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      • Minimum description of a resource entity
      • Effective description
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      • Guidelines on normalized transcription
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Music Library Association Best Practices for carrier type

Prerecording

Prerecording

Routinely record the element.

Recording

Recording

In MARC: Record as a structured description using field 338 subfield $a. If multiple terms are used, record each in a separate field; if deemed useful for identification or selection, specify the carrier to which the term refers in 338 $3.

Additionally, for audio and video recordings: Record as an identifier using field 007 byte 1.

See examples in MARC format: carrier type

Condition Option

Cataloger's judgment. For books and scores issued together with materials of other carrier types, record separate instances of the element for all parts of the manifestation deemed useful for identification or selection.

Condition Option

Apply the option for audio or video recordings issued with a booklet, insert, or similar accompanying material of limited bibliographic importance. If the accompanying material is substantial in content or extent, use cataloger’s judgment.

Condition Option

Cataloger's judgment.

Recording an unstructured description

Option

LC/PCC practice: Do not apply the option.

Option

LC/PCC practice: Cataloger's judgment.

Condition Option

LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.

Condition Option

LC/PCC practice: Do not apply the option.

Recording a structured description

Option

Apply the option. Consider the terms and definitions from this list to be synonymous with the corresponding Library of Congress Term and Code List for RDA Carrier Types .

For resources of notated music consisting of a folded sheet or two or more nested folded sheets, with or without a single sheet in the middle, record the carrier term volume if the resource is intended to be used as a cohesive whole. For single sheets that contain parts or are otherwise usable separately, record the carrier term sheet.

Option

LC/PCC practice: Cataloger's judgment.

Option

In MARC: If recording a term from the recommended vocabulary encoding scheme, indicate the source of information using the $2 code rdacarrier.

Condition Option

Do not apply the option.

Recording an identifier

Recording an IRI

View in Context Example

Document Date: 2025/06/06
Document: https://stage.rdatoolkit.org/en-US_ala-6bd2b0a0-4f39-394c-8b79-4b03a6d5e8a4

  • Previous: Music Library Association Best Practices for base material
  • Next: Music Library Association Best Practices for configuration of playback channels

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