marctable

marctable is a Python command line utility that converts MARC bibliographic data (in transmission format or MARCXML) into tabular formats like CSV and Parquet. It uses the Library of Congress MARC Bibliographic documentation expressed as an Avram JSON file to determine what MARC fields and subfields to include and whether they can repeat or not.

Install

$ pip install marctable

Usage

marctable provides a subcommand style interface for exporting MARC data.

CSV

CSV is a commonly used data format. It doesn't represent lists of values with columns very well though. To convert all the MARC fields to CSV:

$ marctable csv data.marc data.csv

For example, this will generate a CSV with 215 columns, one column for each MARC field. Fields that can repeat will appear as a list:

F001,F003,F005,F006,F007,F008,F010,F013,F015,F016,F017,F018,F020,F022,F023,F024,F025,F026,F027,F028,F030,F031,F032,F033,F034,F035,F036,F037,F038,F040,F041,F042,F043,F044,F045,F046,F047,F048,F050,F051,F052,F055,F060,F061,F066,F070,F071,F072,F074,F080,F082,F083,F084,F085,F086,F088,F100,F110,F111,F130,F210,F222,F240,F242,F243,F245,F246,F247,F250,F251,F254,F255,F256,F257,F258,F260,F263,F264,F270,F300,F306,F307,F310,F321,F334,F335,F336,F337,F338,F340,F341,F342,F343,F344,F345,F346,F347,F348,F351,F352,F353,F355,F357,F361,F362,F363,F365,F366,F370,F377,F380,F381,F382,F383,F384,F385,F386,F387,F388,F490,F500,F501,F502,F504,F505,F506,F507,F508,F510,F511,F513,F514,F515,F516,F518,F520,F521,F522,F524,F525,F526,F530,F532,F533,F534,F535,F536,F538,F540,F541,F542,F544,F545,F546,F547,F550,F552,F555,F556,F561,F562,F563,F565,F567,F580,F581,F583,F584,F585,F586,F588,F600,F610,F611,F630,F647,F648,F650,F651,F653,F654,F655,F656,F657,F658,F662,F688,F700,F710,F711,F720,F730,F740,F751,F752,F753,F754,F758,F788,F800,F810,F811,F830,F850,F852,F856,F857,F880,F881,F882,F883,F884,F885,F886,F887
00021631 ,DLC,20030624102241.0,,['co |||||||||||'],000110s2000    ohu    f   m        eng  ,   00021631 ,,,,,,['1571170383'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,DLC DLC,,,,,,,,,['TA165'],,,,,,,,,,,,['620.1 13'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Leak testing CD-ROM [computer file] / technical editors, Charles N. Jackson, Jr., Charles N. Sherlock ; editor, Patrick O. Moore.",,,,,,,Computer data and program.,,,"['Columbus, Ohio : American Society for Nondestructive Testing, c2000.']",,,,['1 computer optical disc ; 4 3/4 in.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Nondestructive testing handbook. Third edition ; v. 1'],['Title from disc label.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Theory and application of nondestructive tests for characterization and inspection of industrial materials and components.'],"['Quality control engineers, inspectors.']",,,,,,,,,,,"['System requirements for Windows: i486 or Pentium processor-based PC; 8MB RAM on Windows 95 or 98 (16MB recommended); 16MB RAM on Windows NT (24MB recommended); Microsoft Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0 with Service Pack 3 or later; CD-ROM drive.', 'System requirements for Macintosh: Apple Power Macintosh ; 4.5MB RAM available to Acrobat Reader (6.5 recommended); Apple System Software 7.1.2 or later; 8MB available hard disk space; CD-ROM drive.']",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"['Leak detectors.', 'Gas leakage.']",,,,,,,,,,"['Jackson, Charles N.', 'Sherlock, Charles N.', 'Moore, Patrick O.']",['American Society for Nondestructive Testing.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Nondestructive testing handbook (3rd ed. : Electronic resource) ; v. 1.'],,,,,,,,,,,,
00022451 ,DLC,20101012120708.0,,['co||||'],000114s2000    miu    f   m        eng  ,   00022451 ,,,,,,['0472002759'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,DLC DLC DLC,,,,,,,,,['PR2015'],,,,,,,,,,,,['821 13'],,,,,,"Langland, William, 1330?-1400?",,,,,,,,,"The Piers Plowman electronic archive. Vol. 1, Corpus Christi College, Oxford MS 201 (F) [computer file] / William Langland ; edited by Robert Adams ... [et al.] ; associate editors, M. Gail Duggan and Catherine A Farley.",,,,,,,Computer data and program.,,,"['Ann Arbor : University of Michigan Press, c2000.']",,,,['1 computer optical disc ; 4 3/4 in.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Title from disc label.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Early scribal version of the alpha family of B text of Piers Plowman. Includes sixteen passus and contains about 170 lines not shared with the majority of other B manuscripts. Features SGML and HTML versions of text and images.'],['Middle English scholars.'],,,,,,,,,,,"['System requirements for Windows: 80486 PC; 8MB RAM; Windows 3.1 (Windows 95/98/NT for SGML version); Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or Netscape 3.0; CD-ROM drive.', 'System requirements for HTML version for the Macintosh: Macintosh capable of Internet access; Netscape 3.0 or Internet Explorer 3.0; CD-ROM drive.']",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"['Langland, William, 1330?-1400? Piers Plowman Criticism, Textual.', 'Langland, William, 1330?-1400? Manuscripts.']",,,,,,"['Christian pilgrims and pilgrimages Poetry.', 'Manuscripts, English (Middle)']",,,,,,,,,,"['Adams, Robert, 1946-']",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
00022452 ,DLC,20040524123949.0,,['co||||'],000119s2000    vau        m f      eng  ,   00022452 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,DLC DLC,,,,,,,,,['TN153'],,,,,,,,,,,,['553 13'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"U.S. Geological Survey mineral databases, MRDS and MAS/MILS [computer file] / [E.J. McFaul ... et al.].",,,,,,,Computer data and program.,,,"['[Reston, Va.] : U.S. Geological Survey, 2000.']",0001,,,['2 computer optical discs ; 4 3/4 in.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Title from disc label.'],,,,['disc 1. Minerals information for North America -- disc 2. Minerals information for the world exclusive of North America.'],,,,,,,,,,,"['Contains Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS) and Minerals Availability System/Minerals Industry Location System (MAS/MILS) databases. MRDS database features almost 200 data fields describing metallic and nonmetallic mineral resource, deposits, and commodities. MAS/MILS database includes almost 100 data fields describing mines and mineral processing plants.']",['Geologists.'],,,,,,,,,,,"['System requirements: Pentium I or better; Windows 95, 98, or NT; hard drive; CD-ROM drive.']",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"['Mines and mineral resources Databases.', 'Mines and mineral resources Directories.']",,,,,,,,,,"['McFaul, E. J.']",['Geological Survey (U.S.)'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
00022453 ,DLC,20020304100307.0,,['cj||||'],000119s2000    mau    f   b        eng  ,   00022453 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,DLC DLC DLC,,,,,,,,,['TK7871.6'],,,,,,,,,,,,['621.382 13'],,,,,,"Kolundžija, Branko M.",,,,,,,,,"WIPL-D [computer file] : electromagnetic modeling of composite metallic and dielectric structures / Branko Kolundzija, Jovan S. Ognjanovic, and Tapan K. Sarkar.",,,,,,,Computer program.,,,"['Boston : Artech House, c2000.']",,,,"[""2 computer disks ; 3 1/2 in. + 1 user's manual.""]",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Title from disk label.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"['Provides analysis of metallic and/or dielectric/magnetic structures such as antennas, scatterers, and passive microwave circuits.']",['Engineers.'],,,,,,,,,,,['System requirements: IBM-compatible PC (Pentium preferred); 16MB RAM; Windows 95 or NT; 6MB hard disk space; mouse.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"['Antennas (Electronics) Software.', 'Microwave circuits Software.', 'Electromagnetic waves Software.']",,,,,,,,,,"['Ognjanovic, Jovan S.', 'Sarkar, Tapan (Tapan K.)']",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
00022454 ,DLC,20130524080406.0,,['co||||'],000204s2000    ilu    g   m        grc  ,   00022454 ,,,,,,['0252025857'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,DLC DLC DLC,['grc eng'],,['a-tu--- e-uk-en'],,,,,,['BX370'],,,,,,,,,,,,['264 13'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Theodore psalter [computer file] : electronic facsimile / edited by Charles Barber.,,,,,,,Computer data and program.,,,"['Champaign, IL : University of Illinois Press in association with the British Library, c2000.']",,,,['1 computer optical disc ; 4 3/4 in.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"['Title from jewel case.', 'Produced from the original text held in the British Library Rare Books collection.']",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"['Digital version of illuminated liturgical manuscript (BL Add. 19352) from the Byzantine Empire, known as the Theodore psalter; the digital version features full-color magnified views of all pages, searchable text in original Greek and in English translation, and scholarly essays.']",,,,,,,,,,,,"['System requirements for Macintosh: Power Macintosh; 8MB RAM; System 7.0 or higher; CD-ROM drive.', 'System requirements for PC: Pentium PC; 8MB RAM (16MB for Windows NT 4.0); Windows 95 or higher, or Windows NT 4.0 or higher; VGA graphics capability; CD-ROM drive.']",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"['Orthodox Eastern Church Liturgy Texts Illustrations.', 'British Library.']",,['Theodore psalter Illustrations.'],,,"['Psalters Illustrations.', 'Manuscripts, Greek Facsimiles.', 'Illumination of books and manuscripts, Byzantine Turkey Istanbul.']",,,,,,,,,,"['Barber, Charles, 1964-']","['University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign campus). Press.', 'British Library.', 'Orthodox Eastern Church. Psalterion. English & Greek.']",,,"['Theodore psalter.', 'Bible. Psalms. Greek.']",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
00022456 ,DLC,20000228141517.0,,['co||||'],000218s2000    ilu        m        eng  ,   00022456 ,,,,,,['1570737061'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,DLC DLC,,,['n-us---'],,,,,,['KF3775'],,,,,,,,,,,,['344.73 13'],,,,,,"Nichols, Nils, 1956-",,,,,,,,,NEPA casebook [computer file] : a digest of U.S. Supreme Court and Circuit Court cases on the National Environmental Policy Act / by Nils Nichols.,['National Environmental Policy Act casebook'],,['Version 1.0.'],,,,Computer data and program.,,,"['Chicago, IL : ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, c2000.']",0002,,,['1 computer optical disc ; 4 3/4 in.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Title from disc label.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Searchable database of all applicable case law to the National Environmental Protection Act.'],,,,,,,,,,,,['System requirements: IBM PC or Macintosh; 16MB RAM; Windows; Adobe Acrobat; CD-ROM drive.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Environmental law United States Cases.'],,,,,,,,,,,"['American Bar Association. Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources.']",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
00022457 ,DLC,20070411080441.0,,['co||||'],000218s2000    vau    f   d f      eng  ,   00022457 ,,,,,,['0607942746'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,DLC DLC,,,['n-us---'],,,,,,['QE76'],,,,,,,,,,,,['557.3 13'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Records and history of the United States Geological Survey [electronic resource] / Clifford M. Nelson, editor.",,,,,,,,,,"['[Reston, Va.] : USGS, 2000.']",,,,['1 CD-ROM ; 4 3/4 in.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Title from disc label.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"['Contains two presentations: Renee M. Jaussaud\'s inventory of the documents accessioned by the end of 1997 into Record Group 57 (Geological Survey), and Mary C. Rabbitt\'s ""The United States Geological Survey 1879-1989,"" which appeared in 1989 as USGS Circular 1050.']",['Historians.'],,,,,,,,,,,"['System requirements for Windows: 486 PC or higher; 32MB RAM; Windows 3.1 or higher; VGA or SVGA color monitor capable of displaying 256 colors; CD-ROM drive.', 'Systems requirements for Macintosh: 68020 or higher processor; 8MB RAM; Apple System Software version 7.0 or later; 13-inch color  monitor capable of displaying 256 colors; CD-ROM drive.']",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Geological Survey (U.S.) History.'],,,,,['Geological surveys United States History.'],,,,,,,,,,"['Nelson, Clifford M.', 'Jaussaud, Renée.', 'Rabbitt, Mary C. United States Geological Survey, 1879-1989.']",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
00022458 ,DLC,20070410080439.0,,['co||||'],000329s2001    pau    f   m        eng  ,   00022458 ,,,,,,['1582550719'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,DLC DLC DLC,,,,,,,,,['RT41'],,,,,,,,,,,,['610.73 13'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Nursing procedures [computer file].,['Subtitle on container: Interactive guide to better clinical skills'],,,,,,Computer data and program.,,,"['Springhouse, Pa. : Springhouse Interactive, c2001.']",,,,"[""1 computer optical disc ; 4 3/4 in. + 1 user's manual.""]",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Title from disc label.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"['Provides detailed descriptions of more than 500 nursing procedures. Each entry offers complete instructions, including the necessary equipment, preparation guidelines, implementation steps, special considerations, and documentation. Features video clips.']",,,,,,,,,,,,['System requirements: IBM-compatible PC with 133MHz processor or higher; 32MB RAM or more; Windows 95 or higher; 40MB free hard-disk space; SVGA display (256 colors); CD-ROM drive; mouse.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Nursing.'],,,,,,,,,,,['Springhouse Interactive (Firm)'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Publisher description http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0711/00022458-d.html'],,,,,,,,,
00022459 ,DLC,20070410080440.0,,['co||||'],000329s2001    pau    f   m        eng  ,   00022459 ,,,,,,['1582550603'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,DLC DLC DLC,,,,,,,,,['RM301'],,,,,,,,,,,,['615 13'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Nursing pharmacology made incredibly easy! [computer file].,,,,,,,Computer data and program.,,,"['[Springhouse, Pa.] : Springhouse Interactive, c2001.']",,,,"[""1 computer optical disc ; 4 3/4 in. + 1 player's manual.""]",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Title from disc label.'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"['1,000 review questions for nursing students and practicing nurses who are seeking advanced certification in nursing pharmacology.']",,,,,,,,,,,,"['System requirements for Pentium: Pentium 166 PC; 32MB RAM; Windows 95 or higher; SVGA monitor capable of displaying 800 x 600 resolution; 25MB free hard disk space; 8X CD-ROM drive; Microsoft-compatible mouse.', 'System requirements for Macintosh: Macintosh; 64MB RAM; System 8.5 or higher; SVGA monitor capable of displaying 800 x 600 resolution; 25MB free hard disk space; 8X CD-ROM drive; mouse.']",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"['Pharmacology.', 'Nursing.']",,,,,,,,,,,['Springhouse Interactive (Firm)'],,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,['Publisher description http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0711/00022459-d.html'],,,,,,,,,

If you only want specific field and subfields you can pass in one or more rules. This will extract the 245 subfield a, the 650 subfields a and v, and the entirety of the 500 fields, all as separate columns:

$ marctable csv --rule 245a --rule 650av --rule 500 data.marc data.csv 

F245a,F650a,F650v,F500
Leak testing CD-ROM,Gas leakage.,,['Title from disc label.']
The Piers Plowman electronic archive.,"Manuscripts, English (Middle)",['Poetry.'],['Title from disc label.']
"U.S. Geological Survey mineral databases, MRDS and MAS/MILS",Mines and mineral resources,"['Databases.', 'Directories.']",['Title from disc label.']
WIPL-D,Electromagnetic waves,"['Software.', 'Software.', 'Software.']",['Title from disk label.']
Theodore psalter,"Illumination of books and manuscripts, Byzantine","['Illustrations.', 'Facsimiles.']","['Title from jewel case.', 'Produced from the original text held in the British Library Rare Books collection.']"
NEPA casebook,Environmental law,['Cases.'],['Title from disc label.']
Records and history of the United States Geological Survey,Geological surveys,,['Title from disc label.']
Nursing procedures,Nursing.,,['Title from disc label.']
Nursing pharmacology made incredibly easy!,Nursing.,,['Title from disc label.']

Parquet

You can also write the data as a Parquet file, which has advantages in that it can represent lists of elements in columns for repeatable fields and subfields, and it works in data analysis environments.

$ marctable parquet data.marc data.parquet

or with rules:

$ marctable parquet --rules 245a --rule 650a data.marc data.parquet

JSONL

And you can write the table as JSON Lines (JSONL), where each line is a distinct JSON object.

$ marctable jsonl data.marc data.jsonl

Regenerate Avram Schema

You can also regenerate the Avram JSON file from the Library of Congress website:

$ marctable avram