Verbal Equivalents:

Wherever possible, standard abbreviations (5) and numbers are substituted for words used in a statement of verbal equivalence. An equal sign ( = ) is substituted for the word equals.

When a colon ( : ) appears as part of a statement of verbal equivalence, it is transcribed as space-colon-space. Example:

Scale Not Given:

LC will not normally determine the scale of an item in hand by comparing it with other cartographic works of known scale. The statement Scale not given will be used in those instances in which the scale cannot be computer from a bar scale, grid, etc. and, as a matter of policy, the item in hand is not compared with another cartographic item of known scale.

LC considers the prescribed statement Scale indeterminable (6) to be inappropriate in the preceding situation; however, Scale indeterminable will be used in the exceptional instance in which an effort to determine the sale of an item by all the means cited in the rule is unsuccessful.

Multiple Scales:

If the description is for a multipart item with two scales (or a single item with component parts at two scales), give each in a separate scale statement.

Give the larger scale first unless the smaller scale is clearly predominate (i.e., occurs on many more sheets of a multipart item) or if there is no collective title and the title for the item with the smaller scale is transcribed first.

For a multipart item in which there are two scale statements and/or other mathematical data elements, record the information in separate mathematical data areas, generally recording the larger scale first. If necessary, repeat any aspect common to both statements. Examples:

For a multipart item in which the scale statements and/or other mathematical data elements are all the same, record the information in a single mathematical data area.

For a multipart item with more than two scales use the phrase Scales differ. Record other mathematical data elements if each is applicable to all the parts, or, if a single from of an element is predominate. Specific or variant details may be mentioned in a note.

Graphic and Verbal Scale Present:

When both a verbal or numerical scale and a graphic scale indication are present on an item, the two kinds of information are checked against each other to determine if there is at least an approximate agreement, especially when the item is a photocopy or facsimile.

If there is considerable disagreement between the two scale indications, in the absence of other information, assume that the graphic indication is the more accurate of the methods.

What constitutes "approximate agreement" varies with the scale of the map. The smaller the scale (i.e., the larger the number), the greater the discrepancy must be between the two scale representations to be considered significant.

Star Charts:

If no scale information is given, use the statement Scale not given.

See also:

Description