The LC Guidelines for authority records are issued with and intended to be used in conjunction with the MARC 21 Format for Authority Data.  Each guideline contains instructions in the use of the specific field or character position for (1) creating authority records to be added to the Library of Congress authority files by NACO and SACO participants; and, (2) institutions that need or want to know special LC practices in authority records.

Select a field or character position from the list below to access its LC Guidelines:

Introduction

Scope of LC Guidelines

Direction for use of LC Guidelines

Organization of LC Guidelines

Leader/05  Record status

Leader/09  Character coding scheme

Leader/17  Encoding level

Leader/18  Punctuation policy

Directory

001  Control Number

003  Control Number Identifier

005  Date and Time of Latest Transaction

008/00-05  Date entered on file

008/06  Direct or indirect geographic subdivision

008/07  Romanization scheme

008/08  Language of catalog

008/09  Kind of record

008/10  Descriptive cataloging rules

008/11  Subject heading system/thesaurus

008/12  Type of series

008/13  Numbered or unnumbered series

008/14  Heading use - main or added entry

008/15  Heading use - subject added entry

008/16  Heading use - series added entry

008/17  Type of subject subdivision

008/18-27  Undefined

008/28  Type of government agency

008/29  Reference evaluation

008/30  Undefined

008/31  Record update in process

008/32  Undifferentiated personal name

008/33  Level of establishment

008/34-37  Undefined

008/38  Modified record

008/39  Cataloging source

010  Library of Congress Control Number

014  Link to Bibliographic Record for Serial or Multipart Item

016  National Bibliographic Agency Control Number

020  International Standard Book Number

022  International Standard Serial Number

024  Other Standard Identifier

031  Musical Incipits Information

034  Coded Cartographic Mathematical Data

035  System Control Number

040  Cataloging Source

042  Authentication Code

043  Geographic Area Code

045  Time Period of Heading

046  Special Coded Dates

050  Library of Congress Call Number

052  Geographic Classification

053  LC Classification Number

055  Library and Archives Canada Call Number

060  National Library of Medicine Call Number

065  Other Classification Number

066  Character Sets Present

070  National Agricultural Library Call Number

072  Subject Category Code

073  Subdivision Usage

075  Type of Entity

080  Universal Decimal Classification Number

082  Dewey Decimal Call Number

083  Dewey Decimal Classification Number

086  Government Document Call Number

087  Government Document Classification Number

090  Local Call Number

100  Heading - Personal Name

110  Heading - Corporate Name

111  Heading - Meeting Name

130  Heading - Uniform Title

147  Heading - Named Event

148  Heading - Chronological Term

150  Heading - Topical Term

151  Heading - Geographic Name

155  Heading - Genre/Form Term

162  Heading - Medium of Performance Term

180  Heading - General Subdivision

181  Heading - Geographic Subdivision

182  Heading - Chronological Subdivision

185  Heading - Form Subdivision

260  Complex See Reference - Subject

335  Extension Plan

336  Content Type

348  Format of Notated Music

360  Complex See Also Reference - Subject

368  Other Attributes of Person or Corporate Body

370  Associated Place

371  Address

372  Field of Activity

373  Associated Group

374  Occupation

375  Gender

376  Family Information

377  Associated Language

378  Fuller Form of Personal Name

380  Form of Work

381  Other Distinguishing Characteristics of Work or Expression

382  Medium of Performance

383  Numeric Designation of Musical Work

384  Key

385  Audience Characteristics

386  Creator/Contributor Characteristics

388  Time Period of Creation

Tracings and References - 4XX Fields  [General Information]

400  See From Tracing - Personal Name

410  See From Tracing - Corporate Name

411  See From Tracing - Meeting Name

430  See From Tracing - Uniform Title

447  See From Tracing - Named Event

448  See From Tracing - Chronological Term

450  See From Tracing - Topical Term

451  See From Tracing - Geographic Name

455  See From Tracing - Genre/Form Term

462  See From Tracing - Medium of Performance Term

480  See From Tracing - General Subdivision

481  See From Tracing - Geographic Subdivision

482  See From Tracing - Chronological Subdivision

485  See From Tracing - Form Subdivision

Tracings and References - 5XX Fields  [General Information]

500  See Also From Tracing - Personal Name

510  See Also From Tracing - Corporate Name

511  See Also From Tracing - Meeting Name

530  See Also From Tracing - Uniform Title

547  See Also From Tracing - Named Event

548  See Also From Tracing - Chronological Term

550  See Also From Tracing - Topical Term

551  See Also From Tracing - Geographic Name

555  See Also From Tracing - Genre/Form Term

562  See Also From Tracing - Medium of Performance Term

580  See Also From Tracing - General Subdivision

581  See Also From Tracing - Geographic Subdivision

582  See Also From Tracing - Chronological Subdivision

585  See Also From Tracing - Form Subdivision

640  Series Dates of Publication and/or Sequential Designation

641  Series Numbering Peculiarities

642  Series Numbering Example

643  Series Place and Publisher/Issuing Body

644  Series Analysis Practice

645  Series Tracing Practice

646  Series Classification Practice

663  Complex See Also Reference - Name

664  Complex See Reference - Name

665  History Reference

666  General Explanatory Reference - Name

667  Nonpublic General Note

670  Source Data Found

672  Title Related to the Entity

673  Title Not Related to the Entity

675  Source Data Not Found

677  Definition

678  Biographical or Historical Data

680  Public General Note

681  Subject Example Tracing Note

682  Deleted Heading Information

688  Application History Note

700  Established Heading Linking Entry - Personal Name

710  Established Heading Linking Entry - Corporate Name

711  Established Heading Linking Entry - Meeting Name

730  Established Heading Linking Entry - Uniform Title

747  Established Heading Linking Entry - Named Event

748  Established Heading Linking Entry - Chronological Term

750  Established Heading Linking Entry - Topical Term

751  Established Heading Linking Entry - Geographic Name

755  Established Heading Linking Entry - Genre/Form Term

762  Established Heading Linking Entry - Medium of Performance Term

780  Subdivision Linking Entry - General Subdivision

781  Subdivision Linking Entry - Geographic Subdivision

782  Subdivision Linking Entry - Chronological Subdivision

785  Subdivision Linking Entry - Form Subdivision

788  Complex Linking Entry Data

856  Electronic Location and Access

880  Alternate Graphic Representation

883  Machine-generated Metadata Provenance

884  Description Conversion Information

885  Matching Information

Appendix.  Implementing Changes in the MARC 21 Authority Format

To return:

MARC 21 Format for Authority Data:  Contents