0A. Scope and purpose
These rules are based on the 1988 Revision of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, Second Edition (referred to hereafter as AACR2) and on the revised ISBD(A): International Standard Bibliographic Description for Older Monographic Publications (Antiquarian). They provide instructions for cataloging printed books, pamphlets, and single-sheet publications whose rarity, value, or interest make special description necessary or desirable. They are especially appropriate for such publications produced before the introduction of machine printing in the nineteenth century. They may be used in describing any book, however, particularly those produced by hand or by methods continuing the tradition of the hand-produced book.
Rare books often present situations not ordinarily encountered in the cataloging of the usual modern book (e.g., evidence of cancelled leaves) and may require details of description beyond what is required for the more ordinary book in order to identify significant characteristics (paper, type, etc.). these details are important for two reasons: they permit a ready identification of copies of the book (e.g., as editions , impressions , or issues ), and they provide a more exact description of the book as an artifact.
These rules may either be applied categorically to books based on date or place of publication (e.g., all British and North American imprints published before 1801), or may be applied selectively, according to the administrative policy of the institution, which may choose to catalog some or all of its holdings at a more detailed level of description than that provided for in AACR2 (2)
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