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Preservation Department | Binding Unit | Conservation Unit | Statistics/Goals | About the Department

Short Guide to Formatting the Description Field

Usually, Aleph will create a correctly formatted Description field in Tab 1 of the Item record if the item record was created by a prediction pattern. When you are creating an item record for a periodical that cannot be predicted, or editing an item from the Bind/Changes process, use these guidelines when creating the contents of the Description field.

BASIC FORMATTING:

Larger units of enumeration and/or chronology precede smaller units, and colons separate each level. If dates (chronology) are on the piece in addition to other enumeration, enclose the chronology information in parentheses. Notice that there are no inserted spaces. However, month and day are separated by a space, and all days should be shown in two digits.

If the language of the piece is supported, transcribe captions as they appear on the piece itself when creating item records. Record captions beginning with a lower case letter, unless the language of the caption requires uppercase first letter. A complete list of captions (including terms that cannot be abbreviated) may be found here.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS:

A. Dealing with Dates (Chronology):
Always use the full four digits of the year. If a single unit, as issued by the publisher, covers part of two calendar years (such as an academic or fiscal year), separate the years with a slash (1998/1999). If binding two years , use full four year digits both times separated by a dash (1998-1999).

B. If dates are the enumeration, that is, if a date is the main way to identify the individual pieces, or for pieces where the year is further modified by the volume ("multi-volume annuals"), those dates are not enclosed in parentheses.

C. Dates used in the enumeration and the chronology:

1) The piece says spring 1999 and number 1, and the number is re-used every year (i.e., no.1 is also spring 1969, spring 1970, etc.) then your description line should say 1999:no.1 (1999:spring)

2) There are 12 pieces per year, each labeled with a month and year, and numbered sequentially each year. So each year you have no. 1 published in January, no.2 published in February, etc., and that pattern repeats each year. So you'd have, for example, a piece that says both April 2003 and no.4
2003:no.4 (2003:Apr.)

D. Seasons:
If the piece says autumn, we use fall. At this time, we do not have abbreviations for seasons in any languages. Do not capitalize seasons in English, even if they are capitalized on the piece.

E. Dealing with page numbers, citation numbers, etc.:
Some journals, especially in the sciences, are issued in page numbers, citation numbers, or a similar system. Treat these like any other lower level of enumeration.

1) v.5:p.2331-2470(2003)

2) v.3:2345-2780(1973) [citation numbers might be described this way]

F. Supplements:

1) Numbered with the main issue
The main challenge in creating item records is consistency and providing for the correct sorting. Usually, we would want supplements to a volume to sort right under that volume. We would use the notation for supplement in the Desc after the other numbering. Again, use the language that appears on the piece, and abbreviate according to the guide for captions.
v.1(2003):suppl. (This indicates that only the supplements are bound in this piece; if the volume and the supplements are bound together see below.)
Bd.3:Abt.1-4 (The four supplements of Bd. 3 are bound in this volume.)

2) Bearing their own numbering
In this case, suppl. is functioning as a caption, and should be treated in that way.


G. Indexes:
The notation for an index should appear only in the Desc. There is no correct place for it in the tabs of the item form. [See also, “Materials bound with a volume” below] Remember to use the terminology on the piece itself. Do not invent terms or translate.
v.32 (1976) index
NOTE: It is not necessary to add information about a single-volume cumulative index when it is bound with the volume.

H. Binding incomplete volumes:
The NISO standard does not require a specific format for incomplete items. Locally, we have made the following decisions:

1) In the description area, describe the item as if it were whole.

2) In the OPAC note (found on Tab 2), describe the exact contents of the volume by either noting what is present or what is missing whichever is clearer and more concise.

I. Materials bound with a volume:
Sometimes additional material is bound with the main unit. The plus sign is used to separate a basic bibliographic unit from a subsequent one or from a secondary bibliographic unit. The + sign is used with a space before and after it. (Be aware that if you need to generate a locally-printed label for such an item, the + will print on its own line, and you may reach the limit of eight lines very quickly!)

1) v. 90(1990) + v.90-94(1990-1994) index

2) no.1-7(1989) + suppl.2(1990)

J. Numerals:

All enumeration must be in Arabic numerals, 1,2,3 and so forth. If the enumeration on the piece is in Roman ( I, II, III, etc.) or some other system, you need to go ahead and change it to Arabic.

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