MLA CMC CSS Business Meeting, March 15, 2021
Edited: March 22, 2021
Use field 348 in authority records only when format of notated music is used in an authorized access point as an other distinguishing characteristic of expression of a musical work (RDA 6.18). The original RDA instructions mandate the inclusion of format of notated music as an other distinguishing characteristic only for vocal scores and chorus scores (see RDA 6.18.1.6; see also LC-PCC PS for RDA 6.28.3 for access points). Other formats are not explicitly disallowed but have not historically been commonly used. In current music cataloging practice it is rare to create authority records for specific expressions of musical works, but PCC catalogers may choose to do so. Prefer a term from a controlled vocabulary if available.
Do not use field 348 in records for musical works. Do not use field 348 in records for expressions consisting of performed music, even if the performance is known to be based on a particular format of notated music.
Note that the current MLA Best Practices for RDA 6.18 recommends recording other distinguishing characteristics in field 381 if given as a component of an access point. This recommendation predates the availability of field 348 and cannot be updated due to the freeze of the original RDA Toolkit. Until updated MLA Best Practices are available in the new Toolkit and authorized for use in LC-PCC cataloging, prefer field 348 over 381 for format of notated music.