1.0C. Punctuation
These spacing conventions have been established to achieve the following:
1. Standardize the spacing conventions following periods in all parts of the catalog record.
2. Make the application of the conventions consistent, whether the catalog record being prepared is MARC or non-MARC, for those preparing catalog copy and for those who must process it, e.g., in printing final copy or in converting copy to machine-readable form. Note, however, that in some instances spacing on printed products derived from MARC records is modified by output programs, so that the spacing in the machine record may not reflect what is actually output.
3. Provide a comprehensive statement, applicable to access points as well as to bibliographic description.
Apply the conventions in lieu of any other explicit or implicit instructions in the rules (e.g., 1.1G3) regarding spacing after periods.
1. Access points (including series statements traced the same but excluding those traced differently and those not traced). Leave two spaces after a period serving to separate distinct units of access points, including those for uniform titles. Apply, as appropriate, the conventions for initials, etc., applicable to the particular type of heading.
2. Other parts of the catalog record:
a. Elements that are not initials, etc. Leave only one space after a period. If a personal name consists of separate letters, record the letters without internal spaces, regardless of how they are presented in the source of information.
b. Initials, etc. Record initials, initialisms, and acronyms without internal spaces, regardless of how they are presented in the source of information. Apply this provision also whether these elements are presented with or without periods.
In some cases personal name initials may be presented in a source without periods. When they are known to be initials, insert a period after each letter. In case of doubt, do not insert periods.
Treat an abbreviation consisting of more than a single letter as if it were a distinct word, separating it with a space from preceding and succeeding words or initials.
If two or more distinct initialisms (or sets of initials), acronyms, or abbreviations appear in juxtaposition, separate each from the other with a space.
Punctuation-ISBD, etc.:
As 1.0C indicates, the ISBD punctuation between areas (period-space-dash-space) is omitted only when the next area is paragraphed. Agreeing with long-standing practice, the physical description area and each note of the note area begin with a new paragraph. Thus, do not use the period-space-dash-space to separate the physical description area from the publication, distribution, etc., area or to separate the first note of the note area from the physical description of the series areas.
Within the paragraph that precedes the physical description area, separate each area from a succeeding one with a period-space-dash-space, and give this separator in addition to all other ending punctuation (FN 1 ) except a period. When a period is already present as the ending of the preceding area, omit it in favor of the period-space-dash-space.
The same applies to the separation between the physical description area and the series area within the single paragraph containing them.
For the ending of either the paragraph that precedes the physical description area or the paragraph that precedes the first note of the note area, use a period unless a closing parenthesis or bracket is present. In the latter case, let the parenthesis or bracket be the ending punctuation without a period following. As an exception, also of long-standing practice, if the publication, distribution, etc., area ends in an "open" date, so that the last mark is a hyphen or some blank space (designated, for monographs, by angle brackets) for an entirely missing date, do not add the period.
For punctuation at endings of notes, see LCRI 1.7A1 .
See also:
