Contact: Laura Daniels / Joanna Cerro


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Note: In the following chart, "^" represents a blank space.





NameSymbolDescriptionExamples
Angle Brackets^<>^Enclose a note which pertains to a specific statement^ < Printout of file on disk > ^
Colon:Separates different levels of enumeration or chronologyv.1:pt.2 (1987:spring)
Comma,Indicates a gap in serial runv.1-4,7-9 (1963:Jan.-Aug.,Oct.-Dec.)
Equals Sign=Separates main enumeration or chronology from alternative schemesv.2:no.5=no.11
Hyphen-Indicates an unbroken run of holdings. No MARC holdings record created or modified after April 1 1988 should be open-ended (i.e., end in a hyphen).v.6-9 (1980-1987)
Parentheses^( )^Enclose chronology when there is enumeration and chronologyv.6-9 (1980-1987) but: 1985:no.3
Quotation Marks^ " " ^Enclose the name of a unit of accompanying material or an unnumbered piece of a multipart item"User's guide"
Semicolon;^Separates holdings statements within a field. Before conversion to MARC holdings, a semi-colon also marked the end of a Volume holdings line. Semicolons are no longer necessary at the end of holdings fieldsmonograph: v.1; v.3

serial: 1943-1946; v.5-8 (1947-1950)

Semicolon;Indicates a non-gap break in a serial runv.1.;3 (1965;1967)
Slash/Expresses combined enumeration or chronologyv.3/4 (1927/1928)
Square Brackets^[ ]^Enclose supplied information19932 [i.e. 1932]