Master Record of Manuscript Collections

n. (MRMC, abbr.)An early computer application to assist in the production and indexing of finding aids for manuscript collections at the Library of Congress.

Citations

Hickerson 1981, p. 24 MRMC II, developed and used by the LC Manuscripts Division, is an expanded version of the MRMC system designed for administrative control. After modifying the system several times since its creation in 1967, the staff decided in 1973 that major changes were desirable. Enhancements made possible the production of catalog cards and a cumulative index to the Division's holdings, thus providing access as well as administrative control. These modifications were based on the LC MARC II format (record structure, content, and coding) and were intended to be compatible with the MARC format for manuscripts. LoC 2004b The Master Record of Manuscript Collections serves as the basic guide to the division's collections. It consists of Master Record I, a brief checklist of all collections in the division's custody, and Master Record II, a more comprehensive catalog containing summary descriptions of collections and an index to the names and key terms cited in these descriptions. Neither Master Record I nor II has been published, but copies are available in reading rooms throughout the Library. In addition, Master Record II may be accessed through the Library's online catalog which is available on-site and through the Internet.