21.1B1. (Entry under corporate body) Definition
Conferences:
Include in the definition of a conference in footnote 1 any named meeting that is entered directly under its own name and any named meeting that is entered subordinately to a heading for a corporate body.
When determining whether a conference has a name, cases arise that exhibit conflicting evidence insofar as two of the criteria in the definition of a corporate body are concerned: capitalization and the definite article. When the phrase is in a language that normally capitalizes each word of a name, even in running text, consider a capitalized phrase a name even if it is preceded by an indefinite article. (This statement cannot apply to other languages.)
Another important point to bear in mind when deciding whether a phrase is a name is that the phrase must include a word that connotes a meeting: "symposium," "conference," "workshop," "colloquium," etc. Note: Some notable sequential conferences that lack such a term are exceptionally considered to be named, e.g., Darmstädter Gespräch. In addition, phrases that combine acronyms or initialisms with the abbreviated form of the year are also considered to be named.
Generic-Term Names of Meetings
When a generic-term name of a meeting designates a meeting of a body (as opposed to one merely sponsored by a body), the meeting may be considered as named, whether or not the generic term is strengthened by the name or abbreviation of the body. For example, "annual meeting" in relation to the Human Factors Society is named whether it appears as:
Annual Meeting or
HFS Annual Meeting or
Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society.
N.B. If such a meeting is one of two or more bodies, reject its designation as a name.
Sixteenth annual United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority/United States Federal Aviation Administration meeting
On the other hand, such generic-term designations for sponsored meetings are considered as name only if the name, the abbreviation of the name, or some other distinctive noun or adjective strengthen the generic term.
Record with lower-casing statements on the chief source that give the type of designation rejected as names according to this paragraph.
N.B. Occasionally in this context the body is one of the types that typically does its work in sessions of its members (i.e., committees, commissions, or similar bodies, such as panels, task forces, or working groups). Do not treat designations of the working sessions of these bodies as named, e.g., "Seventh meeting of the Coordinating Committee for the Regional English Language Centre."
If the meeting is named according to these criteria, determine the form of the name according to the appropriate provisions of chapter 24 (e.g., 24.7; 24.13, type 3; 24.13, type 6).
In general, consider named ad hoc events of the types listed in the third paragraph at the top of page 313 to be corporate bodies. (FN 1 ) However, for art exhibitions, treat as corporate bodies only those that recur under the same name (e.g., Biennale di Venezia, Documenta).
See also:
21.1B. Entry under corporate body
