Home → Cataloging Bibliographic Records → Editing MARC Records → Using the MARC Editor
6.1. Using the MARC Editor
Last Updated 02/27/2026
The Evergreen Enhanced MARC Editor
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Catalogers can edit MARC bibliographic records in Evergreen using either the Enhanced MARC Editor or the Flat Text Editor, accessed via the MARC Edit tab in the Record Summary screen. The Enhanced MARC Editor features function buttons for adding, deleting, moving, and copying fields and subfields. Key functionalities include keyboard shortcuts, buttons for undoing and redoing changes, stacking subfields, validating linked fields, and inserting special characters. A Help button provides access to keyboard shortcuts and tag assistance.
When making changes to a single bibliographic record, catalogers can edit the MARC directly in Evergreen. There are two editors available:
- Enhanced MARC Editor
- Flat Text Editor
Both can be accessed from the MARC Edit tab in the Record Summary screen:
Function Buttons in the Enhanced MARC Editor
Each row in the Enhanced MARC Editor includes various buttons for different functions:
- Delete Subfield: This “x” appears next to each subfield. It will delete whichever subfield is located to the left of the button.
- Add Subfield: This button appears when you hover over a row. Clicking on it will add a blank subfield for that field.
- Move Field: This button will allow you to drag the field above or below its current location.
- Copy Field: This will duplicate the field.
- Add Field: Add a new (default to 999) field below.
- Delete Field: This “x” appears at the end of each field (row). It will delete the row that the “x” is located in.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Function |
|---|---|
| CTRL + Z | Undo your last edit. |
| CTRL + Y | Redo an action that was undone. |
| CTRL + Enter | Add a new row below the line with the cursor. |
| CTRL + Shift + Enter | Insert a new row above the line with the cursor |
| CTRL + Up | Insert a duplicate of the line with the cursor above that line. |
| CTRL + Down | Insert a duplicate of the line with the cursor below that line. |
| CTRL + D or CTRL + I | Insert a subfield delimiter. |
| Left or Right Arrow (when grouped) | Move from the grouped subfield code and field to just the field. |
| CTRL + Delete | Delete the entire row. |
| SHIFT + Del | Delete the subfield delimiter and any contents in that subfield. |
| CTRL + SHIFT + Down | Open Suggestions. |
| CTRL + SHIFT + Up | Close Suggestions. |
| SHIFT + F6 | Insert a new 006 entry. |
| SHIFT + F7 | Insert a new 007 entry. |
| SHIFT + F8 | Insert a new 008 entry. |
Top Level Buttons
Along the top of the grid are several buttons with helpful functions:
- Add
- Undo
- Redo
- Stack Subfields
- Validate
- Special Characters
- Help
Add...
Clicking on the Add... function will open a drop-down menu with specific options.
- Add any row
- Add a 008 if it's missing, or replace the existing 008
- Add a 007 if it's missing, or replace the existing 007
- Add a 006 if it's missing, or replace the existing 006
Undo and Redo
While the keyboard shortcuts, Ctrl + Z and Ctrl + Y work to undo and redo changes in the MARC Editor, there are also buttons that keep track of your changes.
The numbers next to each button will adjust depending on how many changes are made in the MARC record.
Stack Subfields
Change the view of the record from a single row for all subfields of a tag:
To a view where each subfield is on its own row underneath the tag:
Validate
This tool allows you to check linked fields for any that don't have a matching authority record. You can find more information on this tool and how to use it in the context of authority records in the Linking Authority Records Workflow page.
Special Characters
To include accents and non-Latin characters in your record:
- Click the Special Characters button.
- A modal containing three tabs of special characters will open. Select the tab you need.
- Locate the character you want to use and click on it. The character will be copied to your computer's clipboard.
- Find the field where you want to insert the character. Hit CTRL+v to paste the character.
Help
The Help button in the Enhanced MARC Editor opens a list of keyboard shortcuts that can be used while editing the MARC record. It also opens “tag assistance” for various fields in the MARC record. Clicking Help again will close the list and assistance information.