Preface to the Second Edition

Preface to the Second Edition

The Background:

In 1981 the Library of Congress published Bibliographic Description of Rare Books (BDRB), a manual of rules designed primarily for its own catalogers; but also intended to respond to the expressed needs of those outside the Library who catalog rare materials. The Library considers the manual to have been one of its most successful efforts in taking care of specialized cataloging requirements. Nevertheless, in the ten years since catalogers began applying the rules, a growing body of experience, research, and discussion made it increasingly clear that eventually some changes and additions to the rules would be needed. Then, in early 1989, because the Library of Congress was near to exhausting its stock of copies for sale, it had to decide what to do about reprinting or revising BDRB. The circulation of drafts of a revised edition of ISBD(A): International Standard Bibliographic Description for Older Monographic Publications (Antiquarian) near the same time was also a catalyst, stimulating the interest of the Bibliographic Standards Committee of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries in helping to prepare a new edition of BDRB. Discussions between the representatives of the Committee and of the Library were positive, and from that point, progress was rapid.

A timetable was agreed upon for circulating two revised drafts of the rules during 1990 and for issuing the second edition of the rules early in 1991. The Committee solicited widespread participation from colleagues in the United States and abroad, prepared numerous discussion papers, and held open discussions at three American Library Association conferences (June 1989, January 1990, and June 1990). A final editorial meeting of representatives from the Committee and the Library was held at the Library of Congress in November 1990.

This Edition:

The second edition of these rules for rare materials brings the 1981 version up to date in the following ways:

1. Title change:

This was done because there appears to be general agreement that the phrase "bibliographic description " is too suggestive of traditional descriptive bibliography. To avoid confusion and make it quite clear that the rules are for library catalogers rather than bibliographers, the words "bibliographic description" have been replaced by "descriptive cataloging." This phrase is also more appropriate because the text now includes some advice on access points, which in library parlance cannot be said to be covered by "bibliographic description."

2. Cosmetic improvements:

A number of changes have been made in order to correct typographical and other obvious errors, and to make improvements in wording that has been the fruit of ten years of catalogers’ experience with BDRB. These alterations will not require changes in catalog records that were produced under BDRB. Rather, it is hoped that they will make DCRB easier to read and interpret, and thereby promote a more consistent application of the rules.

3. Substantive changes:

Some of the changes made in this new edition will result in varying degrees of difference between BDRB and DCRB records. It should be noted that some of these changes are actually due to changes found in the 1988 Revision of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, Second Edition A summary of the more important changes follows:

a. Clarified and simplified options for recording punctuation; similarly improved instructions for using the mark of omission (rule 0E )

b. Rewritten instructions for transcribing early letter forms (rule 0H )

c. Changes wording to allow more latitude in determining which types of information may be omitted form the title and responsibility area, with or without using the mark of omission (rule 1A2 )

d. Clarified instructions for recording data from the title page (rule 1A2 ) and particularly for recording the title proper (rule 1B1-1B3 ); with a new definition of "title page" added to the Glossary

e. The possibility of the use of caption titles beyond single-sheet publications made explicit in the rewritten rule 1B3

f. Various changes in the recording of other title information (rule 1D ), including a new provision allowing for such statements as "in two volumes" (rule 1D3 )

g. Notes regarding transposition of elements within the title and statement of responsibility area made mandatory (e.g., rule 1B1 or 1G3 )

h. Several changes in the rules for recording complex publisher statements (e.g., rule 4C6 )

i. New provisions for transcribing words and phrases such as "printed in the year" or "anno" in the publication, etc. are (cf. rules for area 4)

j. Changes instructions for recording date of impression (rule 4E )

k. Clarified instructions for recording unnumbered leaves in the statement of extent, and the provision for disjunct unnumbered errata leaves changes to include them in the statement of extent (rules 5B3 , 5B4 )

l. Clarified provisions for giving sizes of single sheets (rule 5D5 )

m. Revised rules for accompanying material (rule 5E ), and the elimination of rule 9 (due specifically to changes in AACR2)

n. Examples of notes illustrating the provisions of area 7 modified to delete prescribed punctuation, except for 7C16 and 7C19

o. Expanded provisions for noting statement of responsibility (rule 7C6 )

p. Provisions for the "With:" note expanded and clarified (rule 7C19 )

4. New Options:

Two new options have been added, which when implemented will result in further differences between BDRB and DCRB records:

a. An option allowing a note for the full collational formula, instead of a simple signature note (rule 7C9 )

b. An option allowing the "fingerprint " to be recorded (rule 8)

5. Works cited:

A bibliography based on citations found within the rules has been compiled to assist catalogers in identifying other publications useful in the cataloging of rare books and special collections.

6. Appendices:

The appendices in the first edition were limited to examples and a glossary. The glossary (Appendix G ) has been retained and expanded, and to this second edition have been added the following:

Appendix A for "Title Access Points": Some advice for additional access by title that might be considered "extra" in routine library cataloging

Appendix B for "Early Letter Forms": Background information for the proper application of rule 0H, which gives brief instructions for transcribing, with some adjustment, the obsolete forms of letters and diacritical marks typically found in books printed before modern times

Appendix C for "Rare Serials": A CONSER-approved reformulation of the guidelines for cataloging rare serials that were published in Cataloging Service Bulletin, no. 26 (fall 1984)

Appendix D for "Minimal-Level Records": Instructions for preparing less-than-full cataloging in a manner that adequately identifies rare materials

Appendix E for "DCRB Code for Records": An explanation, with instructions, for all the situations in which subfield $e of USMARC field 040 is appropriate as an indication of the application of the present set of rules (It should be noted that the Library of Congress has changes the code "bdrb" to "dcrb.")

Appendix F for "Concordance between Rules in DCRB and AACR2": A concordance relating the rules in AACR2 to those in the present set of rules

It will be noted that the previous appendix composed of ten full-record examples has been dropped. Although there have been many requests for more examples (either to be included in the text or appended at the end), the labor that would be required to select and verify them, and then provide for their clear and careful reproduction, appeared to be more than the Library or the Committee felt they could undertake without a much larger commitment of time and human resources than was available. A compendium of examples to supplement DCRB therefore remains as a desideratum.

7. Index:

An index has been added in response to numerous requests.

DCRB, ISBD(A), and AACR2:

In updating the 1981 text we duly considered the final draft text of the second edition of ISBD(A), and tried as much as possible to conform to it. Still, this second edition must perforce - as is true of all cataloging done at the Library - remain generally in harmony with the parent code of cataloging rules, AACR2, and in consequence, where there is a substantial difference between AACR2 and ISBD stipulations, DCRB usually follows AACR2 rather than ISBD(A). A good example of this would be the rule for the prescribed source for the edition area, which is limited to the title page in ISBD(A), while both AACR2 and DCRB prescribe the title page, preliminaries, and colophon for this 4D1 for recording words and phrases associated with the date element). Another category of essential differences between ISBD(A) and DCRB derives from the fact that DCRB, which is a body of cataloging rules, treats many subjects in considerably greater detail than does the international standard for rare books. The treatment of early letter forms in transcription, the specifications for captions titles and for single-sheet publications represent prominent examples of this difference between the rules and the standard for rare books. On the other hand, given the inclusion of at least some detailed stipulations in the standard which make it resemble cataloging rules, it is useful to make a clear distinction between ISBD(A) and DCRB, at least within the United States. With DCRB we have cataloging rules covering all the materials covered by ISBD(A), and there is then no competition between standards and rules. Our daily operation as we do the work of cataloging in each institution means applying our rules, not the standards. This does not mean that we have no need for the standards. As already suggested, ISBD(A) represents an international standard to be considered as one of our source documents when we come to write or rewrite cataloging rules for rare materials.

Any competition that remains might be said to lie between DCRB and AACR2 rules 2.12-2.18. Libraries with few rare materials may prefer to follow AACR2, including rules 2.12-2.18, without regard for DCRB. The Library of Congress disregards rules 2.12-2.18 altogether, applying instead their amplified counterparts in DCRB (cf. the concordance in Appendix F ).

Acknowledgments:

This second edition was prepared as a collaborative effort of the ACRL RBMS Bibliographic Standards Committee and the Library of Congress. The chief coordinators of the effort were Jackie M. Dooley, acting in her capacity as chairperson of the Committee, and Ben R. Tucker, with the generous assistance of Robert B. Ewald, representing the Library of Congress.

Other members of the Committee during the work on the revision were Sidney Berger, Virginia Bartow, Scott Carlisle, Eve Pasternak, Deborah Ryszka, Cynthia Shelton, Joe Springer, Laura Stalker, M. Susan Taraba, and Belinda D. Urquiza. Additional RBMS members who assisted in the review were John Attig, Bonnie Dede, Alan Degutis, Mollie Della Terza, Elizabeth Herman, Elizabeth Johnson, Sara Shatford Layne, Alexandra Mason, Janice Matthiesen, Hope Mayo, Patrick Russell, and John Thomas.

In addition to serving on the Committee, Belinda U. Urquiza of the Library of Congress coordinated mailings and compiled all the comments with heroic efficiency. She was ably assisted by Library of Congress rare book catalogers Roger J. Trienens and Matthew Caulfield in reviewing all comments in detail and drafting rule revisions. The John Carter Brown Library kindly permitted David Rich to revise his index, originally published in 1987 under the copyright of the John Carter Brown Library, and allowed its publication as an integral part of this edition of DCRB.

Scores of rare book catalogers in the united States and abroad took the time to comment on the earlier BDRB rules and on the two draft revisions. All of these comments were scrutinized and evaluated, and many contributors will find their suggestions reflected in the final text. To everyone who participated, we extend thanks for a very gratifying collaborative effort, one which it is fervently hoped will be useful to all catalogers of rare materials.

A final special note of thanks is due Mary Lou Miller of the Automation Planning and Liaison Office of the Library of Congress, who planned and then managed the printing of both the second draft and the final camera-ready copy. Her generous contribution of time and expertise while working under other deadlines is deeply appreciated.

Jackie M. Dolley

RBMS Bibliographic Standards Committee (ALA/ACRL)

Ben R. Tucker

Chief, Office for Descriptive Cataloging Policy

Library of Congress