Treatment of 856 Fields
University of California, Riverside Libraries
Cataloging/Metadata Services Department
Treatment of 856 Fields
Sharon Scott
October 13, 2005
Policy:
The Scotty Team Recommendations dated Jan. 11, 2005 (updated June 7, 2005) call for the elimination from the bibliographic record all 856 links which are deemed unnecessary. Decisions on new types of links will be made as they appear in the cataloging stream. Certain types of links may require further action. This list of links will be continuously modified as new types of 856 links are seen in catalog records.
Procedure:
Decisions on previously recognized links:
856 links to be deleted 856 links needing examples 856 links to retain
Biographical information Song lyrics Online version (full-text)
Book reviews Finding aids
Preview
Publishers' descriptions
Sample text
Table of contents (special instructions below)
These procedures apply to all catalogers, including students, and apply to all new monographic materials being cataloged, regardless of format, e.g.: print, micro, CD, DVD, etc. They should be followed before beginning the cataloging process. Serials and databases are dealt with in another policy.
1. Open an OCLC session as well as the MilCat session.
2. Check the existing MilCat catalog record for the presence of an 856 field. Delete the 856 if it is a link to any of the items in the “delete” list above, except for the Table of contents (instructions below). The type of link is usually found in the subfield 3 of the 856.
3. If the 856 link is to a full-text version in another language, that version should be cataloged as a separate entity, with appropriate 776 links. Students should refer this situation to a supervisor.
4. If the 856 is in the “retain” list above, keep and modify according to existing electronic resources cataloging procedures. Students should refer this situation to a supervisor.
5. If the 856 link is one of those needing an example in the list above, or if it is a new type of link which is not in the lists above, consult with the Electronic Resources Cataloger for a decision. Students should refer this situation to a supervisor.
6. If an 856 “Table of contents” link is present, check for a corresponding 505 “Contents” field in the MilCat record. If the 505 is present, with contents listed, delete the 856 “Table of contents” and catalog as usual.
7. If the MilCat record contains an 856 “Table of contents” and no 505 field is present, re-search OCLC for the title. This can quickly be done with the OCLC number from the MilCat record.
8. Check the OCLC record for the presence of a 505 “Contents” field. It may have been added after the MilCat record was downloaded.
9. If the 505 is present, overlay the existing MilCat record with the updated OCLC record containing the 505 field. Delete the 856 “Table of contents” in the MilCat record and catalog as usual.
10. If a 505 Contents field still is not appearing in the OCLC record, return to MilCat, delete the 856 “Table of contents” link in the MilCat record and catalog as usual.
Prepared by Sharon Scott
Oct. 13, 2005
