I’m working on a handful of projects about the history of MARC, and one of the things that would be really useful to me is a good, concise history of the family of MARC formats. I haven’t been able to find quite what I’m looking for, so I decided to make it!
The timeline below is my first, very imperfect attempt at mapping out the big markers in the history of MARC. A couple of caveats: it is very much the result of my interests and my knowledge (other people would likely highlight other milestones); it is very US-centric (given my familiarity with and interest in MARC21 and USMARC); it is incomplete (I know it is missing things, and hopefully I will add to it over time). I also don’t love this timeline format, but I decided to use this simple but unlovely WordPress plugin until I find something better.
I’d love feedback, suggestions, criticism, etc. Tell me what I’ve forgotten, point me to other sources, correct me on things I got wrong! But in the meantime, please enjoy the history of our goofy but lovable data format.
Color code: blue is general policy and history; green is bibliographic format; red is all other formats; yellow is format integration.
CLR report on automation at Library of Congress
1963
MARC Pilot Project (MARC I)
1965-1968
MARC II introduced at ALA
1967-07
LC releases specification for MARC II
1967-08
MARC II operational
1969-03
Serials and maps formats released
1970
Film format released
1971
Original manuscript and music formats released
1973
MARBI takes on role of MARC Advisory Committee
1973
MARC Authorities Format published
1976
Review based on publication of AACR2
1978-1979
Bibliographic formats published together as MARC Format for Bibliographic Data (MFBD)
Each field had “validity designators” for different forms of material.
1980
The USMARC Principles: The Underlying Principles published
1982
Format integration broadly undertaken
1983-1988
USMARC Format for Holdings Data published
First edition
1984
Format Integration guiding principles published at MARBI Midwinter meeting
1984
New edition of Authorities format published
1987
Discussion Paper 16: Format Integration Considerations released and discussed
1987 (Spring/Summer)
Proposal 88-1 (Format Integration) voted on and approved, with amendments, by USMARC Advisory Committee and later by LC
1988 (Late Summer)
USMARC Format for Bibliographic Data published, incorporating format integration changes
1988
New version of USMARC Format for Holdings Data published
1989
Provisional format for community information approved by MARC Advisory Committee
1992
New edition of USMARC Format for Authority Data published
1993
USMARC Format for Community Information published (first edition)
1993
New edition of USMARC Format for Bibliographic Data published
1994
USMARC and CAN/MARC communities work on integration
1994-1997
Update No. 2 to 1994 edition of authority format published, bringing USMARC and CAN/MARC into alignment
1997-03
Update No. 3 to 1994 edition bibliographic format published, bringing USMARC and CAN/MARC into alignment
1997-07
MARC 21 Format for Authority Data published
1999
MARC 21 Lite Bibliographic Format published
1999-02
MARC 21 Formats for Authority Data, Holdings Data, and Community Information published
2000
MARC 21 XML released
2002-05
British Library adopts MARC 21 to replace UKMARC
2004-06
New edition of MARC 21 LITE Bibliographic Format published
2006
RDA/MARC Working Group formed
2008
Sources
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