This appendix is an adaptation of the Library of Congress Descriptive Cataloging Manual, C14: Collection-Level Cataloging, published in Cataloging Service Bulletin, no. 78.

Collection-level cataloging involves the creation of a single bibliographic record for a group of monographic, serial, or archival materials.  Collection-level cataloging draws from long traditions both of bibliographic cataloging and archival processing for complex collections of historical materials.  Collection-level cataloging for the latter takes advantage of the natural relationships which exist among the works within a collection and recognizes the importance of capturing these relationships in the bibliographic record.

Archives may choose to highlight individual works within a collection by creating item-level bibliographic records in addition to the collection-level bibliographic record.

The process of collection-level cataloging includes the following stages:  selection, arrangement, description, and cataloging.  In the first stage, selection, the types of materials that are candidates for collection-level cataloging are described.  In the second, arrangement, collections are organized and, in the third, description, details about their contents are recorded.  In the fourth stage, cataloging, the collection-level records are created, including descriptive cataloging, subject cataloging, and assigning personal name and corporate body added entry headings.

Arrangement and description are terms used to describe various types of processing activities which bring order and control to collections of materials.  They commonly involve the physical handling, sorting, and listing of materials.

See also:

Appendix C:  Collection-Level Cataloging