Summary: A breakdown of various 5XX note fields and their uses.

500 General note

The 500 is useful for recording various kinds of general information about the resource being described. It should only be employed for information that cannot be recorded in a more specialized note field like the ones listed below. Frequent uses for the 500 include indicating the source of the recorded title (Title from cover.), quoting information found on the resource that might be of interest to patrons ("The first printing of this almost-forgotten work since 1890!"–Back cover.), describing the special nature or features of a resource (Includes finger puppets representing characters in the story, to be used while reading aloud.), and so forth.

The 500 should be used only for information that universally applies to the resource (at the manifestation or expression level). Local or item-specific information should be recorded in the 590 field or one of the other specialized note fields listed below.

505 Contents

The 505 is usually used for table of contents information, and also for distinctive titles/subtitles of volumes in multi-volume sets. Multiple 505 fields can be used in cases where catalogers feel a single 505 is getting too lengthy.

Information in a 505 field should be kept in copy records regardless of whether MSU owns the volume to which the information applies. Enhanced contents fields are also kept in copy; however, enhanced 505s are generally unnecessary in original cataloging unless the cataloger feels that having chapter or unit titles in the title index will be of particular use to patrons.

525 Supplement info

The 525 contains information about accompanying print supplements, and is typically used in serials cataloging. At MSU, it is also employed on occasion in monographic records for specific types of legal works accompanied by supplements.

533 Reproduction info

The 533 field is used to record reproduction information, and has historically been employed in records for digital versions of theses, microfilmed versions of print works, etc. MSU catalogers should use this note field in provider-neutral records for photocopy or print-on-demand reproductions.

Examples:

539 Coded reproduction info (do not use)

The 539 field is an OCLC-specific field sometimes present in bib records for reproductions, and uses codes to represent textual info contained in the 533 field. Do not use this MARC field when cataloging reproductions.

541 Acquisition & gift info

The 541 is a structured note used for gift, donor, and other special acquisition information. After keyword searching of this note was enabled in 2018, MSU Libraries is beginning to employ this instead of the 590, which was historically used for the same purpose.

Examples:

541 __ $c Gift; $a Anonymous; $d 2018. $5 MiEM
541 __ $c Gift; $a Office of the Provost; $d 2019. $5 MiEM
541 __ $c Purchased with funds from The Autumn Faulkner Cataloging Endowment. $5 MiEM
541 __ $3 Copy 2 $c Gift; $a Joshua Barton. $5 MiEM

546 Language/script/notation of resource

While language of resource is encoded elsewhere in the MARC record, this textual note makes that information more clear in the public record.

561 Provenance – former owners, etc.

more info coming

563 Binding info

The 563 is a structured note for indicating features of the resource's binding, and is primarily used in rare books cataloging.

590 Local notes

The 590 is used for local item-specific info that cannot be accommodated by other specialized 5XX fields, like the presence of marginalia, missing pages, and many other miscellaneous descriptions.

Through 2019, 590 fields have been used in bibliographic records for local information, such as signed copies and donor information. As of 2019, practice is transitioning to the use of 541 fields for donor/gift information, and the 561 for some types of inscription and autograph information.

MSU 590 fields will begin with MSU:
Law Library 590 fields will begin with MSU Law Lib.:
Library of Michigan 590 fields will begin with LM:

Policies

When 5XX notes are used for any kind of local or copy-specific information, catalogers should not add these notes to the OCLC master record, and should ensure that all proper coding for local information is observed (i.e., $5 MiEM codes, etc.).

Contact	Autumn Faulkner
Team	CMS
Updated	March 2019
Created	March 2018

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