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Home → Cataloging Bibliographic Records → Editing MARC Records → Fixed Fields

6.5. Fixed Fields

Last Updated 02/04/2026


MARC Fixed Field Editor

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Evergreen relies on Fixed Field data for search filters and icons displayed in the OPAC.  The Enhanced MARC Editor assists catalogers with encoding these fields accurately by providing suggested values using drop-down menus.

The MARC Fixed Field Editor provides suggested values for select fixed fields based on the record type being edited. Users can right-click on the value control for a fixed field and choose the appropriate value from the menu options. The Type (Type), Audience (Audn), Form (Form), Language (Lang), Literary form (LitF) and the first Date (Date1) fixed field elements are all tied into the Evergreen searching process so are especially important.

The Evergreen database contains information from the Library of Congress’s MARC 21 format standards that includes possible values for select fixed fields. The right-click context menu options are available for fixed fields whose values are already stored in the database. For the fixed fields that do not already contain possible values in the database, the user will see the basic clipboard operation options (such as cut, copy, paste, etc.).

To Access the MARC Fixed Field Editor Right-Click Context Menu Options:

  1. Within the bibliographic record that needs to be edited, select Actions for this Record.
  2. Click MARC Edit.
  3. Make sure that the Flat-Text Editor checkbox is not selected and that you are not using the Flat-Text Editor interface.
  4. Right-click on the value control for the fixed field that needs to be edited.
  5. Select the appropriate value for the fixed field from the menu options.
  6. Continue editing the MARC record, as needed. Once you are finished editing the record, click Save Record.

Changing the values in the fixed fields will also update the appropriate position in the Leader or 008 Field and other applicable fields (such as the 006 Field).

MARC Editor users retain the option of leaving the fixed field value blank or entering special values (such as # or | ).

Note: Case matters. Codes in the fixed fields must be lowercase to function properly. For example, if the code in the DtSt field of the bib record is capitalized, the code isn't recognized and the year doesn't display correctly.

Knowledge Tags
MARC  /  MARC records  /  fixed fields  / 

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