This message is being posted to multiple lists; please excuse the duplication. Colleagues, This message was prepared by Kay Guiles from our Cataloging Policy and Support Office. This is the official statement on LC and CONSER use of the newly-implemented changes to field 856. Jean Hirons CONSER Coordinator Library of Congress [log in to unmask] (202) 707-5947 ********************************************************************* Effect of OCLC Changes Related to Field 856 in Records Issued from LC MARBI recently approved changes to field 856 (Electronic Location and Access) as follows: Ind 1 (Access method) # No information provided 4 HTTP (new value) Ind 2 (Relationship) (newly defined indicator position) # No information provided 0 Resource 1 Version of resource 2 Related resource 8 No display constant generated On March 16, 1998 OCLC implemented these changes in its system. LC will implement these changes at a time yet to be determined. The following describes the effect of the OCLC implementation on records issued from LC. MONOGRAPHS Newly created LC original cataloging records will not reflect these changes. The means of stating HTTP as the access method will continue to be that used prior to the definition of value 4 in Indicator 1, namely, the use of Indicator 1 value 7 and "http" in subfield $2. Indicator position 2 will continue to contain a blank. Records imported from OCLC by LC to be used for copy cataloging containing field 856 with Indicator 1 new value 4 and any value in new Indicator 2 will be handled as follows: 1) http access represented as new Indicator value 4 in the imported record will be changed to being represented by Indicator 1 value 7 and subfield $2; 2) a blank will continue to be present in Indicator position 2; at OCLC the LC record will undergo standard OCLC merge/replace processing and the 856 field in the LC record will replace the field previously in the OCLC record. The number of newly created LC original cataloging records containing field 856 and the number of records imported from OCLC containing this field is expected to be relatively small. SERIALS CONSER libraries working in OCLC, including LC will implement the changes described above as appropriate. Records for serials distributed through LC will reflect these changes. (Records for serials reside in a read-only file at LC. Since no input/update system is involved, as is the case with monographs, these new data elements can be passed through LC and distributed.) Cataloging Policy and Support Office March 24, 1998