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Guidelines for contributing non-Latin script bibliographic records to WorldCat

Find guidelines for contributing non-Latin script bibliographic records to WorldCat using Connexion client.

Overview

Records added to WorldCat must meet MARC standards, whatever type of scripts you use to enter the data. You must catalog according to AACR2 practices. For implementing MARC standards in WorldCat records, see OCLC Bibliographic Formats and Standards.

For quick and easy reference, open a detailed Bibliographic Formats description of any MARC field directly from Connexion client:

  • Place the cursor in a field, and click Help > MARC Field Help (or click MARC Field Help button, or press <Shift><F1>).
    Or
  • Right-click in the field and then click MARC Field Help on the pop-up menu.

Romanized data - If you provide romanized (Latin-script-equivalent) data, romanization should follow guidelines in the ALA - LC Romanization Tables.

How the client manages non-Latin script data in bibliographic records

For cataloging items in languages that use non-Latin scripts, you can create records that contain:

  • Non-Latin script data only (or multi-non-Latin scripts if needed, one script per field)
  • Latin script equivalent data only
    Or
  • Both non-Latin and Latin scripts

If you include both, the client provides (or you create) paired fields that have the same tag number. The top field of the pair is for non-Latin-script data followed by a field for the corresponding romanized data.

For machine-processing purposes, non-Latin script fields are stored internally in MARC format 880 fields.

How paired fields work:

  • Automatic linking - The client automatically links two fields when a non-Latin script field is followed by a Latin-script field (romanized data) that displays the same tag number. The links are added when you reformat, save, validate, or take a final OCLC action on the record.
  • Link and Unlink commands - If paired fields are present in a record, link or unlink them using Edit > Linking Fields > Link Fields or Unlink Fields (or <Alt><E><K><L> or <Alt><E><K><U>, respectively). The client displays linked fields with a connecting bracket in the left margin.

     Caution: If Latin script and non-Latin script parallel fields are not linked, display of the non-Latin script in records downloaded to your local system may be affected. You can set an option to get a warning before the client exports records with parallel unlinked non-Latin script fields in Tools > Options > Export.

  • Field 245 - If you add a 245 field with non-Latin script, the field is tagged as field 880 by Connexion client. If you do not add a corresponding 245 field with Latin script, the client automatically adds:
    • A 245 field containing the following three filler characters: <>. (less than bracket, greater than bracket, period)
    • A 500 field with the text Non-Latin script record

     Note: The presence of Latin script and non-Latin script in the same 245 field will not prevent the above.
     
  • ISBN - If you enter an ISBN into a non-Latin script 020 field without adding it to the paired Latin script 020 field, the client automatically copies the data to the Latin-script 020 field. 
  • Automatic 066 - When you validate, reformat, save or take a final OCLC action (interact with the OCLC system) for a non-Latin script record, the client automatically adds the following data to field 066 (separate subfield c for each character set in the record) to indicate that the character set(s) are in the record:
    • (3 for basic Arabic 
    • Armn for Armenian 
    • (4 for extended Arabic 
    • Beng for Bengali 
    • $1 for CJK 
    • (N for basic Cyrillic 
    • (Q for extended Cyrillic 
    • Cyrl for Cyrillic outside the MARC-8 character set 
    • Deva for Devanagari 
    • Ethi for Ethiopic 
    • (S for Greek 
    • (2 for Hebrew 
    • Syrc for Syriac 
    • Thai for Thai 
    • Taml for Tamil 

Windows provides input languages for using non-Latin scripts

If the default language of your workstation is not the language you need for entering supported non-Latin scripts for cataloging or for variant name headings in authority records, or if you do not already have an input method for the language set up on your workstation, install input languages and methods in Windows.

Alternative RLIN21 keyboards - For information on alternative keyboards available for download for some scripts, see Install RLIN21 Arabic, Cyrillic, Hebrew, or Latin keyboards.

The exact procedure in Windows for adding input languages and keyboards will vary, depending on your version of Windows.

When English is your default language and you install one or more other input languages, Windows automatically displays a language bar on the desktop for toggling through your input languages. You can also use the default Windows keystroke shortcut <Left Alt><Shift> to toggle through installed languages.

For information and help on setting up input languages and keyboards specifically for your version of Windows:

  • On the Windows Start menu, click Help and then enter input languages in the Help Search field.
    Or
  • Go to the Microsoft website and search the site (e.g., input languages windows 10).

Please consult with your system administrator if you need help with installing input languages and keyboards.

Change the language of the client interface

The client prompts you to select an interface language when you open the client for the first time after installing or when you create a new user profile.

You can also change the language of the interface anytime by changing an option:

  1. Navigate to Tools > Options or press <Alt><T><O>.
  2. Click the International tab.
  3. In the Interface Language list, select one of the following available languages:
     Note: To display the Chinese, Japanese, or Korean interface, you must have an input method for the language installed on your workstation (see "Input methods for languages that use non-Latin scripts" below), or you must have a Chinese, Japanese, or Korean language version of Windows.
    • Chinese (Simplified)
    • Chinese (Traditional)
    • English (default)
    • German
    • Japanese
    • Korean
    • Spanish
  4. When finished, perform one of the following actions:
    • Click OK to change to the language you selected and close the window.
    • Click Apply to change to the language you selected and keep the window open.
    • Click Cancel to close the window without changing the interface language.

Once the language has been changed:

  • Text in the client interface displays immediately in the selected language.
  • The online client Help remains in English only.