Minimal Level Cataloging (LTS Procedure #22)

Library Technical Services > Procedures & Documentation > Cataloging > Minimal Level Cataloging

Scope: The procedure applies to books only. Do not use this procedure to process non-book materials. Minimal-level cataloging (MLC) is an abbreviated form of cataloging that reflects limited bibliographic description, subject analysis and (in most cases) authority work. Materials eligible for MLC include low-need and/or low research value titles.

Contacts: David Banush, Lois Peret Purcell

Unit: Cataloging

Date last reviewed: 09/01/06

Date of next review: September 2007

Policy
Eligibility for MLC
Exclusions from MLC
Interpreting the Minimal Level Standards
Inputting Guidelines for LC Call Numbers
Guidelines for Headings, Including Series
Guidelines for Uncontrolled Subject Terms (653s)
Guidelines for Added Entries
LTS Statistics Code

Policy

This procedure is based upon the Library of Congress' "Minimal Level Cataloging, Monographs, Basic Procedures (CSB 42); "Guidelines for Applying Field 653 to MLC Records" (CSB 50); and MARC 21 Bibliographic Format, Appendix A, "National Level Record and Minimal Level Record Requirements," as modified for use in LTS.

Along with PCC (core or full), non-PCC full, or collection-level cataloging, minimal level cataloging is one of the options for catalogers providing bibliographic control to library materials. Catalogers may use minimal-level cataloging for materials that, in their best judgment, warrant that treatment.

It is important to remember that in using MLC, catalogers should seek a sound balance between the need for timely access to the material, the probable research value of the item, and selectors' input. It is not necessary for selectors to approve every decision to use MLC. However, catalogers should consult with selectors generally about the kinds of materials that are high priorities in order to have a clear sense of when MLC might be appropriate for a given item or class of items. This document should be used in conjunction with selectors' input as the basis for making judgments regarding the use of MLC.

Eligibility for MLC

Low-need and/or low research value titles:

For the purposes outlined here, an item has research value if it presents primary documentation that is otherwise unavailable, interprets a field in the context of current concepts, presents the point of view of prominent or influential practitioners of a discipline, or organizes existing literature in a field into coherent bibliographies.

Low-need and/or low research value titles are items that meet thedefinition of research value, but fall outside the definition of amajor or substantial publication. Items that do not have research valueas defined above should be considered candidates for MLC and may alsobe returned to selectors for possible deselection.

The number and varieties of low-need/low-research value items will vary from collection to collection, but may include materials such as children's books, certain state, provincial and local government documents, privately printed works, works on applied arts and crafts, and popularizations in all subject areas that have no useable copy.

Exclusions from MLC

The following types of materials should always be excluded from MLC:

All non-book formats.
All reference collection materials.
Materials requested by individual users.
Major publications (both primary and secondary sources.)
Substantial publications that may or may not be of topical interest.

Definitions

The source of these definitions is the Library of Congress Cataloging Service Bulletin, no. 84 (Spring 1999), pp. 27-32. CSB 84 is also the source of the definition of research value provided in section III.

Major publications are definitive works, or a presentation of extensive, new materials, or a significant revision or reassessment of a subject or field.

A substantial publication of topical interest is an item that refers to contemporary topics, provides current information relevant to contemporary topics, or provides current information on long-established topics (e.g., the Dead Sea Scrolls) that are of contemporary import and interest and is likely to be used for research purposes by a specialist. Substantial publications are those likely to be used for research purposes by a specialist and that do not meet the definition of either a major publication or a substantial publication of topical interest.

Interpreting the Minimal Level Standards

It will help you to apply this procedure if you understand the vocabulary used in MARC 21 Bibliographic Format to define the field and subfield level requirements for minimal level records. MARC 21 uses three levels to differentiate between data elements (1) that must always be present, (2) that should be present if the information is available, and (3) that are optional. The levels are:

Mandatory: A data element that must be present in every record, such as the title (245) field.

Mandatory if applicable: A data element that should be present in a record if it is available and if it is appropriate for the item in hand. An example would be an edition statement (250).

Optional: A data element that does not need to be present in any record, but that may be present if local library policy calls for it or if the cataloger deems it essential for the item in hand.

Inputting

Modify the in-process record in Voyager to bring it up to the LTS minimal level standard, as defined in this procedure. For the most part, retain data elements that are already present in the record you are modifying unless they are clearly in error.

Fixed Field Values

MARC 21 Definition	Voyager label	LTS Minimal Level Requirement
Encoding Level	Encoding level	Enter value "7" (AACR2)
Descriptive cataloging form	Cataloging form	Should be value "a" (AACR2)
Cataloging source	Cataloging source	Should be value "d" (default)
Place of publication	Place of publication	Mandatory
Language	Language	Mandatory
Type of Date Code	Publication status	Mandatory
Date 1, Date 2	Date 1, Date 2	Mandatory (Date 2 mandatory if applicable)

All other fixed field positions are optional at minimal level. Leave the default code in all other fixed field positions.

Variable Fields

Use the following table to determine what data elements should appear in the record. All other MARC variable fields are optional for minimal level records defined by this procedure. If other fields appear in the Voyager in-process record, use judgment to determine whether to revise or delete such fields. The guiding principles arethese:

Focus on the data elements spelled out in this procedure as mandatory or mandatory if applicable.
Accept what is present to the extent possible.
Do not delete or change information unless it is clearly inaccurate or egregiously misleading.
Limit changes to those that relate to substance or retrieval, not style.
Finally, do not agonize over existing data elements in a record. Make a quick decision in most cases.

MARC 21 Definition	Tag	LTS Minimal Level Requirement
Library of Congress Control No.	010	Mandatory if applicable
ISBN	020	Enter \|a if it appears on the item
System Control Number	035	Retain OCLC/RLIN control number if present
Cataloging Source	040	Subfields \|a and \|c mandatory; \|d if applicable
LC Call No.	050	Mandatory; see guidelines in this procedure
Main entry heading	1xx	Mandatory if applicable (includes 100, 110, 111, 130)
Uniform title	240	Enter a uniform title if known or readily inferred from the item; otherwise, omit
Title area	245	Subfield \|a is mandatory; \|b is optional; \|c if applicable
Varying form of title	246	Mandatory if applicable
Edition area	250	Mandatory if applicable
Imprint	260	Mandatory if applicable; \|a, \|b and \|c should be present
Physical description	300	Subfields \|a and \|c are mandatory; all other subfields are optional
Series	440, 490	Transcribe series if present; see guidelines in this procedure
Uncontrolled Subject Terms	653	Mandatory if applicable; see guidelines in this procedure
Added entries	7xx	All added entries are optional; see guidelines in this procedure
Series added entries	800- 830	If series is traced, use as appropriate

Guidelines for LC Call Numbers

Classify items according to the LC classification schedules, unless one or more of the exceptional cases listed in LTS Procedure 11, "Shelflisting," apply. Use the schedules on the Catalogers Desktop if available. Add the call number to the bib record in the 050 field, 1st indicator blank, and 2nd indicator 4 (050:4:).

If you find an actual LC cutter for an individual literary author, artist, geographic area, or subject, use it. Otherwise construct a cutter using Library of Congress practice for cuttering, as described in the LC Shelflisting Manual, available on Cataloger's Desktop.

If the item is in a series, check Voyager for a monographic series standing order record for the series and check holdings for call number. If there is none, look for predominantly used call number for that series in Voyager. If not found, transcribe the series statement as it appears on the item and code it 440, as instructed in next section.

Guidelines for Headings, Including Series

Headings should be consistent with the heading structure of the Voyager catalog. Note, it is not necessary for every MLC heading to be represented by an authority record in the national file. Accomplish this as follows:

Determine the choice of entry according to chapter 21 of AACR2.
Use the principle of "no conflict" to formulate each heading and integrate it into the Voyager database.
1. Name headings and uniform title main entries (130). Begin by searching the authority file and follow this process to formulate each heading:
  - If you find an authority record, use that form of the heading.
  - If you don't find an authority record, search Voyager and use a form from a Voyager bibliographic record. If several forms of the name or uniform title occur in Voyager, select a heading form in this order of preference: a full AACR2 record; another MLC record; an LC in-process (Encoding level 5) record. Use judgment to select one of them; make a quick decision in most cases.
  - If the heading is new to Voyager, formulate the heading using AACR2, information from the item, and information you've discovered by searching Voyager.
  - If the heading conflicts with a heading that already occurs in Voyager, resolve the conflict by making additions to the MLC heading, according to AACR2 and the LCRIs.
  - If the conflict cannot be resolved in this manner, create a NACO authority record.
  Note, the only instance in which you would make a NACO authority record is when the heading conflicts with a heading that is already in Voyager and you cannot resolve the conflict without further research.
2. Uniform titles (240). If you decide to enter a 240 field, proceed in the same manner as for name headings.
3. Series. Search Voyager. If you find a monographic series standing order record for the series, check holdings for call number. If there is no call number, transcribe the series statement as it appears on the item and code it 440.

Guidelines for Uncontrolled Subject Terms (653s)

Add English words, translated generally from the title, to items written in foreign languages and to English-language books with titles that do not reflect their subjects. For example, the English title The high road and the low road, which is about bookmobiles, does not reflect the subject of the work, so you would assign a 653 field.

However, do not apply these instructions to works of the imagination (novels, stories, poetry, plays).

Do not alter previously assigned 653 fields in existing Voyager records.

If you use a subject phrase, keep it brief. Capitalize the first word of each 653 field. Both indicators should be blank. Do not end the field with punctuation unless punctuation is part of the data. When selecting subject words, follow these guidelines:

Use the title of the work, translated into English, as the primary source for words or phrases.

Examples:

245 10 Cinco lecciones sobre el humanismo

(Five readings on humanism)

653 Humanism

245 13 La caravana del hambre

(The caravan of hunger)

653 Hunger
If the title field does not contain words about the subject of the work, quickly examine the covers, tables of contents, and preface to select appropriate words.
If it is not possible to determine useful words quickly, omit the 653. Do not analyze the book in depth, consult the authority file, attempt to assign the terms in a consistent or patterned manner, and do not agonize over the selection of terms. These uncontrolled terms should be assigned in an unstructured, unregulated manner.
Do not duplicate a term that appears in another keyword-searchable field of the record. To learn what is indexed in the Voyager keyword index, see "Voyager Keyword Search Configurations" in the Voyager Manual.
Use natural word order, and concentrate on words that are rich in meaning (e.g., use "Breach of promise" not "Study of the impact of breach of promise").
Use foreign words that have no English equivalent, if they would provide useful keyword access (e.g., if the work is about glasnost, assign 653 Glasnost).
If the work is about a person, place or corporate body, give the name in direct order in the 653 field. For corporate names, make a quick judgment whether an English translation would provide useful keyword access (if not, omit it).

Examples:

245 10 My name is Hilda

653 Hilda Kramer

245 13 La Habana, ciudad antigua

653 Havana

245 10 Historia del Sindicato de Culinarias

653 Culinary Syndicate

Guidelines for Added Entries

You may assign added entries (7xx fields) if failure to do so would seriously impair access to the item. If necessary, assign up to two 7xx fields to cover the primary relationships associated with an item (e.g. an editor's name, the corporate sponsor of a symposium) or to bring out title access information judged to be important.

LTS Statistics Code for Minimal Level Records

Add a 948 field for statistics tracking. Use first indicator 1 for cataloging transaction and subfield b o for original cataloging. Minimal level cataloging statistics are defined by the o (original cataloging) from the 948 field and 7 from the encoding level field of the Leader.

Minimum level - items in all formats flagged by selectors or catalogers for less than core-level cataloging.