Classification of Errors

Major Errors:

Major errors are those that affect the fields that provide access points to the record.

All major changes will generate a new shelflist card.

In conformance with Collections Services guidelines, changes to the following field/subfields will be identified as a major change for all records on the Maps database.

Identification:

A major change is recorded in the machine record in the revision statement, which is the final element of the control/card number field (tag 001).

The revision statement contains the letter r, the last two digits of the year in which the last major change was made, and the number of major changes, if greater than one, that have been made. In general there is no record of what specific fields were changes.

This information is printed to the right of the hole on the printed shelflist card.

Minor Errors:

Minor errors are those that do not affect fields that provide access points to the record.

Most minor changes will generate a new shelflist card, although, minor changes to local information fields (e.g., 590, 952, etc.) are not included on the printed shelflist card.

Identification:

A minor change is not evident in the machine record other than the date of last transaction/verification displayed below the control number changes and tag 008 box 32 contains a y. There is no record of what fields were actually changes.

On the printed shelflist card, the year and month of the last change are printed in parentheses to the right of the hole.

Non-Errors:

Stylistic changes are not to be made unless the existing cataloging is actually incorrect, misleading, or incomprehensible.

If the "style" of the existing cataloging was correct or was a "matter of opinion" at the time of original cataloging, changes should not be made.

Other names, series, and subjects headings, be sure that the format of all descriptive changes corresponds to the rules used for the original cataloging (i.e., if cataloged under revised Chapter 6, tag 008 box 36 contains value r, additions and changes to the description must reflect ISBD punctuation while for earlier records, tag 008 box 36 contains value e, ISBD punctuation must not be used in the description).

See also:

Appendix A. Maps Correction Procedures