MARC%20and%20MARCXML

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MARC and MARCXML

• Using the Library of Congress MAchine-Readable
  Cataloging to Implement a Standard for Electronic
  Journal Access in Libraries

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What is MARC?

• Library of Congress
• Started 30 years ago.
• What is it used for?
• Who uses it?

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MARC 21

• Current version of MARC
• 1997
• Canadian MARC and USMARC join forces

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Data in MARC format

• http//www.loc.gov/marc/holdings/echdlist.html
• All Library of Congress records stored in this
  format.
• How do we use this to let local library users
  access this data remotely?

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XML

• eXtensible Markup Language
• Libraries need a standard
• Library of Congress
• MARC XML

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XML Examples

• Example of standard XML
• lt?xml version"1.0"?gt
• ltperiodgt
• ltcitygtParislt/citygt
• ltcountrygtFranceltcountrygt
• lttimeframe begin"1900" end"1920"/gt
• lttitlegtParis in the early 20th century (up to
  the twenties)lt/titlegt
• ltendgtAmadeolt/endgt
• ltdescriptiongt ltpgtDuring this period, Russian,
  Italian, ...lt/pgt lt/descriptiongt
• lt/periodgt

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Formatting XML

• Raw XML isnt pretty.
• CSS
• XSL- eXtensible Stylesheet Language
• Format raw XML

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XML with CSS

• Original XML
• http//www.w3schools.com/xml/cd_catalog.xml
• CSS style sheet
• http//www.w3schools.com/xml/cd_catalog.txt
• XML with CSS formatting
• http//www.w3schools.com/xml/cd_catalog_with_css.x
  ml

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XML with XSL

• Original XML
• http//www.cs.berkeley.edu/wilensky/test/cat.xml
• XSL style sheet
• http//www.cs.berkeley.edu/wilensky/test/cat.xsl
• XML with XSL formatting
• http//www.cs.berkeley.edu/wilensky/test/xmlwithx
  sl.xml

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XSL vs. CSS

• Which is better?

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Introducing MARC XML

• XML schema containing MARC data.
• Easier data presentation (XSL stylesheets)
• Roundtripability

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MARC XML Schema

• http//www.loc.gov/standards/marcxml/schema/MARC21
  slim.xsd
• Still confusing.
• Easier to transform and display to users via the
  web.

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MARC XML on Parade

• Example MARC XML record
• http//www.loc.gov/standards/marcxml/Sandburg/sand
  burg.xml
• Rudimentary HTML presentation
• http//www.loc.gov/standards/marcxml/Sandburg/sand
  burg.html
• What is possible?

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More HTML
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In Conclusion

• Most libraries today use MARC XML
• More information can be found at
• http//www.loc.gov/standards/marcxml/