7A. General instructions
Notes qualify and amplify the formal description, especially when the rules for such description do not allow certain information to be included in the other areas. Notes can therefore deal with any aspect of the publication.
Notes, by their nature, cannot be enumerated exhaustively, but can be categorized in terms of the areas of description. In addition to notes relating to these areas, there are notes that do not correspond to any area of the formalized areas of description. Occasionally it may be useful to group together notes which refer to more than one area, for instance when they are all based on one source within the work, such as privilege statement.
If the description in the areas preceding the note area does not clearly identify the addition or issue being cataloged, make whatever notes are necessary for unambiguous identification. When appropriate, refer to detailed descriptions in standard catalogs or bibliographies (see 7C14 ), or use both notes and references to catalogs or bibliographies.
Notes may also be made to justify added entries intended for special files of personal names, titles, genres/forms, physical characteristics, provenance, etc.(10)
Generally notes are not mandatory, but some notes are required in particular situations and are so indicated in previous rules, e.g., 1G3 , 2A2 , or 4A4 , and in some of the rules for this area.
See also:
