ULA Fall Workshop, 2002

Cataloging rule changes:Electronic Resources(AACR2 Chapter 9)

By Cheryl D. Walters chewal@ngw.lib.usu.eduSponsored by Technical Services Roundtable

Chapter 9 revision background

Chapter 9 underwent considerable revision in 2001 and a new printing of the chapter was included as part of Amendments 2001.

Unlike the Chapter 12 changes which will not be implemented until the end of 2002, changes in new chapter 9 have already been implemented by LC and other libraries.

Two basic changes outside of chapter 9: 0.24 and 1.1C1

Introduction to AACR2: Part I, Description:– 0.24: a change in principle

New rule:

It is important to bring out all aspects of the item being described, including its content, its carrier, its type of publication, its bibliographic relationships, and whether it is published or unpublished.

Old rule:

…the starting point for description is the physical form of the item in hand

Two basic changes outside of chapter 9: 0.24 and 1.1C1

Chapter 1: General rules for description– 1.1C1: New General Material Designation

The general material designation [electronic resource] replaces the now-defunct [computer file] in both gmd lists

- The end of this presentation includes some information about a commercially available utility program that can globally change all the [computer file] gmds in an online catalog to the new gmd [electronic resource].

Chapter 9:The first evidences of change…

New title for AACR2 chapter 9 :– New name: Electronic Resources– Old name: Computer Files

Term “electronic resource” replaces all instances of term “computer file” throughout Chapter 9

9.0A: Changes in scope

Broader, clearer scope of chapter (9.0A)– New scope says Chapter 9 covers:

the description of electronic resources. Electronic resources consist of:

data (information representing numbers, text, graphics, images, maps, moving images, music, sounds, etc.),

programs (instructions, etc., that process the data for use), or combinations of data and programs.

– Old scope said it covered:

the description of files that are encoded for manipulation by computer. These files comprise data and programs…

9.0A: Clarification of what electronic resources are:

Electronic resources may be accessed:

Directly– Via a physical carrier such

as disc/disk, cassette, or cartridge that is inserted into a computerized device or an accompanying peripheral

Remotely– No physical carrier

involved.– Via a terminal connected

to a system or network or non-movable resources stored elsewhere

9.0A: Defines computerized device:

A computer or computer-like device used to manipulate data and/or programs

What is– Mainframe computer– Computer workstations– Desktop/laptop computers– Personal Digital

Assistants (PDAs)– Handheld or tablet

computers– Electronic book readers– Internet appliances

What isn’t– CD music players– DVD video or audio

players– Laserdisc video players– Digital cameras– Personal digital audio

players (e.g. MP3)

9.0B1: Chief source of information broadened

New chief source:

The preferred chief source of information for electronic resources is the resource itself.

Old chief source:

The preferred chief source of information is the title screen(s)

9.0B1: More flexibility in preferred choices for chief source:

New: Take info from whichever formally presented evidence has the fullest information:

– Title screens– Main menus– Program statements– Initial displays of information– Home pages (new!)– File headers including

encoded metadata– Physical carrier or its labels

Old: Use internal evidence in specified order of preference)

1. Title screen.

2. From other internal evidence such as:- Main menus, or

- Program statements, or

- First display of info., or

- File header

9.0B1: Other less preferred sources:

New (in order of preference)1. Printed or online

documentation or other accompanying material (pub letter, “about” file, pub web page)

2. Information printed on container issued by pub

3. Other published descriptions of resource

4. Other sources (e.g. metadata records)

Old (in order of preference)1. Physical carrier or its labels

2. Info issued by pub/creator with file

3. Info printed on container issued by pub

4. Other published descriptions of file

5. Other sources

9.0B1: Definition of label broadened

Definition of label now broadened to include information printed or embossed directly on the physical carrier

As before, the source of the title proper should be given in a note. – If title is from the label, the note simply reads “Title

from label” regardless of the type of label (paper label versus an embossed label).

9.01B:Impact on catalogers?

More flexibility for catalogers, but more judgment required– There is no longer a clear order of precedence for

the chief source of information. – Cataloger can use formally presented evidence from

the entire resource instead of just the title screen– Rules give direction only when info in sources varies

in degree of fullness. Then catalogers should use the source that provides the most complete information.

9.2: Edition Area changes (MARC tag 250)

Resolving multiple edition statements is more complex

New wording in 9.2B5: If an item consists of multiple physical carriers, including accompanying material, and there are multiple edition statements relating to the whole as well as to parts of the resource, transcribe only the edition statement(s) relating to the whole resource in the edition area. Edition statements relating to parts may be given in a note (see 9.7B7).

Old wording: Transcribe an edition statement appearing in accompanying material only if it also refers to the file. In case of doubt, do not record…

9.2: Edition Area changes (MARC tag 250)

New rule on updated remote resources: 9.2B8

New rule 9.2B8:If a remote access electronic resource is

frequently updated, omit the edition statement and give the information in a note (see 9.7B7)

9.3: Type & Extent of Resource Area(MARC tag 256)

Terminology changes:

New section name:– Type and Extent of

Resource Area

New subsection names:– Type of resource (9.3B1)– Extent of resource (9.3B2)

Old section name:– File Characteristics

Area

Old subsection names:– Designation (9.3B1)– Number of records,

statements, etc. (9.3B2)

9.3: Type & Extent of Resource Area(MARC tag 256)

Terminology changes continued…

Term “computer” in three resource types is now “electronic”:– Electronic data– Electronic program(s)– Electronic data and program(s)

9.3: Type & Extent of Resource Area (MARC tag 256)

Less use of this area by LC

New rule interpretation (LCRI 9.3B1):– Do not use Type & Extent of Resource Area (i.e. Area 3, tag

256) for original cataloging of electronic resources – Impact on catalogers: other institutions may decide to follow

LC’s practice and omit the Type and Extent of Resource Area (256 field) altogether.

LCRI 9.3B1: Do not supply terms for the type of electronic resource in LC original cataloging. Accept such terms when found in records originally created by other cataloging agencies and used by LC in its own cataloging.

9.3: Type & Extent of Resource Area (MARC tag 256)

Terminology for types of resources remains limited

Terms for describing type of resource remain limited to three (electronic data, electronic program, or electronic data and program).

Additional terms adopted by ISBD(ER) are still not allowed by AACR2.

Examples: electronic map data, electronic utility program, electronic census data, etc.

9.4: Publication Area (MARC tag 260):

New helpful guidance

9.4B2: What does “published” mean?

Consider all remote access electronic resources to be published.

A web document or document available via a network would be considered published; a document on a removable disk would not.

9.4: Publication Area (Marc tag 260)

Clarification on date to use

9.4F4: What publication date to use? If there is no publication, distribution, etc. date which applies to the item as a whole, and the item has multiple copyright dates which apply to various aspects of the production (e.g. programming, sound production, graphics, documentation), transcribe only the latest copyright date. Optionally, transcribe the other dates in a note.

9.5: Physical Description Area (Marc tag 300)

Terms to describe physical units have changed:

New termsComputer chip cartridgeComputer tape cartridgeComputer tape cassetteComputer tape reel

Still allowed, but not new:Computer diskComputer optical disc

Old terms:Computer cartridge

Computer cassette

Computer disk

Computer optical disc

Computer reel

9.5: Physical Description Area (Marc tag 300)

New option

9.5B1: New option to use conventional terminology to record the specific format of the physical carrier. LC will use this option (LCRI 9.5B1). New terms allowed:

– CD-ROM– Photo CDs – DVD

Example: Can present 300 field in two different ways:

300 1 computer optical disc : col. ; 4 ¾ in.

300 1 CD-ROM : col. ; 4 ¾ in.

9.5: Physical Description Area (Marc tag 300)

Disk defined better

Definitions for disk versus disc moved from brief footnote to longer, clearer definitions in glossary:– Old footnote (9.5B1): Use computer disk for

magnetically encoded computer disks– New glossary entry: Disk (Electronic resources). A

magnetic disk, usually encased in a protective plastic jacket or rigid case, used by computerized devices for storing and retrieving electronic resources. Disks can either be fixed or removable.

9.5: Physical Description Area (Marc tag 300)

Disc defined better

Definitions for disk versus disc moved from brief footnote to longer, clearer definitions in glossary:– Old footnote (9.5B1): Use computer optical disc for

optically encoded computer discs– New glossary entry: Optical disc (Electronic

resources). Any of several specific carriers delivering optically read data (e.g. CD-I, CD-ROM, Photo CD).

9.5: Physical Description Area (Marc tag 300)

More options for dimensions

9.5D: New option – Disks, Discs, Cartridges, and Cassettes now may

optionally be described in centimeters. – “Other carriers” now may optionally be described in

inches.– Old rule limited disks, discs, cartridges, and

cassettes to inches and “other carriers” to centimeters.

9.7: Note Area (MARC 5xx tag)

9.7B1: Systems requirements note (MARC tag 538): Hardware modifications now added to list If describing a mode of access, note must begin with the

heading “Mode of access:”

538: Mode of access: World Wide Web.

9.7B3: Source of Title Proper note (in a 500 tag): now includes example of a web page:

500 Title from Web page (viewed on May 29, 1999)

9.7: Note Area (MARC 5xx tag)

9.7B4: Variations of title note:– More examples given:

Title in HTML header: American Birding Association home page

Former title: Butterflies of the United States(Web resource title changed to: Butterflies of North America)

Second title screen: Personal finances and other applications.

9.7: Note Area (MARC 5xx tag)

9.7B22: – New note for remote access resources (in 500 tag)– Now required for all remote access resources.– Must always give the date on which the resource

was viewed for description. 500 Description based on contents viewed Sept. 16,

1998

– In practice, this note is often combined with the Source of title note:

500 Title from web page (viewed Sept. 16, 1998)

Automated assistance to convert to new [electronic resource] gmd

For Horizon online catalogs, a utility called Replace Tag Text can globally change old [computer file] gmds to the new gmd [electronic resource]

– Univ of Utah has used this successfully and says they are “extremely satisfied” with results. Ruth Hansen from U of U cautions:

Make sure to test using a sample before doing entire database Do not include the brackets in the string to be replace Must reindex afterward if 245 tag subfield h is indexed in your

database.

For more information:

Replace Tag Text Utility:– Available from Alpha-G Consulting– Is a graphical user-interface program delivered via Java Web

Start– It finds all instances of a given string in a particular tag/subfield

and replaces it with different text.– For more information, go to:

http://alphagconsulting.bizhosting.com/replace_tag_text_utility.html

– Program costs $450

For more information:

Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2nd ed., 2002 revision:– To order, go to: http://www.alastore.ala.org/– 772 pages. Comes with binder, loose leaf pages, &

tabs. ISBN: 0-8389-3529-X – Price: $87.00; ALA Member Price: $78.30– “Now in a completely redesigned loose-leaf format, AACR2 is more

user-friendly than ever. With 8.5" X 11" pages (that fit a standard 3-ring binder), separately numbered chapters (for easy integration of future updates), and brand new text design (that clearly distinguishes the rules from the examples)