In general, enter each provenance in a separate 561 field, in chronological order of ownership; some provenance information can be combined in a single note for reasons of clarity. It is important to phrase notes so that the provenance is clearly stated and explicated if necessary; it is also very helpful to quote short inscriptions (included in quotation marks if recording verbatim), especially those giving a place and date or other context. Inclusion of the exact location within a copy of provenance evidence is at the cataloger's discretion. For example, if a 700-page book has only 1 or 2 contemporary manuscript notes or an ownership signature in an unusual place, it may be helpful to include exact locations. A provenance note may include part of a 563 binding note, if that section of binding is the evidence of provenance.
Provenance Notes for Bound-With Volumes
For bound-with containing 2 or more works, provenance notes should be added to the holdings record for every title in the volume to which they apply; also add the appropriate 7XXs to the bibliographic records. If a provenance pertains to only 1 title (e.g., someone who owned the item before it was bound with other works), do not add it to the holdings records for the bound-with.
Immediate Past Owner
It has long been Houghton book cataloging practice to neither mention nor trace the immediate past owner (i.e. the person who gave an item to Houghton). Catalogers may do so at their discretion if the provenance is significant; this is especially true in cases where Houghton receives a large collection from an individual's library. In this instance, consult with the handling curator about an appropriate tracing. If there are no marks indicating ownership, include a general "From the library of …" if needed. See examples below.
Examples:
Bookplates & Stamps
561 1 _ $$a Bookplate on front pastedown: [XXX]. $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Armorial bookplate on front pastedown: Wm. Compton [i.e. William Compton, Marquess of Northampton]. $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Anonymous armorial bookplate on back pastedown. $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Armorial bookplate with motto on front pastedown: "[XXX]." $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Stamp on title page: [XXX]. $$5 hou
Signatures & Inscriptions
561 1 _ $$a Ownership signature on front endleaf: [XXX]. $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Ownership inscription on added title page: "Alfred Roffe, Nov. 1860." $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Inscription on front endleaf: "[XXX]." $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Presentation inscription on half title page: "à Mademoiselle Grenier 9bre. 1757." $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Presentation inscription from the author to Maxim Gorky on front endleaf. $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Early inscription in Russian on page 476. $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Indecipherable ownership signature on front cover. $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Ms. inscription on j2r noting the gift of this book by Johannes Muller to the Jesuit college at Bamberg.: "Ex dono Joannis Mulleri Arnstadiani, organistae quondam ebearcensis, Collegio Bamb. Soc. JESV. 26 Julij. 1625." $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Author's presentation inscription to Frederick Locker-Lampson on half-title page; with Locker-Lampson's armorial bookplate on front pastedown. $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Ms. ownership notations on title page, "Johannis Wolborg" and "Pro Libraria Vilnensi Frũm Minorũ"; another on blank AA1v, "RP Bernardinor: Vilnen:"; from the library of Eustachy Tyszkiewicz, with his ownership stamp on verso of title page. $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Presentation copy, with author's 14-line ms. sonnet, "A Don Rubén Darío"; signed by Amador and dated "Paris, 8/4/XI" on blank leaf preceding half-title (slightly cropped in binding). $$5 hou
Annotations
561 1 _ $$a With author's annotations throughout copy. $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Contemporary ms. notes on title page. $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a Ms. notes in 2 early hands on title page $$5 hou
561 1 _ $$a From the library of Elizabeth Bishop, with her ms. annotations on front endleaf. $$5 hou
Provenance from binding
561 1 _ $$a Cipher and coat of arms of King Christian VII of Denmark stamped in gilt on spine. $$5 hou
"From the collection" / "From the library of"
561 1 _ $$a From the collection of John Milton and Ruth Neils Ward. $$5 the
561 1 _ $$a Previously in the collection of Edmund G. Wilson. $$5 hou
Historical Note
For materials received prior to November 1, 2020, the main funding information (without the price or the bookseller's name and address) from 541 was also added under provenance:
Example: Purchased with the Amy Lowell fund, 1998. $$5 hou
For materials received after November 1, 2020, all 541 information will be set to publicly display in Hollis; hence, no separate funding information should be added to 561.