246 33 3 Ulster airs

You may find other 246 entries as well. In general, do not delete them.

250 __ Edition. Make sure the edition statement is correct. Edition statements are much less common on scores than on books. However, statements such as "Piano edition" (which refers to a version or arrangement), "Busoni edition" (a statement of responsibility), or "Edition Breitkopf" (publisher information) are not edition statements and should not be transcribed in 250.

260 __ Imprint. Make sure it has correct information (though it may not always be transcribed EXACTLY). For example, "Boston, Massachusetts" may be transcribed as "Boston, Mass." Also, only the first one or two places of publication may be transcribed. This is ok. You will rarely edit the 260. However, if the item in hand says "Boston" and your record says "Toronto", you've got the wrong record. If the item in hand says c2001 and your record says c1994, you've got the wrong record. RDA records will have a 264 field instead, see RDA scores)

300 __ Physical Description. Make sure that the correct numbers of scores and parts and pages are given. This may appear in a variety of formats: "1 score (37 p.) + 5 parts"; "2 scores (21 p. each)"; "vi, 47 p. of music"; "1 score (47 p.) + 1 part (5 p.)"; "23 p. of music".(RDA scores will have no abbreviations; see here). These are all ok. What's important is that the correct number of items (scores and parts) are listed. An incorrect number on the record may indicate this is the wrong record. Or it may tell you this should have come with parts. One-page differences in pagination are probably not significant, if that is the only difference between the record and the item in hand. Also check (eyeball) the size. It is not necessary to measure, but if it seems drastically different, you may have the wrong record. Do NOT edit the 300 field to reflect something different, except in cases of obvious errors. There are a few exceptions:

• If the record is for multiple volumes and you don't have all of them, it is OK to use the record. If/when we get the other volumes, we'll add them to the record. Don't edit the record to remove info about the other volumes. Search Symphony to make sure we are consistent, i.e. all volumes of the set either have their own record or all volumes are on a set record.
• If you have exact multiples of what it says, you can use the record and we will have 2 copies. Example: you have 2 scores, intended to allow performance of a 2-piano work. You can use a record that says 1 score. But - if the 2 scores are very obviously sold together (ex.: one doesn't have a cover and is slipped inside the other one), you should consider using another record.

5xx Notes Check all notes to be sure that they present correct information. Edit them if they contain incorrect information, have misspellings, or if they are awkward or hard to understand. However, bear in mind that significant differences from the item in hand may indicate that you have the wrong record. For long, informative notes, quoting from the item is always preferable to making up language yourself. However, most notes are not long, but terse and formulaic.

Add these notes in this order, if they are applicable but missing:

1. Form of composition and medium of performance (unless it is apparent from the title or other notes).

500 __ Songs.
500 __ For violin and piano.

2. Language of the text of the work (unless it is apparent from the title or other notes).

546 __ French and English words.

3. Additional statements of responsibility not transcribed in 245 but judged important, especially: librettist, lyricist, editor, arranger, transcriber.

500 __ Arr. by Charles Smith.
500 __ Text by Emily Dickinson.

4. Edition and history (this should be quoted directly from the item, with the source of the quote given, unless it is the title page)

500 __ "Reprinted from the 1876 ed. published in London by Smith."--P. [3].

5. Notation (if it's unusual)

500 __ Graphic notation.

6. Duration (if it's given on the item)

500 __ Duration: 15:30.
500 __ Duration: ca. 1: 10:00.

7. Accompanying material (this goes along with fixed field AccM. If something is important enough for you to code in AccM, you should have a note for it in plain language).

500 __ Program and performance notes on t.p. verso; biographical note on p. [4] of cover.
500 __ Includes English words along with French translation, printed as text on p. 73.

8. Contents (505) The ECU Music Library adds complete contents notes for all items! Sometimes this may mean a lot of typing. Transcribe from the list in the front of the book or the individual pages; however, if the list in the front is in a radically different order (like alphabetical), then you must transcribe from the individual pages. However, if the contents note is already there, don't reorder it unless it is confusing or misleading.

See 505 Cheat Sheet for examples of punctuation. Do not edit punctuation in 505 as long as it is not misleading or confusing.

If a contents note already exists, you must proofread the entire contents note! If you create a contents note, proofread it after you type it.

Check all entries (1xx, 240, 7xx, 4xx, 8xx) for presence in the record and conformity to the authority file:

• Use Connexion's "control all" (Edit-Control Headings-All or Shift+F11) feature to control headings.
• For headings that do not control, attempt to control individually (right click in field, select "control single"; or F11 while your cursor is in the field).
  • When controlling individually:
    • Click on the blue hyperlinked heading to ensure that the heading is for the correct person.
    • Examine the 670 field(s) in the authority record; ex., if it is for a book on physics, she is probably not the soprano in the opera you are cataloging.
• If heading still is not found, search in the Library Congress Authority File at authorities.loc.gov, or via Connexion (Authorites-Search-LC Names and Subjects or Shift + F2).
  • Connexion and authorities.loc.gov are different interfaces for the same file.
    • Connexion makes it quicker to sort through long lists of headings.authorities.loc.gov includes the "see" references.
• If you are unable to find any headings or have any questions, make a 999 note for the Music Cataloger.

100 1_ Main entry -- the composer. In the case of an anthology with more than 3 composers, there will be no 100. (The 100 field in RDA will have a $e; see here)

240 10 Uniform title. Must look up in authority file using name/title search, with complete 100 as the name portion. There may be certain allowable additions to the controlled portion of the uniform title. These are ok, as long as they are true. Allowable additions include:

$o arr. (Not abbreviated in RDA; see here)
$l English (or any other language, when the item in hand is NOT in the original language)
$k Selections

700 Added entry. All added entries must be justified by the description. I.e., you can't add someone's name to the record without something (245, 5xx) making it clear why this person's name is attached to the record. Check all added entries to make sure they are correct and justified:

700 1_ Personal name:

Librettists followed by $4 lbt Mentioned in 245 or 5xx
Lyricist ($4 lyr) mentioned in 245 or 500. (The person must knowingly function as a lyricist to have $4 lyr. In the case of song settings of a poet, use simply 700 with no $4.)
Arranger/transcriber ($4 arr) mentioned in 245 or 5xx
Editors ($4 edt) and compilers ($4 edt) mentioned in 245 or 5xx

(In RDA, $4 has been replaced by $e; see here)

700 12 Personal name/title: Composers and titles of additional works in the score. If there are many works, there may not be name/title added entries, but all works must be listed in a 505.

490 Series statement (transcription)-- must be checked for accuracy against the item.

8xx Series statement (tracing)-- must be checked against a title search in the authority file.

Check all other 7xx or 8xx entries against the authority file. Exception: 740's are not in the authority file.

Check the Completeness, Accuracy, and Correctness of Subject Headings (6xx):

Only consider/pay attention to following 6xx. Ignore other 6xx (but don't delete them-just leave them there.)

• 600, 610, 611: check against the name authority file
• 630: check against title authority file.
• (The last 2 digits are "the same" as for 1xx & 7xx fields, i.e. 100, 600, 700=personal name; 110, 610, 710=corporate name; 111, 611, 711=meeting name; 130, 630, 730=uniform title, without name attached)

Check headings for:

Correctness: Are all the headings correctly formulated according to Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)?

• If a heading is controlled, consider it to be correct.
• Many subject headings will already be controlled by your performing "control all" in the "Check all entries" steps above, or because they were controlled when you downloaded the record.
• For headings that do not control via control all, attempt to control individually (right click in field and select "control single"; or F11 while your cursor is in the field).
• If headings still is not found, search in the Library Congress Authority File at authorities.loc.gov, or via Connexion (Authorites-Search-LC Names and Subjects or Shift + F2).
  • Connexion and authorities.loc.gov are different interfaces for the same file.
    • Connexion makes it quicker to sort through long lists of headings.
    • authorities.loc.gov includes the "see" references.
• If you are unable to find any headings or have any questions, make a 999 note for the Music Cataloger. Not all headings are present in the LC authority file, especially headings for or including medium of performance (instruments/voices)

Completeness: Are the headings there that need to be?
Accuracy: Are all the headings that are there applicable to the item in hand?

In general, headings will be of the following types (For more detail, see Music Subject Headings Introduction):

Form of composition/medium of performance (this is the most common and should be present in nearly all scores. If the score contains multiple works, the headings should “cover” all the works in the score, though some headings may “cover” more than one of the works:)
650 _0 Symphonies.
650 _0 Sonatas (Piano), Arranged.
650 _0 Sacred vocal music.

Form subdivisions (such as $v Scores) are appended to form/medium subject headings. Form subdivisions should be coded $v (you may have to change from $x). Form subdivisions are "free-floating" -- this means you may not find them in the authority record, but as long as you find an authority record for the base heading and the form subdivision is on the Form Subdivision List, the heading is considered valid. Note that form subdivisions are NOT used for music for a single performer.

Other facets:
650 _0 Christmas music.
650 _0 Jazz $y 1961-1970.
650 _0 Popular music $y 2001-2010.

Note the chronological subdivisions -- $y. As above, the full heading may not be in the authority file, but as long a valid base heading is combined with a valid subdivision, the heading is considered valid. In general, chronological subdivisions follow the xxx1-xxx0 pattern for each 10 years as in the examples above.

Poets:
600 _0 Dickinson, Emily, $d 1830-1966 $v Musical settings.

• The name must be checked against the LC name authority file. You will not find the name with $v Musical settings in the authority file, just the name. This is OK.
• All poets should have a 600 _0 [Name] $v Musical settings. AND a 700 1_ [Name].
• Librettists will have ONLY 700 1_ [Name]. They will NOT have a 600!

Check or assign call number (050/090)

A record must have either an 050 or 090. If you add a call number or make any changes to an existing call number, your final number must be in field 090.

• Check class number against ClassWeb to make sure that it is correct.
• Check cutter(s) against Symphony to make sure they
  • agree with the cutter used for that composer IN THAT CLASS (if it doesn't, change it to match Symphony)
  • do not conflict with what's already in Symphony (i.e., maintain alphabetical order of composers and titles if possible).
• Add dateline (the year in from 260 $c) if there isn't one.

Sometimes you will have to create cutters for the call number. Use the LC Cutter Table as your starting point.

In general (this is a very broad overview; there are many intracies. Ask for assistance in creating call numbers. Your job is to make sure existing call numbers make sense and match the shelflist.):

For those creating call numbers, resources include: ClassWeb, the LC Cutter Table, CSM G 800 Music materials, Shelflisting Music / Richard Smiraglia, and Yale's guide to Shelflisting and Cuttering in Class M (note that ECU does not follow their filing order.)

(Note: if adding a thematic index number in a call number, place a period after the thematic index abbreviation to distinguish this from a regular cutter).

pmd 8/16/04, rev. nln 8/17/2005, 2/7/2007, 11/23/2009, 9/18/2012 (minor), 10/5/2012, rev. cdh 10/3/13, 11/25/13 (with RDA links)

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