Our Marc records are regarded as the UK's highest quality, most comprehensive records available for foreign-language titles :-)

All The Formats Available

Our UKMarc utility was developed in 2005 with assistance from Bradford Central Library.

Our Marc21 utility was introduced in 2007 with assistance from Leicestershire Libraries.

Our Marc21rda utility was introduced in 2013 to support the changes from AACR2 to RDA. A consultative exercise with BDS, our Libraries and the key LMS vendors, ensuring a smooth transition to the new standards.

Our Marc XML utility was launched in 2016 to support our Academic and International libraries.

Quality, Value and Flexibility

Books Asia is the only foreign-languages supplier to create in-house Marc records. We have invested in technology, and built our expertise by working with BDS and many Cataloguers across the UK and beyond.

Our Marc records are always supplied free of charge.

Customised Tags for your library are developed free of charge (almost all libraries request Customised / Legacy Tags);

Our records can be sent to you by email, or uploaded to BDS, or deposited on the Books Asia FTP Server.

Our Standard Tags

Books Asia's records are always created 'book-in-hand'. They are specific to each title, and contain a comprehensive set of 30+ Tags, plus any additional (eg 9XX) Tags specified by your library.

Our Marc records have gained a reputation for being comprehensive, great value (free!) and for saving much re-keying time.

Bibliographic Data Services (BDS)

In 2011 we teamed up with BDS to make our Marc files available via the BDS Direct Data Feed . If you have a Public Library License, your BDS data-feed will stream your Marc records directly to your LMS.

For more information, please review the article in the BDS Newsletter, or contact Sarah Armitage (BDS) on 07860-324570.

We Are Ready for RDA

RDA is the new cataloguing standard that will replace Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 2nd edition (AACR2).

Designed for the digital world and an expanding universe of metadata users, RDA: Resource Description and Access is the new, unified cataloging standard. RDA provides a comprehensive set of guidelines and instructions covering all types of content and media.

The changes affect our Marc records in the following manner:

Very few abbreviations used (eg in TAG 300, '200p ill col' would be replaced by '200 pages, illustrations, colour'').

No more Latin abbreviations (eg in TAG 260, 's.n.' would be replaced by 'publisher not identified').

Leader (position 18) uses 'i' to denote RDA rather than 'a' for AACR.

TAG 040 $e used to specify RDA.

TAG 100 $e now used to include standardised Relators (eg author, translator, editor etc).

GMDs (General Material Designation) in TAG 245 $h replaced by TAGS 336, 337 and 338.

TAG 260 replaced by TAG 264.

RDA moves libraries forward into the digital age by providing instructions for cataloguing digital as well as traditional resources. It builds on the strengths of AACR2, focuses on the needs of users to easily find, identify, select, and obtain the materials they need.