Penn State University Libraries - 856 Instructions

MARC Field 856 (Electronic Location and Address) gives information that enables users to retrieve electronic documents on the Internet. Typically, it includes the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the electronic document. In LIAS on the Web, the 856 field is included on the full record display and the electronic document can be retrieved by clicking on the URL. The ability to link through the 856 field will soon be included in the telnet version of LIAS as well.

Cataloging and Documents have been including 856 fields, at least in some cases, for some time now. We recently got a printout of all records in The CAT that contain 856 fields; there were over 900 of them.

So there are good reasons to include this information in LIAS records and therefore you should accept field 856 on copy.

However, there have been some recent changes in coding the field which may not be reflected in copy and which you should make when editing copy. These have to do with the indicators.

The first indicator specifies the Access Method:

• Accept 856 fields with 1st indicator value "4"
• Accept 856 fields with 1st indicator value "7" and "|2http"; but delete the subfield |2 and change the indicator from "7" to "4"
• To delete subfield |2 in LIAS, you need to put a space between the "856" and the "2" in the delete command:
  --> 856 2/d/
• Refer 856 fields with any other indicator values or |2 codes to Lori Leatherman or John Attig

The second indicator specifies the Relationship of the electronic document whose address appears in the 856 field to the item being described in the record as a whole. This is a new indicator value and on most copy, it will simply be blank. Please supply the correct value -- usually "1"

• Accept any values other than blank
• If the 2nd indicator value is blank on copy, change it to the correct value; this will usually be "1". If you aren't sure, refer to John Attig.

Also note:

1. The address itself usually consists of a URL in subfield |u.
2. The underline (_) and tilde (~) characters are not valid in MARC records; use "%5F" for the underline and "%7E" for the tilde. If you find these two characters on copy, please change them.
3. The 856 field may also contain a note (|z) or the name of a specific part of the item to which the 856 field applies (|3); accept these subfields.
4. The record will often include a note (530 or 500) that says that the item is "also available" in electronic format; accept this field.
5. The field can deal with more complicated situations; if you aren't sure how to handle something, refer to Lori Leatherman or John Attig.

For further details about the use of the 856 field, see LC's Guidelines for the Use of Field 856 (8/97)

Examples from The CAT:

<2065989>
530 Available via Internet from the INSS web site.
856 41 |uhttp://198.80.36.91/ndu/inss/macnair/mcnair49/m49cont.html


<2000391>
530 Also available via Internet from the Dept. of Education Technology
Initiatives web site.
856 41 |uhttp://www.ed.gov/Technology/challenge/97appl.html


<595913>
530 Some issues also available via Internet.
856 41 |uhttp://www.ssa.gov/pubs/englist.html


<1946119>
530 Some issues also available via Internet from the NCHS Web site
(PDF file only).
856 41 |uhttp://www.cdc.gov/nchswww/products/pubs/pubd/ad/ad.htm |zscroll
down and select most recent issue or issue no. by clicking
(requires Adobe Acrobat software which is available for download)


<1896766>
530 Some issues also available via Internet.
856 41 |uhttp://www.ed.gov/prog%5Finfo/SFA/FYE/


<2082224>
530 Some issues also available via Internet from the BLS Web site.
856 41 |uhttp://stats.bls.gov/news.release/mslo.toc.htm |zcurrent issue only