Home → Cataloging Bibliographic Records → Cataloging Standards and Policies → Cataloging Etiquette

3.3. Cataloging Etiquette

Last Updated 01/30/2026

Recommended Cataloging Etiquette

On This Page

Bibliographic catalogers should follow some standard guidelines to ensure the shared catalog stays consistent.

Joining a consortium of libraries affects how catalogers accomplish their job. As a Cataloger, you are no longer creating records for your own library; you are creating records for all libraries within the consortium as everyone shares the same MARC (title) record. For example, what is entered into the 245 tag is displayed to all patrons across all libraries who use an NC Cardinal library. NC Cardinal recommends the following cataloging etiquette:

Bibliographic Catalogers

Do:

• Refer to this guide for cataloging best practices and procedures.
• When choosing a record, assess for quality, no matter the source.
• Use the MARC Record Templates to evaluate catalog records or create original records - ensure that records follow RDA rules as indicated.
• Add information to an existing record if it is incomplete or brief. This includes on-order records. When a library system receives and catalogs a physical copy of an on order item that is ready to circulate, it is their responsibility to update that item's brief bibliographic record to a full record that conforms to NC Cardinal cataloging best practices. This is referred to as the "First Cataloger Rule."
• Correct typographical errors or misspellings when you see them (if they do not appear on the resource being described).
• Follow RDA rules as indicated in the NC Cardinal MARC Templates.
• Delete bib records that are empty, were created more than 4 months ago, have no items attached, and are not electronic resource records (do not have 856 fields).
• Follow the Editing and Deleting Items and Volumes procedures – do not delete items with open transactions.
• When copying and pasting text from the Internet into a MARC record (e.g. copying a plot summary from an Amazon listing and pasting it into the =520 summary field of a MARC record), select the option to "Paste as Plain Text" instead of just "Paste." If you select just "Paste," this can cause issues with the record when the Marcive Quarterly Authorities Update occurs (more information can be found here).

Do not:

• Assume that a record created by any entity is correct. Always take the time to quality-check catalog records.
• Delete OCLC numbers from a record (035 tag).
• Delete or edit the 082 tag (recommended Dewey classification number).
• Add a year or issue designation to the bibliographic record for any periodical. That information should reside at the volume or item level.
• Delete bib records UNLESS they are empty, were created more than 4 months ago, have no items attached, and are not electronic resource records (do not have 856 field(s)).

If you are unsure about a specific MARC record and what something means within the MARC record, contact the library that created the record or made the last update. The list of cataloging contacts for each library system is kept up to date in this knowledge book.