[DCRM-L] Encoding level

[Margaret Nichols]

Well, I guess it depends on which you take as your guiding star on 
this issue, LC or OCLC. "K" is not among the valid values for 
encoding level according to the MARC Concise Format for Bibliographic 
Data (http://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bdleader.html). I take 
your implied point, though, that level "5" signals a preliminary 
record rather than a finished catalog record which may need 
upgrading. We use "5" routinely for on-order or in-process material 
at Cornell, but we don't upload those records to OCLC because the 
material isn't fully cataloged yet.

Wheels within wheels,

Margaret



At 12:14 PM 3/12/2009, you wrote:
>Hi, everyone,
>Yes, what Walter says (and others who responded in favor of the "K") is
>absolutely true. I have worked in OCLC since 1981 and have *never* seen
>a cataloged record with Elvl 5 (and even rarely, if ever, seen a
>vendor's record with 5). For all the reasons that Walter (and the BF&S)
>have given, Elvl K suffices as the "alert" to other catalogers that the
>record is suitable for upgrading, which is what Oksana wanted to know.
>Thanks, Jain
>
>Jain Fletcher
>Principal Cataloger & Head, Technical Services Division
>Department of Special Collections
>Young Research Library - UCLA Box 951575
>Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
>
>v: (310) 794-4096
>f: (310) 206-1864
>e: jfletchr at library.ucla.edu
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] On
>Behalf Of Nickeson, Walter
>Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2009 9:03 AM
>To: DCRM Revision Group List
>Subject: Re: [DCRM-L] Encoding level
>
>If you're using OCLC, you should use "K", as explained in Bibliographic
>Formats and Standards
><http://www.oclc.org/bibformats/en/onlinecataloging/default.shtm>:
>
>"Input records according to the Minimal-level standard, as appropriate.
>For example: ... Materials in foreign languages in which you lack
>expertise ... The Minimal-level standard has the following
>characteristics: Records must be identified as code K in ELvl."
>
>Following that section is the note: "LC and CONSER have defined
>standards for Minimal-level cataloging. Those standards vary from
>K-level. If you are a member of such a cooperative project, use its
>standards."
>
>*****************************************
>   Walter F. Nickeson, Catalog &
>     Metadata Management Librarian
>   Rush Rhees Library
>   University of Rochester
>   Rochester, NY  14627-0055
>   wnickeson at library.rochester.edu
>   (585) 273-2326  fax: (585) 273-1032
>*****************************************
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] On
>Behalf Of Oksana K. Linda
>Sent: Thursday, March 12, 2009 10:17 AM
>To: DCRM Revision Group List
>Subject: [DCRM-L] Encoding level
>
>Hello:
>
>Lately I have been cataloging early-mid. 18th century items in German. I
>
>have less then zero German. My question is: if I code elvl 1 (full
>level,
>material not examined), would that be enough to let the cataloging
>community know that my records are not as thorough?
>
>Thank you.
>/Oksana.
>
>Oksana Katerine Linda
>University of Michigan
>William L. Clements Library
>
>

________________________________

Margaret Nichols
Head, Special Materials Unit
Library Technical Services
110 Olin Library
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY. 14853-5301
mnr1 at cornell.edu  *  Tel. (607) 255-5752 / 255-3530  *  Fax (607) 255-9524