Skip to main content
OCLC Support

Scope of the OCLC local holdings format

Find information about holdings data fields, separate holdings records, and compression or expansion of detailed enumeration and chronology data.

The Local Holdings Format is designed to carry holdings information for three types of bibliographic items that are identified by a code in Leader/06 (Type of record):

  • A single-part item which is complete in a single physical part, for example, a single map, a score, a one-volume book, a computer file (Leader/06, code x).
  • A multipart item which is complete, or intended to be complete, in a finite number of separate physical parts, for example, a set of maps, a musical score and parts, a ten-volume encyclopedia, a multimedia kit, a manuscript collection (Leader/06, code v).
  • A serial item which is issued in successive parts at regular or irregular intervals and is intended to be continued indefinitely, for example, a journal, a serial update service to a loose-leaf publication (Leader/06, code y).

In contrast with data elements that are applicable to a universal bibliographic description of these types of items, holdings information may include:

  • Copy-specific information for an item
  • Information that is peculiar to the holding organization
  • Information that is needed for local processing, maintenance, or preservation of the item
  • Version information

Holdings data fields

Four sets of holdings data fields are defined for recording information about the items actually held by an organization:

  • Captions and Pattern (fields 853-855)
  • Enumeration and Chronology (863-865)
  • Textual Holdings (866-868)
  • Item Information (876-878)

Within each set, separate fields are defined for three categories of material:

A general description of the four sets of holdings data fields and their relationship is given in the 853-878 Holdings Data - General Information section, followed by detailed descriptions of the individual fields.

Separate holdings records

Field 852 (Location) is defined to contain information in as much detail as is needed to locate an item. It may include such information as a unique shelving designation, copy number, and the address for the current physical location of the item.

OCLC local holdings records are separate holdings records linked to a related OCLC bibliographic record. They report holdings information for a single copy of an item. A single 852 location field and any associated holdings fields are used.

Item information: A holdings record may contain information for a particular physical items at one or more locations. The relationship between field 852, the associated holdings data fields 853-868, and the item information fields 876-878 is included in the section 876-878 Item Information - General Information.

  • Separate holdings records - A separate holdings record is linked to the related MARC bibliographic record by field 004 (Control Number for Related Bibliographic Record).

The following fields may appear in a separate OCLC local holdings record:

Holdings fields
Leader
Directory
001 Control Number
003 Control Number Indicator
004 Control Number for Related Bibliographic Record
005 Date and Time of Latest Transaction
008 Fixed-Length Data Elements
035 System Control Number
842 Textual Physical Form Designator
843 Reproduction Note
844 Name of Unit
845 Terms Governing Use and Reproduction Note
852 Location
853 Captions and Pattern-Basic Bibliographic Unit
854 Captions and Pattern-Supplementary Material
855 Captions and Pattern-Indexes
856 Electronic Location and Access
863 Enumeration and Chronology-Basic Bibliographic Unit
864 Enumeration and Chronology-Supplementary Material
865 Enumeration and Chronology-Indexes
866 Textual Holdings-Basic Bibliographic Unit
867 Textual Holdings-Supplementary Material
868 Textual Holdings-Indexes
876 Item Information-Basic Bibliographic Unit
877 Item Information-Supplementary Material
878 Item Information-Indexes
Bibliographic Format fields
007 Physical Description Fixed Field
010 Library of Congress Control Number
016 National Bibliographic Agency Control Number
020 International Standard Book Number
022 International Standard Serial Number
024 Standard Recording Number
541 Immediate Source of Acquisition Note
561 Ownership and Custodial History
562 Copy and Version Identification Note 563   Binding Information
583 Action Note

Of these fields, the following are required in a separate MARC holdings record: Leader, Directory, 001, 004, and 852. For interchange purposes, the related MARC bibliographic record is distributed to exchange partners prior to the distribution of a separate holdings record.

This document describes separate holdings records.

Compression and expansion

Compression or expansion (itemization) of detailed enumeration and chronology data may be done by computer algorithm if no break exists within the levels of enumeration or chronology. A fuller description of this capability is given in the 853-878 Holdings Data-General Information section. The data elements that are required to be present for the compression or expansion of the contents of the enumeration and chronology fields for basic bibliographic units (field 863) and supplementary material (field 864) are described in the Input Conventions area of the 853-855 Captions and Pattern-General Information section. The content of an enumeration and chronology field for indexes (field 865) may not be automatically compressed or expanded because of the potential for an ambiguous holdings statement.