Page Comparison

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Typical current standards for: 

Letter

[1=correspondent].  [2=format] letter to [3=recipient]; [4=geographic location], [5=year month day].

            [6= additional information/enclosures]

Ex: Smith, John, 1878-1956.  Autograph manuscript letter (signed) to Judy Jones; Boston, 1945 June 3.  1 folder.

            With envelope.

            Includes clipping about Judy Jones.

Explanation:

1. Correspondent: name of person [or corporate name] who is writing the letter, also known as the author.  If you don’t know the name, use “Unidentified correspondent.”  Use <persname>
2. Format: of the letter and whether it is signed or not. Use <genreform> only for “odd” formats such as “telegram.” Other format examples are: typescript, typescript carbon, form letter, printout, photostat, etc …
3. Recipient: name of person [or corporate name] receiving the letter. If you don’t know the name, use “unidentified recipient.”
4. Geographic location:  the place name origin where the letter was written; if the place is not known, use “no place.”  Use   <geogname>  Sometimes this can be “aboard ship”   or “aboard train en route to …..”
5. Date: year, month, and day letter was written (NOT the postmark, date on envelope, though postmark can be used if there is no date on letter itself) Year is inserted within <unitdate>; month and day outside tags.
6. Additional information:  if there is an envelope, note that here. Also note any enclosures with letter or other information to be highlighted. Use <note> with separate <p>s for each information type.

Note: Occasionally, there might be a reason to reverse the data and/or count the pages:

Additional examples:

Smith, John, 1878-1956, recipient.  Autograph manuscript letter (unsigned) from unidentified correspondent;  New York, 1945 June 8.  4 pages in 1 folder.

            With envelope.

            Includes photograph of Judy Jones.

American Publishers.  Typescript letter (signed) to John Smith;  New York, 1945 June 8.  1 folder.

            With envelope.

            From Jim Jones, editor.

Composition

[1=author].  [2=title]  :  [3=format]; [4=geographic location], [5=year, month, day].

            [6= additional information/enclosures]

Ex: Smith, John, 1878-1956.  Little houses  : autograph manuscript (signed);  Boston, 1938 June 9. 1 folder.

            Includes clipping review of this novel.

Explanation:

1. Author: name of person who wrote the composition.  If you don’t know the name, use “Unidentified author.”  Use <persname>
2. Title:  title that is ON the piece. If there is no title, then create one. Capitalize only first word and proper nouns. Use <title>
3. Format: of the composition and whether it is signed or not.  Other format examples are: typescript, typescript carbon, printout, photostat, etc … Use <genreform> for “odd” formats only, such as photostat…
4. Geographic location:  the place name origin where the composition was written; if the place is not known, use “no place.”    Use   <geogname>
5. Date: year, month, and day composition was written.  Year is inserted within <unitdate>; month and day outside tags. If date is not known, either use “undated” or estimate year.
6. Additional information:  note any enclosures with composition or other information to be highlighted. Use <note> with separate <p>s

Document

[1=author].  [2=title]  :  [3=format]; [4=geographic location], [5=year, month, day].

            [6= additional information]

Ex: Smith, John, 1878-1956, signer.  Deed for 5 Pilgrim Way, Danvers, Massachusetts  :  printed document with manuscript additions (signed);  Salem, Massachusetts, 1935 June 4. 1 folder.

       Transfers deed from John Jones to John and Judy Smith.

Includes signature of many others including: Judy Smith and John Jones.

Explanation:

1. Author: name of primary person involved in document.  This could be the corporate “author” of the document if that is deemed more important.
2. Title: title that is ON the piece is the best choice. If there is no title, then create one making choices of data that most simply describes the item.  Use <title>  only if this text is on the piece. In the example above, deed would use <genreform>
3. Format: of the document and whether it is signed or not.  Other format examples are: autograph manuscript, manuscript, typescript, photostat, etc …
4. Geographic location: the place name origin where the document was created/signed; if the place is not known, use “no place.”  Use   <geogname>
5. Date: year, month, and day document was created/signed.  Year is inserted within <unitdate>; month and day outside tags. If date is not known, either use “undated” or estimate year.
6. Additional information: note any enclosures with document or other information to be highlighted. Use <note> with separate <p>s

Additional notes concerning long-form cataloging

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