0B. The basic description
0B1. The description must always include the following elements, regardless of the completeness of the information available: title proper , date of publication, extent of item, size of item. Also include other elements of description as set out in the following rules whenever they are available.
0B2. In general, base the description on the copy on hand. If this copy is known to be imperfect, however, and the details of the description of a copy without the imperfection(s) can be determined with certainty, rely on these details, employing the conventions for bracketing (cf. 0E ) as if the imperfection(s) did not exist. In such cases, the details should be verified by examining one or more additional copies, or by referring to a description in a reliable bibliography, preferably one based on an examination of several copies. Cite the source used for the description in a note (cf. 7C14 ).
If the copy being cataloged is imperfect and no reliable evidence of the necessary details is available, describe the copy as it is. Use the mark of omission enclosed in square brackets to show lacunae in the source of information if this helps to explain the incompleteness of the transcription. If missing or obscured letters or words can be reconstructed with some certainty, include these in the transcription, enclosing them in square brackets. Use the note area to justify such additions and to provide explanations, conjectural readings of the data, etc.
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