UA Resources

Finding Information

To increase accessibility to the materials in the Curriculum Center, Cataloging is instituting a number of changes to both description and classification of the materials. These changes are detailed Cataloging Curriculum Materials, Section I. Classification and Description Changes; the summary is available on this page or you may view a full-text version of the document in portable document file (pdf) format which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. To download Adobe Acrobat Reader, see the Adobe web site at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/.

The changes, effective 1/2/2002, include the following:

Classification

The only valid OCLC 049 codes will be AKRC and AKRL (oversize) for all curriculum center materials. AKRJ and ARKW will no longer be used.

MARC tag 092 subfield a will contain the classification number, which will be constructed from the Dewey Decimal Classification schedules.

MARC tag 092 subfield b will contain the cutter number constructed from C.A. Cutter's Three-figure author table, primarily utilizing the author number with title work mark (first significant word of the title) and the addition of the grade level(s) following the cutter number. In cases of title main entry, the cutter number will be based on the first significant word in the title with optional work mark based on editor, compiler, or publisher, followed by grade level(s). Example:

• Curr Cen -- Automatic collection heading
• 372.465 -- DDC classification number
• B947p -- Cutter number
• Gr.1-3 -- Grade level range

NOTE: If the grade level is not noted on the materials in hand, consult Amazon.com or the specific publishers' web site for more information. Amazon.com is very good about providing reading age ranges in their description of the materials or in the editor review.

The following table lists age with equalivant single grade level, as well as grade level clusters. Whether you are adding a single grade level to the classification number (Gr.1), a range of grades (Gr.K-9) or a cluster specification (Primary grade cluster = Gr.PreK-3), this table should help you format the grade number designation appropriately. The column labeled "Format for class. no." lists the single grade format first, then provides the cluster format or formats that include that single grade level.

Fiction will be classified one of two ways:

1. If the fiction title is dealing with a distinct topic, such as astronomy or counting, classify the work in the appropriate subject area: astronomy 520 or counting 513.211
2. If the fiction title represents literature works (Dickens, Twain, etc.) or does not reflect a primary topic, they would be classified in the 800-899 (Literature) range of DDC.

Biographies will be classified in one of three ways:

1. Collective biographies (biographies about multiple persons not associated with a single discipline) would be classified in the 920s.
2. Collective biographies about persons in a specific discipline would be classified in the subject area number range. For example, a biographical dictionary of geographers would be classified at 910.92 while a biographical dictionary of philosophers would be classified as 100.92.
3. Individual biographies would be classified with the subject disciplines he/she is primarily associated with. For example, a biography of a physicist would be classified as 540.92 (Physics, Biography) then the cutter number would be devised for the last name of the person the biography is about including a work mark for the author of the biography. Thus a biography of Marie Curie written by Smith for grades K-4 would be classified:
       Curr Cen
       540.92 -- Physics (540), biography (.92)
       C925s -- Curie (C925), Smith (s)
       Gr.K-4 -- For grades K-4
   

Description

Contents notes

For curriculum materials and juvenile nonfiction, we will include a contents note. Contents notes can be added in one of two ways:

1. MARC tag 505 for formatted contents notes. The first indicator for this can vary, depending the type of contents note added: "0" full contents note or "2" for partial contents (selected highlights from the contents). This note is generally added in the OCLC record prior to exporting to ZipLINK. The text of the note is formatted according to AACR2 rules using ISBD punctuation to separate the elements.
2. MARC tag 970 TOC data. This repeatable tag is added in ZipLINK (not OCLC). Please see http://www.ohiolink.edu/ostaff/it/TOCprocedures.pdf for the complete OhioLINK 970 specification. The advantage of using the 970 is that you can easily index titles and authors directly from the contents field, plus you can format the contents note to closely resemble the original table of contents in the materials themselves as you indicate the hierarchy for each section.

Summary statements

A summary statement or abstract will be added to all curriculum center records using the MARC tag 520. For juvenile materials, a brief statement of the content of the item is sufficient. For "curriculum" materials such as activity books, resource guides, textbooks, teacher guides, kits, professional development materials, etc., it is critical to include more complete information in the summary note. Elements which should be included in the summary include:

1. The first sentence should include the type of instructional resource, the grade level or audience for the materials, and a brief description or overview of the content of the resource: Examples:
   
   • "This curriculum kit developed for grades 2 through 6 contains a series of lesson plans and activities designed to develop students' understanding of buoyancy."
   • "This curriculum framework developed for middle school teachers presents the goals, objectives, and benchmarks for teaching physical and earth sciences in grades 6-8."
   • "This software package designed for parents and home use is an illustrated reference to the physical characteristics and behaviors of mammals.".
2. The educational philosophy of the material/program. Sometimes the resource will suggest a particular approach or instructional methods. If your resource is part of a series, then this is a good place to describe the overall approach of the series. Examples: "Each kit in the series uses an activity based approach to help students learn about science content and processes." or "Each video features LeVar Burton, who presents the book and takes students on video fieldtrips, which relate the story to the real world."
3. A more specific description of this item. Examples: "This kit offers sixteen activities in which students learn about… ", or "This unit begins with an introductory activity to assess students' prior knowledge of … Subsequent lessons cover… "
4. Any unique features that distinguish this resource from all the rest. For example, the resource may contain actual tests or suggest alternative assessments; reproducible worksheets; animations or other illustrations; etc. Examples: "Notes in the margin highlight key points and potential topics for student journals.", "A note to parents provides suggestions for helping students comprehend the text.", "The teacher's guide provides background information, lists of materials required, and reproducible student worksheets.", or "Answers to all problems are included."

Target Audience

Using MARC tag 521 (Target Audience), we can provide information about any specific audience for these materials. The types of "audience" that we are most concerned with are grade levels or special audience characteristics. For grade level, we will use the first indicator "blank" and format the note as follows:

• 521     For grades 9-12
• 521     For ages 4-9.
• 521     For elementary grades students.

For special audience characteristics, we will use the first indicator "3" (Special audience characteristics) and format the note as follows:

• 521 3   For preservice teachers.
• 521 3   For teacher educators or professional development staff.
• 521 3   For vision-impaired.

Local subject headings (MARC 690)

Under development

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