MARC formats

At the moment in Finnish libraries there are two different MARC formats in use: FINMARC and MARC 21. University and polytechnic libraries use Voyager system + MARC21. Most of public libraries use Finnish library systems + FINMARC but there are also Millennium + MARC 21 users among them.

Various conversions are needed in co-operation between libraries nationally and internationally. A conversion tool called USEMARCON is in use and a lot of development work on that has been and is done at the National Library of Finland.
The graphic user interface USEMARCON GUI is also developed here. Both programs and conversion tables used in Finland are available via the Finnish USEMARCON page.

Voyager libraries have moved to MARC 21 in year 2008. After that the plan is that all FINMARC users will also gradually move into MARC 21. The National Library of Finland is coordinating the conversions, trainings and directions.

For more information, contact

The National Library of Finland, Library Network Services
Ulla Ikäheimo
e-mail: marc-posti(at)helsinki.fi
tel. +358 9 191 44603
P.O.Box 26, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki