Information:
The 300 tag of the MARC bibliographic format contains the physical
description of the item which consists of the extent of the item,
its dimensions, other physical details, and accompanying materials.
AACR2 covers the physical description area in rule 1.5 and in the
X.5 rules for each format in chapters 2-12 (2.5, 3.5, etc.) RDA
covers the physical description in Chapter 3 "Describing Carriers."
The information included in the physical description varies with each
type of material that is being cataloged.
The physical description can help library users identify materials
that best fit their needs. Knowing whether a book is 24 pages or
300 pages gives the searcher a feel for the extent of the book. If a
teacher only has 15 minutes to present, he or she probably can't use
a two hour videocassette for the class.
Subfield a contains the extent of the item. For books this includes
the number of pages or number of volumes. In other formats the extent
is the number and description of physical units (maps, sound discs,
scores, videocassettes, computer discs, microfiche, etc.) and the
playing time for sound recordings and videorecordings. AACR2 and RDA
provide terms to be used in describing the physical units.
Subfield b contains other physical characteristics of an item, such as
identification of illustrative matter, coloration, portraits, etc.
Various kinds of illustrative material are recorded in describing books,
scores, maps, and print serials. For sound recordings enter the type of
recording (digital, analog, acoustic), playing speed (33 1/3 rpm,
etc.), and number of channels (mono, stereo, quadraphonic, surround).
For other formats the presence of sound or color is noted and, in some
cases, the materials used in producing the item.
Subfield c contains the dimensions of the item. Dimensions are given
in centimeters for books, scores, maps, and serials, but in inches
for sound recordings, videorecordings, and computer discs.
Subfield e contains the descriptions of accompanying material. A
physical description of the accompanying material can be included
in parentheses.
Indicators
First Undefined
blank Undefined
Second Undefined
blank Undefined
Subfields
a Extent (R)
b Other physical details (NR)
c Dimensions (R)
e Accompanying material (NR)
Punctuation
Subfield b is preceded by a colon.
Subfield c is preceded by a semicolon.
Subfield e is preceded by a plus sign.
This tag ends with a period if a 4XX tag is in the record and when
the last element is an abbreviation ("cm" is treated as an abbreviation
in AACR2 but is not treated as an abbreviation in RDA)
Examples:
Each example is presented twice, once as it would appear in an AACR2
record and again in an RDA record.
300 _a149 p. :
_bill. (some col.) ;
_c28 cm. (AACR2)
300 _a149 pages :
_billustrations (some color) ;
_c28 cm
(A period is placed after "cm" only when a 490 tag is
present) (RDA)
300 _a11 v. :
_bill., maps, ports. (some col.) (AACR2)
300 _a11 volumes :
_billustrations, maps, portraits (some color) (RDA)
300 _a1 videodisc (45 min.) :
_bsd., col. ;
_c4 3/4 in. (AACR2)
300 _a1 videodisc (45 min.) :
_bsound, color ;
_c4 3/4 in. (RDA)
300 _avi, 149 p. :
_bill., maps ;
_c21 cm. +
_e1 teacher's guide. (AACR2)
300 _avi, 149 pages :
_billustrations, maps ;
_c21 cm +
_e1 teacher's guide. (RDA)
300 _a2 v. (500 p.) (AACR2)
300 _a2 volumes (500 pages) (RDA)
300 _a[32] p. :
_bcol. ill. ;
_c24 cm.
(Pages are not numbered) (AACR2)
300 _a32 unnumbered pages :
_bcolor illustrations ;
_c24 cm
(Pages are not numbered, no 490 tag) (RDA)
300 _a1 CD-ROM :
_bsd., col. ;
_c4 3/4 in. (AACR2)
300 _a1 CD-ROM :
_bsound, color ;
_c4/3/4 in. (RDA)
300 _a1 sound disc (20 min.) :
_bdigital ;
_c4 3/4 in. +
_e5 books ([32] p. : col. ill. ; 27 cm.) (AACR2)
300 _a1 audio disc (20 min.) :
_bdigital ;
_c4 3/4 in. +
_e5 books (32 unnumbered pages : color illustrations ;
27 cm) (RDA)
300 _a25 p. :
_bill. (chiefly col.) ;
_c11 x 25 cm. (AACR2)
300 _a25 p. :
_billustrations (chiefly color) ;
_c11 x 25 cm.
(A 490 tag is present in record) (RDA)
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