Introducing MARC Tag Talk!
Periodically, we will choose a MARC tag and chat about it!
Our debut tag is Festschrift! Festschrift is found in the 008/30 fixed fields when cataloging books. Depending on the type of cataloging one normally does, it may be a rare field, but entering that little "1" in the 008/30 field is exciting when it actually comes along!
What is it?
Festschrift comes from the German words Fest (celebration) and Schrift (writing). When a title is a collection of essays or writings that honor or celebrate a person, it is considered a festschrift and a "1" would be entered into the 008/30.
Just because a title contains a person's name and the words "essays" or "celebration" does not make the piece a festschrift though. Festschrift is reserved for when the compilation is a memorial or celebratory collection of essays or other contributions. Some hints that the piece is a festschrift is if the title uses phrases such as "essays in honor of..." "papers in memory of..." "materials commemorating..." and sometimes the word "festschrift" is even in the title.
Examples that we have cataloged:
Not festschrift
245 10$aAlfred Hitchcock's mustache & other essays /$cRoger Zotti.
245 10$aMillenial leadership in law schools :$bessays on disruption, innovation and the future /$cAshley Krenelka Chase.
Festschrift!
245 00$aReflections on international arbitration :$bessays in honour of professor George Bermann /$cedited by Julie Bédard and Patrick W. Pearsall. [JurisNet collection]
245 10$aIntellectual property and sports :$bessays in honour of P. Bernt Hugenholtz /$cby Martin Senftleben. [Kluwer IP Law collection]
Sometimes the word Festschrift is even in the title!
245 00$aRealising cultural heritage law :$bfestschrift for Patrick Joseph O'Keefe.[HeinOnline Art Antiquity and Law]
245 02$aA vision of taxes within and outside European borders :$bfestschrift in honor of Prof. Dr. Frans Vanistendael /$ceditors, Luc Hinnekens, Philippe Hinnekens. [Kluwer Law International]
Field Choices
The choices for the 008/30 are
0 - not a festschrift
1 - festschrift
| - no attempt to code field
Additional Fields
When the 008/30 is marked with a "1", a genre term may be added if your library categories genres of materials:
655 x7 $aFestschriften$2lcgft
Ask us anything and we will be happy to have one of our seasoned professionals answer to the best of our ability.
Follow our blog for updates and MARC Tag Talk starting January 2023!