007 Content Designator History - Coding and Repeatability Changes in 007

In 1981, the present generalized approach to coding physical description characteristics in field 007 was defined. Prior to that time, this field was defined only in the visual materials and music specifications and contained a variable number of fixed-length entries. The field was not repeatable, but the set of 6 (visual materials) or 11 (music) character positions could be repeated within the field. When the field was restructured and expanded to other MARC specifications, the field was made repeatable and the set of character positions defined for each category of material was made nonrepeatable. The visual materials 007 covered motion pictures (1970-1980) and projected graphics and videorecordings (1976-1980); each category currently has a separate 007 defined. The music 007 covered only sound recordings.

The following table maps the earlier structures onto the current 007 fields:

Pre-1981 Structure (Type of material)		1981 Structure (007 Category of material)
---		00	Category of material (g, m, v, s)
00	Form of release	01	Specific material designation (g, m, v, s)
---		02	Original versus reproduction aspect (g, m, v, s)
01	Color (VM)	03	Color (g, m, v)
	Speed (MU)		Speed (s)
02	Motion picture presentation format (VM)	04	Motion picture presentation format (g, m, v)
	Kind of sound (MU)		Kind of sound (s)
03	Sound on medium or separate (VM)	05	Sound on medium or separate (g, m, v)
	Groove width/Groove pitch (MU)		Groove width/Groove pitch (s)
04	Medium for sound (VM)	06	Medium for sound (g, m, v)
	Dimensions (MU)		Dimensions (s)
05	Width or dimensions (VM)	07	Width or dimensions (g, m, v)
	Tape width (MU)		Tape width (s)
06	Tape configuration (MU)	08	Tape configuration (s)
07	Kind of disc or cylinder (archival) (MU)	09	Kind of disc, cylinder or tape (s)
08	Kind of material (archival) (MU)	10	Kind of Material (s)
09	Kind of cutting (archival) (MU)	11	Kind of cutting (s)
10	Recording and reproduction characteristics (MU)	12	Special playback characteristics (s)

In 1981, newly structured 007 fields for projected graphics (00, code g), motion pictures (00, code m), videorecordings (00, code v), and sound recordings (00, code s) became valid; a 007 for microforms (00, code h) was defined.
In 1982, 007 fields for maps (00, code a) and globes (00, code d) were defined for map and kit material; the 007 field for sound recordings (00, code s) was extended to kits.
In 1983, 007 field for nonprojected graphics (00, code k) was defined for two-dimensional nonprojected graphic material.
In 1985, the 007 field for motion pictures (00, code m) was extended to character positions 08-22 for archival characteristics when field 009 (Physical Description Fixed Field for Archival Collection) was made obsolete.
In 1990, 007 fields for text (00, code t) and for unspecified material (00, code z) were defined for all forms of material.
In 1995, 007 field for computer files (00, code c) was defined.
In 1997, 007 field for remote-sensing images (00, code r) was defined.
In 1998, 007 fields for tactile materials (00, code f), kits (00, code o), and notated music (00, code q) were defined.
In 2002, the Computer file 007 field was renamed to "Electronic resource."
In 2016, 007 field for Sound recording (00, code s) was redescribed.
In 2021, 007 field for Sound recording, character position 13 (007/13) was renamed to "Original capture and storage technique."

To return, select:

007 Physical Description Fixed Field