During the transition period of Pinyin conversion from Oct. 1, 2000 to Oct. 1, 2001, we need to take precautions when we do cataloging with romanized Chinese characters by following the guidelines below:

1. Field 987 is the newly added MARC21 data element for the Pinyin conversion project. It is used to mark the Pinyin bibiliographic records. Please do not delete it when you come across field 987 in the bibliographic records.
   
   
   If we transcribe Chinese characters from the piece in hand and romanize the characters in Pinyin, add 987 field.
   
   Example: 987 $aPINYIN$bNNU$dc ["c" is used for record fully romanized by cataloger input or conversion.]
   
   If the only Pinyin in the record is in headings from the name or subject authority file, do not add a 987.
   
   
2. Catalogers should never use a converted Pinyin heading on an unconverted Wade-Giles bibliographic record, except for the conventional Chinese place names that have already been changed to their current forms. If you use a Pinyin heading on an unconverted Wade-Giles record, there is a chance that the conversion program will convert it into an incorrect form. Therefore, if you are unsure of any titles which contain or should contain romanized Chinese in the bibliographic record, send to Shan An for her attention. This includes copy cataloging, maintenance, etc.
   
   
3. Searches for all romanized Chinese titles and headings should be conducted both in Wade-Giles and Pinyin during this transition period of time (Oct. 1, 2000 to Oct. 1, 2001).
   
   
4. Use Pinyin for all original cataloging of Chinese materials and add the 987 Pinyin bibliographic marker field.
   
   
5. For the original cataloging of Western language materials, Japanese and Korean materials that should contain romanized Chinese headings or parallel titles, etc., use Pinyin for the romanization of the Chinese headings, titles or texts. Add field 987 if there is text in Chinese other than headings, with an 041 value "chi", e.g., parallel titles, notes, etc.
   
   

For the copy cataloging of the above type of materials, when a record is found with Wade-Giles headings or parallel titles, etc., with an 041 value "chi", do not change anything. RLG will process this type of record through another conversion program after Oct. 1, 2001.

The WLN processing of authority records should convert Wade-Giles headings to Pinyin forms. You do not need to adjust Chinese headings on copy until the WLN processing has been completed.

Oct. 2000 (text by Shan An, revised for manual 8 Nov. 2000 by Francie Mrkich)