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The first item of interest to the cartographic community was Discussion Paper
106, which explored the feasibility of creating a new date code in field 008
to allow for the coding of incorrect dates.  After some discussion focusing
on how multi-date records with incorrect dates could be handled, a proposal
will be brought forward at annual.
 
MARBI passed Proposal 98-6, taking the option that a new character position
will be added to field 008 for maps.  The new position is will be position 29
and will be called "Form of item".  Codes for Braille and large print will be
moved from their current location to the new position and changed.  This
position will also have codes for the various microforms and regular print
reproductions.  (There is some question as to when this change will be
implemented, since LC has a moratorium on changes while awaiting the ILS.)
 
Discussion Paper 104 explored adding a new type of 007 field for tactile
materials.  After considerable discussion, some support for separate 007
fields for instances where multiple tactile methods have been used was
expressed.  That would mean that for a map with two different grades of
Braille, there would be three 007 fields: one for the map, one for
one grade of Braille, and one for the other grade.
 
Discussion Paper 107 resulted in a wide-ranging debate on the purposes and
effects of adding 856 fields to authority records.  The discussion
of adding URLs to authority records will continue on the USMARC listserv.
 
Susan Moore
Cataloging Dept.
Rod Library
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA
 
MAGERT liaison to MARBI