007 - Physical Description Fixed Field (Part 2)

Last week I covered the basics of the 007 tag and provided a simple example of how that tag is coded for a globe. This week we will build on that information and look at how the 007 tag is coded for visual materials. 

Among the 4 valid type codes for the visual materials format (VIS) are:

• "g" for a projected medium -- this code is used for projected media of any type including filmstrips, motion pictures, slides, transparencies, video recordings (including digital video), and other material designed specifically for projection. This does not include microforms.

• "k" for a 2-dimensional nonprojectable graphic -- this code is used for nonprojected graphic media of any type including activity cards, charts, collages, computer graphics, digital pictures, drawings, duplication masters, flash cards, paintings, photo CDs, photonegatives, photoprints, pictures, postcards, posters, prints, spirit masters, study prints, technical drawings, transparency masters, and microform, photomechanical, or other reproductions of any of these materials, as well as bound collections of reproducible masters.

Just these two types of visual materials include a wide variety of physical forms and consequently there is specific 007 coding defined to deal with the physical aspects and the accompanying sound characteristics of these materials:

• non-projected graphics (the 007 begins with "k")
• a remote sensing image (the 007 begins with "r") 
• projected graphics (the 007 begins with "g")  
• a motion picture (the 007 begins with "m") -- remember that these are physical characteristics, so this is used to describe an actual motion picture reel, not a movie in a video format
  
• a videorecording (the 007 begins with "v") -- including a videorecording of a motion picture, the 007 is about physical characteristics, not intellectual content

Because videorecordings are what public libraries are most likely to deal with regularly let's look at the details of that 007.

A videorecording is defined in BF&S as "a recording on which visual images, usually in motion and accompanied by sound, have been registered. It is designed for playback on a television receiver or video monitor." 

• An 007 tag describing a videorecording begins with "v" (labeled as subfield a)
  
  
• The next position (subfield b) contains a one-character code for the special class of videorecording to which an item belongs (a videodisc is "d"; a videocassette is "f")
  
  
• Next (subfield d) is a code for black-and-white ("b"), multicolor ("c"), or a mixture ("m") 
  
  
• Subfield e is a code for the recording format (VHS, Beta, laserdisc, Blu-ray, DVD, etc.)
  
  
• Subfield f is a code indicating if there is sound on the videorecording ("a"), or on a separate physical carrier ("b")
  
  
• Subfield g is a code for the specific medium used to carry the sound of an item (on an accompanying cassette, on the videotape itself, etc.)
  
  
• Subfield h is a code for the dimensions of the thing (8 mm, 1/2 inch, etc.)
  
  
• The final character (subfield i) is a code for the configuration of intended playback channels for the sound portion of a videorecording (stereophonic, quadraphonic, etc.)
  
  

For example:

 A Blu-ray disc, in color, which includes the surround-sound audio on the disc:

007

ǂa v ǂb d ǂd c ǂe s ǂf a ǂg i ǂh z ǂi q

Note that the dimension code (subfield h) is "z' which indicates "videorecording width for which none of the other codes is appropriate." This is used for all videodisc dimensions since standard code values for videodiscs do not yet exist.

_____________________________________________

Since this is the last Tuesday of the month it is time for the December 2024 Tuesday Tags Review Quiz.

This is a 4-question self-check that will give you a chance to see how much you have learned about MARC tags this month (or where you may want to go back and re-read). 

_____________________________________________ 

This is the final installment of the Tuesday Tags series. I hope you have learned a bit more about MARC tags then you knew at the beginning of the year and I appreciate everyone who took the time to read these posts.