008 - Visual Materials

At the end of last month I covered the character positions (aka bytes) in the 008 tag that are consistent regardless of the Type of Record code and Bibliographic Level code in the leader. 

Today I am going to talk about what you will find in bytes 18-34 in a record for visual materials.

Records in the VIS format will have a Type code of "g" (projected medium), "k" (2-dimensional non-projected graphic), "o" (a kit),  or "r" (3-dimensional artifact, or naturally occuring object) in the leader and a BLvl code of "a" (monographic component part), "b" (serial component part), "c" (collection), "d" (subunit), "i" (integrating resource), "m" (monograph), or "s" (serial). In other words this format includes movies, photographs, posters, Lego sets and other kinds of kits, and objects (like bottles or seashells).

Within the 008 tag of a VIS record the specific positions indicated contain these elements:

• 18-20: a 3-digit number indicating the running time (in minutes) for motion pictures or video recordings. This applies only to motion pictures and video recordings; "nnn" should be used for other VIS materials
  
  
• 21: this position is not currently defined for this format
  
  
• 22: the intellectual level of the audience for which the work is intended (preschoolers, specialists, etc.)
  
  
• 23-27: these positions are not currently defined for this format
  
  
• 28: indicates if the work is a government publication and if so, what level of government (state, federal, county, etc.) published it - blank means it is not a government document
  
  
• 29: the form of the work (microfilm, large print, braille, online, etc.) - blank means it is none of the specific formats for which there is a code
  
  
• 30-32: these positions are not currently defined for this format
  
  
• 33:  the type of material - a code that describes the specific type of visual material being described (filmstrip, slide, flashcard, game, kit, etc.)
  
  
• 34: indicates the technique (animation, for example) used to create motion for motion pictures and video recordings