Some rules or parts of rules are introduced by the word, "optionally."  There are two reasons why options are given:  to provide a different treatment for an issue and to provide a way to give additional information in the record.  Sometimes more than one option is given within one rule.  In such cases, archives may choose to use one or more of the options.  Archives should decide whether or not to use options as a matter of cataloging policy and should document these policy decisions.

See also:

Introduction