Cataloging Policy and Procedure Manual

Descriptive Cataloging Rules - Roslyn Carney

          The Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, second edition is the current resource for any librarian.  This set of rules are used to make bibliographic descriptions on all resources in a given library or museum.  The cataloging rules are divided into two parts: Part I covers descriptive cataloging and part II covers the access (headings, uniforms, titles, and references) of the source.  Five appendices also instruct the user to use proper capitalization, abbreviations, and numerals, include a glossary, a list of any items that may have multiple languages, and finally an index is also included. 

The first step in beginning to catalog an item is for the librarian to determine what type of material will be cataloged.  According to Sheila A. Intner; the cataloger must decide what chapter is appropriate for the material.  I have listed the 12 chapters that break down all materials into specific categories.

·        Chapter 1 covers general rules of all materials
·        Chapter 2 includes books, pamphlets, and printed sheets
·        Chapter 3 includes cartographic materials
·        Chapter 4 includes manuscripts
·        Chapter 5 includes music
·        Chapter 6 includes sound recordings
·        Chapter 7 includes motion pictures and video recordings
·        Chapter 8 includes graphic materials
·        Chapter 9 includes electronic resources
·        Chapter 10 includes three-dimensional artifacts and regalia
·        Chapter 11 includes microforms
·        Chapter 12 includes continuing resources
·        Chapter 13 includes analysis of parts of larger items and materials.

 “The following decision tree can help to decide which chapters to use for an item being cataloged” (Intner, p. 28).  The cataloger needs to answer these questions to help determine how the items are to be cataloged.

1.       Is the item made up of one part?       
Yes, go to step 4.
No, go to step 2.                                                                                                     

2.      Are the parts intended to continue indefinitely?    
Yes, Use chapter 12; continue with step 4.
No, go to step 3.                                                                                                     

3.      Are the parts in the same physical format?       
Yes, go to step 4.
No, go to step 5.                                                                                                     

4.      In what physical format is the item or its parts?       
Use the relevant chapter in combination with Chapter 1.                                                                                            

5.      Is there one predominant part?
Yes, cataloging the item as that type of material and treat the rest of the parts as accompanying material.
No, Catalog the item as a multimedia / kit.  (Intner, p.28-29).

Once the cataloger defines what chapter to use, the chief source of information (the title page, the verso, the cover, the pages up to the tile page verso, the colophon) is transcribed directly from the item.   

Using the eight areas from The International Standard Bibliographic Description (ISBD) the cataloger then begins the cataloging process.  Each area is composed of multiple elements with structured classifications and punctuation.  Elements and areas that don't apply to a particular resource are omitted from the description.  Colons, semicolons, slashes, dashes, commas, and periods are used to identify and separate the elements and areas.  This will be show in detail soon . . .  
  • 1- Title and statement of responsibility area
    • The main title
      • copied exactly as it appears on the chief source of information
      • Capitalize the first word of the main title and proper nouns, but no others.
    • General material designation
      • given to non-books items
      • immediately follows the main title
      • This is placed within square brackets ex.  [video recording].
    • Subtitles
    • Statements of responsibility
      • copied exactly as they appear on the chief source of information
      • If the statement of responsibility is taken from another location, it is placed in square brackets.
  • 2 - Edition area
    • Copied exactly as it appears right after the title statement. 
    • Words may be abbreviated ex. “Second edition,” can be “2nd ed.”
  • 3 - Material or type of resource specific area
    • Maps and music use this area. 
    • This area provides useful information to the patrons. 
    • Omit this area in cataloging other sources, it is not needed.
    • When measuring map scales, they are measured as ratios (1:   ) for example, “a map might have a bar scale showing that one inch equals 10 miles.  Cataloger must convert miles to inches to put it into the proper form: (1:633,600) (Intner, p. 34). 
  • 4 - Publication, production, distribution, etc., area
    • This section consists of three parts
      • The city.
      • The name of the publisher, the distributor, or both.
      • And the date of publication.
    • In this section, the cataloger needs to note the first place of publication and the publisher’s or distributor’s name and the publication year.
    • Cataloger’s are able to abbreviate some location information (states and provinces)
      • Please see bottom of article for those descriptions.
    • As for the date of publication it is important for the cataloger to give their best guess as to the date.  When it is apparent for this to be done, cataloger’s must add question marks to the dates, give alternate years, or a span of years, or use question marks in place of digits to a specific century or decade.  For example: [2006 ?], [2001– 2002], [1999 – 2001 ?], [198 - ?], or [18 - ?]. 
  • 5 - Physical description area  - This area of descriptive cataloging has four parts:
    • 1 – The extent of an item
      • Books are described in terms of pages, leaves, or volumes
    • 2 – Other Physical Details
      • May include illustrations, colored illustrations, digital recording, and maps.
    • 3 – Dimensions
      • Are given in terms of the height of the spine of the book or of the measurement of a non-print source. 
        • Books are measured in centimeters (cm.).
        • Non-print resources are measured in inches (in).
    • 4 – Accompanying Materials
      • What else is included or found within the main source?
        • This may include discs, maps, tapes, photographs, or other material that may be placed in pockets inside the front or back cover.
  • 6 - Series area
    • If the material that is being cataloged belongs to a series, the cataloger must record this information is this section. 
    • Sometimes the ISBN’s and the price of the source are assigned to this section of the cataloging process. 
  • 7 - Notes area – This area of descriptive cataloging has five parts:
    • 1 - Physical Description Note:
      • State whether the source has an index or a bibliography. 
      • Include information about the hardware to be used with the material. VHS
      • HD-DVD, etc
    • 2 - Contents Note:
      • Within this section the cataloger can also transcribe the contents of the material and individual works can be notated.
    • 3 - Summary Area:
      • Allows the patrons to view what the source may be about.
      • Because many patrons look to the internet to review possible library sources, it is important for the cataloger to always include summary notes to any descriptive cataloging process. 
      • Summary notes should be brief and objective but also cover the content of the materials.
    • 4 – Details of the library’s copy note:
      • If a certain copy that one library may own has something distinct that no other identical source has, this would be the place to insert this information. 
      • These items may be special markings, torn or missing pages, autographs, and margin notes.
    • 5 – Number on the item note:
      • This is the proper place for catalogers to insert the LCCN, product code numbers publishers’, and catalog numbers of an item.
  • 8 – Standard Numbers and Terms of Availability:
    • This where the cataloger is to input the ISBN’s, ISSN’s, and key titles to an item.
    • Some other information that may be included into the 8th and final section of the cataloging rules is information about binding, the paper quality that is used, purchase or rental price of the item,
    • Like the importance of including a summary area, it is also crucial for the cataloger to insert the ISBN’s and ISSN’s because many patrons searched for material by using these access points within the descriptive catalog.
According to the Lib 5030 Cataloging and Classification Lab Manuel, the second level of descriptive cataloging should place the found information into a correct order of events.  Please note punctuation and correct symbols throughout this cataloging example. (Truett, p.9). 

                                          The main title [general material designation] = Parallel title : other title information / 
                                          first statement of responsibility ; each subsequent statement of responsibility. - -
                                          Edition statement / first statement of responsibility relating to the edition. - - Material
                                          (or type of publication) specific details. - - First place of publication, etc. : first publisher,
                                          etc., date of publication, etc. - - Extent of item : other physical details ; dimensions. - -
                                          (Title proper of series / statement of responsibility relating to series, ISSN of series;
                                          numbering within the series.  Title of subseries, ISSN of subseries ; numbering within
                                          subseries). - - Note(s). - - Standard Number                                                     (Truett, p.9).


·        Remember if specific items are unable to be recorded, omit those from the cataloging process.

                                                                                             Appendix A
                                                             Common abbreviations used within descriptive cataloging.

Abbreviation                                 Meaning                          Explanation

v.                                                   volume(s)                           Some works comprise several bound books, e.g., volume 1, volume 2, etc.

p.                                                   page(s)                              Number of Arabic-numeral-numbered pages that make up the main body of the book

[2006?],
[2001– 2002],
[1999 – 2001?],                      
Year of publication                  If the date of publication is uncertain.
 [198 - ?], or [18 - ?].                  is unknown.

1st rev. ed.                               First revised edition                 Words in the edition statement may be abbreviated.

sd.                                                  Sound                              Specific to non-print items.

=                                                  Bi-lingual                            Used when an area or part of an area is given in two languages or scripts.

+                                        Accompanying material                 
Extra material is included in the physical description statement. 
                                                                                              Comes after the dimensions.


col.                                            
Colorized                             Referring to videos or illustrations within a source.

in                                  Height of non-print item in inches        
Height is measured in inches on videocassettes, 
                                                                                              CD sound recordings, and DVD videos.


ill. or illus.                                 illustration(s)                           Does the source include illustrations?

ports.                                          portrait(s)                           The number of illustrations that are portraits is sometimes given.

cm                                height of book in centimeters             
Height is measured in centimeters from bottom of 
                                                                                              book cover to top, i.e., how tall the book is when
                                                                                              shelved on the library shelf.


                                                                           State Abbreviation from AACR2R
                                                                                         Appendix B
                                                                                         (Truett, p.9)

                                         Ala.                              Kan.                             N.J.                              U.K.
                                         Ariz.                             Ky.                              N.M.                            U.S.
                                         Ark.                             La.                               N.Y.                            Vt.
                                         Calif.                            Me.                              N.C.                            Va.
                                        Colo.                            Md.                              N.D.                            Wash.
                                        Conn.                           Mass.                           Ohio                             W. Va.
                                        Del.                              Mich.                           Okla.                            Wis.
                                        D.C.                             Minn.                           Or.                               Wyo.
                                        Fla.                              Miss.                            Pa.       
                                        Ga.                               Mo.                              R.I.     
                                        T.H. (Territory              Mont.                           S.C.
                                        of Hawaii                      Neb.                            S.D.
                                        Ill.                                Nev.                             Tenn.
                                        Ind.                              N.H.                            Tex.

                                                                                                   Works Cited

Inter, Sheila S. & Weihs, Jean.  (2007). Standard Cataloging for School and Public Libraries.  Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited.  Pp. 27-59.

Truett, Carol.  (2009). Lib 5030 Cataloging and Classification Lab Manuel.  Boone, NC: Appalachian State University.

 

 


 

 



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