5xx Fields

5xx fields

Use 5xx fields for notes about the resource identified by the record. Use field 500 for general notes and fields 501-588 for more specialized notes. Use fields 590-599 for notes of local interest only. Use a separate 5xx field for each note.

Under RDA, notes are not required to justify authorized access points. However, under RDA instruction 5.9.1.3, they are allowed if considered important for clarification or justification. According to AACR2 rule 21.29F, notes may be required to justify added entries.

If you are inputting full-level records, enter all applicable notes related to the manifestation according to RDA instructions 2.17.1-2.17.14 or AACR2, chapters 1-12, rules x.7. If you are inputting minimal-level records, most notes are optional. If you are following BIBCO or CONSER standard record practice, include those notes that support identification of the item.

Display constants

Local system and other bibliographic displays may supply display constants for some 5xx fields. The 1st indicator value determines the display constant for the field. Do not include display constants in the text of the fields.

Display constants may vary for current versus older cataloging instructions. Use the codes in fixed field element Desc and field 040 subfield ǂe to determine or indicate the cataloging instructions used.

Field	1st indicator, etc.	Display constant
502	when subfield ǂa not present	Thesis:
505	0	Contents:
	1	Incomplete contents:
	2	Partial contents:
508		Credits:
510	0	Indexed by:
	1	Indexed in its entirety by:
	2	Indexed selectively by:
	3	References:
	4	References:
511	1	Cast:
516		Type of file:
520		Summary:
	0	Subject:
	1	Review:
	2	Scope and content:
	3	Abstract:
	4	Content advice:
521		Audience:
	0	Reading grade level:
	1	Interest age level:
	2	Interest grade level:
	3	Special audience characteristics:
	4	Motivation/interest level:
522		Geographic coverage:
524		Cite as:
526	0	Reading program:
532	0	Accessibility technical details:
	1	Accessibility features:
	2	Accessibility deficiencies:
555		Indexes:
	0	Finding aids:
556		Documentation:
565		File size:
	0	Case file characteristics:
567		Methodology:
581		Publications:
586		Awards:
588	0	Description based on: or Identification of the resource based on:
	1	Latest issue consulted:

Display examples

Examples:

Note entry order

RDA has no prescribed order for note fields. Generally, enter notes in AACR2 order or as prescribed by other descriptive convention manuals such as Archival Moving Image Materials: A Cataloging Manual. For example, a "with" note is the final note as prescribed by AACR2. Therefore, if a "with" note is applicable, enter field 501 as the last 5xx field.

For serials cataloging in English, enter notes according to CONSER practice. CONSER participants enter 5xx fields in ascending tag order, except for fields 533 and 539. Enter fields 533 and 539 as the last notes.

Notes generated from other fields

Local system and other bibliographic displays may include notes generated from other fields outside the 5xx range of fields. Whether notes generated from other fields display depends on the tag, indicators, subfields used in combination with system capabilities. Use of a field is often dependent on the type of material and format. Display order depends on the system.

Field	1st indicator	2nd indicator	Subfield	Display constant
020			ǂa	ISBN
			ǂz	ISBN (invalid)
022			ǂa	ISSN
			ǂl	ISSN-L
			ǂm	ISSN-L (canceled)
			ǂy	ISSN (incorrect)
			ǂz	ISSN (canceled)
028	2	1 or 2		Plate number:
	3, 4, or 5			Publisher's number:
	6			Distributor's number:
036				Original study:
222				ISSN [number from field 022] = [Key title from field 222]
242				Title translated:
246	0 or 1	2		Distinctive title:
		3		Other title:
		4		Cover title:
		5		Added title page title:
		6		Caption title:
		7		Running title:
		8		Spine title:
247		0		Title varies:
307				Hours:
382	0	0 or 1		Medium of performance:
	1			Partial medium of performance:
	2			Medium of performance of musical content of representative expression:
	3			Partial medium of performance of musical content of representative expression:
760	0			Main series: or Subseries of:
762	0			Has subseries:
765	0			Translation of:
767	0			Translated as:
770	0			Has supplement:
772	0			Supplement to:
		0		Parent:
773	0			In:
774	0			Constitutent unit:
775	0			Other edition available:
776	0			Available in other form: or Issued in other form:
777	0			Issued with:
780	0	0		Continues:
		1		Continues in part:
		2		Supersedes:
		3		Supersedes in part:
		4		Formed by the union: ... and: ...
		5		Absorbed:
		6		Absorbed in part:
		7		Separated from:
785	0	0		Continued by:
		1		Continued in part by:
		2		Superseded by:
		3		Superseded in part by:
		4		Absorbed by:
		5		Absorbed in part by:
		6		Split into: ... and: ...
		7		Merged with: ... to form: ...
		8		Changed back to:
786	0			Data source:
787	0			Related item:
788	0			Parallel description:
856				Electronic resource:
		0		Networked electronic resource:
		1		Networked electronic version of resource:
		2		Related networked electronic resource:
		3		Networked component part of electronic resource:
		4		Networked component part of resource:
857				Electronic resource:
		0		Networked electronic resource:
		1		Networked electronic version of resource:
		2		Related networked electronic resource:
		3		Networked component part of electronic resource:
		4		Networked component part of resource:

MARC 21

For more information, including content designator history, see MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data, 5xx.