Description of Bibliographic Items

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Description of Bibliographic Items
2
Review

• Encoding Markup.
• The library cataloging markup language is MARC.
  
• Unlike HTML, MARC tags have meaning (i.e., a
  semantics).
• MARC facilitates the computer-to-computer
  transfer of bibliographic records.

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Technical Processes in Bibliographic Control

• 1. Description
• 2. Name access
• 3. Subject analysis
• 4. Record formatting
• 5. Record organization

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Cutter Revisited

• 1. TO ENABLE A PERSON TO FIND A DOCUMENT OF WHICH
  
• THE AUTHOR, OR
• THE TITLE, OR
• THE SUBJECT IS KNOWN
• 2. TO SHOW WHAT THE LIBRARY HAS
• BY A GIVEN AUTHOR
• ON A GIVEN SUBJECT
• IN A GIVEN KIND OF LITERATURE
• 3. TO ASSIST IN THE CHOICE OF A DOCUMENT
• BIBLIOGRAPHICALLY (E.G. EDITION, FORMAT, ETC.)
• AS TO ITS CHARACTER (I.E. LITERARY OR TOPICAL)
• Description serves first and third

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Principles of Description (Elaine Svenonius)

• 1. Principle of user convenience. Decisions taken
  in the making of descriptions and controlled
  forms of names for access should be made with the
  user in mind.
• 2. Principle of common usage. Normalized
  vocabulary used in descriptions and access should
  accord with that of the majority of users.
• 3. Principle of representation. Descriptions and
  controlled forms of names for access should be
  based on the way an information entity describes
  itself.

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Principles of Description (Elaine Svenonius)

• 4. Principle of accuracy. Descriptions and
  controlled forms of names for access should
  faithfully portray the entity described.
• 5. Principle of sufficiency and necessity.
  Descriptions and controlled forms of names for
  access should include only those elements that
  are bibliographically significant.

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Principles of Description (Elaine Svenonius)

• 6. Principle of standardization. Descriptions and
  controlled forms of names for access should be
  standardized, to the extent and level possible.
• 7. Principle of integration. Descriptions for all
  types of materials should be based on a common
  set of rules, to the extent possible.

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What is descriptive cataloging?

• Two distinct processes
• mechanical
• intellectual

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What is descriptive cataloging?

• Metadata elements that present the non subject
  characteristics of an information package.
• Goal for organizer is to provide enough
  descriptive information so that users are
  confident that information package meets their
  needs.
• Descriptive information is generally taken
  directly from the information package in hand (a
  long standing cataloging practice).
• Important to keep in mind the type of information
  packages that is to be described (e.g., AACR2
  chapters).

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Surrogate Record/Information Package

• Conventional definition of metadata in which the
  content of the surrogate represents the
  information package.
• Metadata elements are clues as to what
  constitutes metadata in this context
• Title (The Shining) is metadata in reference the
  item
• Author (Stephen King) is metadata in reference to
  item
• of pages in The Shining is metadata in
  reference to item
• Etc (more examples in todays lecture)

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Information Package Description

• Context the process of creating surrogates
• Obtain information package
• Describe information package
• Subject analyze information package
• Verbal
• Classification

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Description

• Description (or descriptive cataloging) is
  concerned with identification of an item and
  recording information about the item so that it
  may be identified exactly and cannot be confused
  with another item.

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Processes in Description

• Cardinal principle Describe the item in hand.
  Finding and evaluating functions.
• Technical reading of an object
• Sources for description (AACR2)
• Transcription arrangement of the areas

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LC Objectives of Descriptive Cataloging

• 1. To state the significant features of an item
  with the purpose of distinguishing it from other
  items and describing its scope, contents, and
  bibliographic relation to other items
• 2. To present these data in an entry that can be
  integrated with other entries for other items in
  the catalog and which will respond best to the
  interests of most users of the catalog.

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Descriptive Cataloging

• Cataloger is objective
• The idea is to identify uniquely a particular
  item, to describe it sufficiently for the user to
  decide whether it is the item that is wanted, and
  to integrate the description into the catalog
  both by using a standardized format and by adding
  access points (entries).
• Technical reading of an object (the first step)
• After technical reading, the elements identified
  will be transcribed into the eight areas of
  description

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Description or Descriptive Cataloging

• Transcription of inherent bibliographic
  characteristics from an item into eight specified
  areas in a bibliographic record.

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MARC Record and ISBD Areas of Description

• Area 1 field 245 title and statement of
  responsibility
• Area 2 field 250 edition
• Area 3 field 255/256, etc material specific
  details
• Area 4 field 260 publication
• Area 5 field 300 physical description
• Area 6 field 4XX series
• Area 7 field 5XX notes
• Area 8 field 020 (ISBN) and other control fields
  for standard numbering

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ISBD Punctuation

• Title Proper GMD Parallel title other title
  info / First statement of responsibility
  others. -- Edition information. -- Material. --
  Place of Publication Publisher Name, Date. --
  Material designation and extent Dimensions of
  item. -- (Title of Series / Statement of
  responsibility). -- Notes. -- Standard numbers
  terms of availability (qualifications).

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ISBD (International Standard Bibliographic
Description)

• Objectives
• To make records from different sources
  interchangeable
• To facilitate interpretation across language
  barriers
• To facilitate conversion of records to machine
  readable form
• Means by which to achieve the objectives
• Specifies which elements to be included in
  bibliographic description
• Prescribes the order of the elements
• Prescribes the punctuation system

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Cataloging Codes

• Why have codes?
• Definition
• A catalogue code is a systematic arrangement of
  laws and statutes so as to avoid inconsistency
  and duplication in catalogues.

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Conceptual Categories
Bibliographic Resources
Finite Resources
Continuing Resources
Finite Integrating Resources
Continuing Inte-grating Resources
Monographs
Serials
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Finite and continuing

• Finite Resource
• No formal definition by implication the opposite
  of continuing
• A bibliographic resource issued once or over time
  with a predetermined conclusion (completed within
  a finite number of parts or iterations).
• Includes monographs and finite integrating
  resources.
• Continuing Resource
• A bibliographic resource issued over time with no
  predetermined conclusion.
• Includes serials and ongoing integrating
  resources.

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Serial

• Serial
• A continuing resource issued in a succession of
  discrete parts, usually bearing numbering, that
  has no predetermined conclusion.
• Examples include journals, magazines, electronic
  journals, continuing directories, annual reports,
  newspapers, and monographic series.

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Integrating resource

• New definition in AACR2 A bibliographic
  resource that is added to or changed by means of
  updates that do not remain discrete and are
  integrated into the whole. Integrating resources
  can be finite or continuing
• Most common
• Updating loose-leafs
• Updating electronic resources

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AACR2, part 1

• 1. General
• 2. Books, Pamphlets, and Printed Sheets
• 3. Cartographic Materials
• 4. Manuscripts
• 5. Printed Music
• 6. Sound Recordings
• 7. Motion Pictures and Video recordings
• 8. Graphic Materials
• 9. Electronic Resources
• 10. Three-Dimensional Artefacts and Realia
• 11. Microforms
• 12. Continuing Resources
• 13. Analysis

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Sources of Information

• Each different type of material has a preferred
  location for deriving information about it.
• Books and printed material
• Title page
• Cartographic Materials (Maps, globes, etc)
• The map itself, or containers, stands, etc.
• Sound recordings
• Disc label, cassette label, etc.

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Specific Rules in AACR2 Chapters 1-2

• Identify the chief source and the information on
  it.
• Identify other prescribed sources and the
  information in them. Information taken from
  these areas is transcribed. Information taken
  from other areas is supplied and square brackets
  are used to show the interpolation.
• Transcribe, in other words do not invent, the
  elements as they appear.
• Transcribe the title proper in area 1 in the
  exact wording, order, and spelling from the chief
  source. Do not worry about the punctuation or
  capitalization. Always capitalize only the first
  word and any proper nouns in English language
  titles. Punctuate according to the prescribed
  punctuation as indicated in the rules.

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Specific Rules in AACR2 Chapters 1-2

• Transcribe the statements of responsibility
  following a slash. If there is more than one
  name, separate names of persons or bodies
  performing the same function with commas,
  separate the names of persons or bodies
  performing different functions with space
  semicolon space.
• Sometimes statements of responsibility give no
  name. Such as "with 42 illustrations". Such
  statements imply responsibility even though no
  one is named, so they are transcribed here.
• Transcribe an edition statement, and any
  statement of responsibility that is associated
  with it.
• Transcribe the place of publication (abbreviate
  state names according to the list in the
  appendix), the name of the publisher and the
  date.
• Transcribe the last number of each numbered
  section of pages. Use an abbreviation (see those
  that are authorized) to describe the
  illustrations, if any. Give the height of the
  spine (in centimeters)!.

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Specific Rules in AACR2 Chapters 1-2

• Transcribe a series statement and any statement
  of responsibility associated with it, and the
  series number, if any.
• Give notes on
• Language of item
• Source of title proper
• Variant titles
• Statements of responsibility
• Edition and history
• Publication and distribution
• Physical description
• Accompanying materials
• Series
• Other formats available
• Contents
• Standard numbers