856 Electronic Location and Access

Field definition and scope:

Field 856 contains the information needed to locate and access an electronic resource. The field may be used in a bibliographic record for a resource when that resource or a subset of it is available electronically. In addition, it may be used to locate and access an electronic version of a non-electronic resource described in the bibliographic record or a related electronic resource.

Field 856 is repeated when the location data elements vary (the URL in subfield $u or subfields $a and $d, when used). It is also repeated when more than one access method is used, different portions of the item are available electronically, mirror sites are recorded, different formats/resolutions with different URLs are indicated, and related items are recorded.

The National level record requirement for this field is Optional.

Field 856 is repeatable.

See also: Guidelines for the Use of Field 856 or check online at: www.loc.gov/marc/856guide.html.

Guidelines for applying content designators:

For indicator and subfield code definitions and examples, National-level (NLR) and Minimal-level (MLR) record requirements, and designator repeatability, see table below:

Position	Description	NLR	MLR	Repeatability
Field 856	Electronic Location and Access	O	O	R
Indicator:
First	Access method	M
#	No information provided	A
0	Email	A
1	FTP	A
2	Remote login (Telnet)	A
3	Dial-up	A
4	HTTP	A
7	Method specified in subfield $2	A

Second	Relationship	M
#	No information provided	A
0	Resource	A
1	Version of resource	A
2	Related resource	A
8	No display constant generated	A

Subfield code:
$a	Host name	A	O	R
$c	Compression information	A	O	R
$d	Path	A	O	R
$f	Electronic name	A	O	R
$m	Contact for access assistance	O	O	R
$o	Operating system	A	O	NR
$p	Port	A	O	NR
$q	Electronic format type	A	O	NR
$s	File size	O	O	R
$u	Uniform Resource Identifier	A	O	R
$v	Hours access method available	A	O	R
$w	Record control number	O	O	R
$x	Nonpublic note	O	O	R
$y	Link text	O	O	R
$z	Public note	O	O	R
$2	Access method	A	O	NR
$3	Materials specified	A	O	NR
$6	Linkage	A	O	NR
$7	Access status			NR
$8	Field link and sequence number	O	O	R

See: Examples for this field.

Full record examples for this field.

Input conventions:

Embedded Holdings Information

Display constants

Spacing underscore and tilde in URLs

Content designator history:

Subfield $b - Access number [obsolete, 2020]

Subfield $g - Electronic name -- End of range [redefined, 1997]

Subfield $g - Uniform Resource Name [obsolete]: Prior to 1997, subfield $g was defined as Electronic name -- End of range. Because it was rarely if ever used, it was redefined as Uniform Resource Name. It was made obsolete in 2000 in favor of recording the URN in subfield $u.

Subfield $h - Processor of request [obsolete, 2020]

Subfield $i - Instruction [obsolete, 2020]

Subfield $j - Bits per second [obsolete, 2020]

Subfield $k - Password [obsolete, 2020]

Subfield $l - Logon [obsolete, 2020]

Subfield $n - Name of location of host [obsolete, 2020]

Subfield $q - Electronic format type [redefined]: Prior to 1997, subfield $q was defined as File transfer mode to contain an indication of whether the file was transferred as binary or ASCII. It was redefined to contain type of electronic format.

Subfield $r - Settings [obsolete, 2020]

Subfield $t - Terminal emulation [obsolete, 2020]

Subfield $u - Uniform Resource Locator [repeatability changed]: Prior to 1999, subfield $u was defined as repeatable. It was changed to non-repeatable in favor of repeating the field due to ambiguity in determining when the subfield could be repeatable.

Subfield $u - Uniform Resource Identifier [redefined and repeatability changed]: In 1999, subfield $u was renamed from Uniform Resource Locator to Uniform Resource Identifier in order to combine the function of subfields $u and $g, making subfield $g obsolete. The use of subfield $u was then redefined to include both URLs and URNs, and to change the subfield to repeatable, with stipulations.

Subfield $y - Link text [new, 2000]

Subfield $7 - Access status [new, 2019]