Welcome!

The course is designed for members of the library community who do not have formal library training.  It will help you understand basic information about the MARC (Machine Readable Cataloging system, the foundation of library cataloging in electronic formats.  If you have not yet done so, you may want to take our course: Introduction to Technical Services and Catalog, which gives a basic understanding of cataloging that may be helpful for you to have before taking this course. We have also included a Bibliography at the end of the course for those who wish further information on cataloging in general and the MARC system in particular.

The course is divided into four sections.  Each section has one or more web pages, plus a self-evaluation test.  You will typically move ahead in the course by correctly answering the last question on each self-evaluation.  There is also a final examination that covers the information in the entire course.  The course takes approximately one hour to complete.  If you have stopped working on the course and wish to re-enter at a section, you may do so by clicking on the objective for the section in the list below.

Idaho library staff members or trustees completing the final examination will be eligible to receive a certificate of completion for the course.  Send a copy of the final page of the course to the Continuing Education Consultant, Idaho Commission for Libraries, 325 W. State Street, Boise, Idaho 83702.  Or fax it to 208-334-4016.

Completion of all Alternative Basic Library Education (ABLE) courses will earn a certificate of completion for the ABLE program. For more information contact the Continuing Education Consultant Team using our online contact form.

 

Course Objectives

In this course, you will learn the following:

1. The history and purpose of MARC

2. How MARC is organized

3. How MARC tags are used

4. Special issues with non-book cataloging, copy cataloging, and cooperative cataloging.

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