MARC stands for which phrase?

MARC stands for which phrase?

• A. MAchine-Readable Cataloging
• B. Metadata And Resource Cataloging
• C. Machine-Accessible Cataloging
• D. Master Archive and Cataloging

Answer: (A)

Machine-Readable Cataloging is the standard expansion of MARC. In libraries, MARC records encode bibliographic information in a consistent, machine-readable format so computer systems can read, store, and exchange catalog data seamlessly. The phrase emphasizes two ideas: cataloging—the structured description of a library item, and machine-readable—the data are encoded for software to process automatically. This setup is what allows libraries to share records and automate cataloging tasks across different systems. The other proposed phrases don’t match the established library terminology, so they aren’t used to describe MARC.

Machine-Readable Cataloging is the standard expansion of MARC. In libraries, MARC records encode bibliographic information in a consistent, machine-readable format so computer systems can read, store, and exchange catalog data seamlessly. The phrase emphasizes two ideas: cataloging—the structured description of a library item, and machine-readable—the data are encoded for software to process automatically. This setup is what allows libraries to share records and automate cataloging tasks across different systems. The other proposed phrases don’t match the established library terminology, so they aren’t used to describe MARC.