Best Practices for Item Record Description Field

INTRODUCTION

Output from the Description field displays to users in HOLLIS, as well as to staff in Alma. 

It is used whenever it is necessary to identify what is represented by an item record:

• parts of a serial or a multipart monograph

• accompanying or supplementary material that is physically separate and barcoded separately from the parent item.

It is also optionally used to identify (via the convention of a plus sign), items that include (e.g., in a pocket) accompanying material.

If items represent specific parts, the Description field should not be null. The data allows the user to choose the specific item record they need.  

The data (numeric, alphabetic, and/or symbolic) is formatted according to ANSI/NISO Holdings Statements for Bibliographic Items.

The standards for recording enumeration and chronology in the bibliographic record are different from standards associated with holdings and items. . 

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The following best practices should be applied to prospectively created data.  

However, in cases when item records are already attached to a holdings record, and staff members are merely creating items for additional parts, formatting data in the new items so it remains consistent with existing data is recommended.  Avoid reformatting existing data to match current best practices unless there is a compelling reason to do so that affects access.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Hierarchical order of data

The order of this data is hierarchical: from the largest entity to the smallest. 

For example, for typical serials, enumeration generally would be recorded: series, volume, number:

ser.3:v.1:no.1

(For more information, see below under: Levels of enumeration.)

Chronology would typically be recorded: year, month, day:

1901:Jan.1

(For more information, see below under: Levels of chronology.)

Span of multiple parts

When recording a span of parts for which the data involves both enumeration and chronology, give in the form of: enumeration-enumeration (chronology-chronology).

v.1-3 (1900-1902) [not v.1 (1900)-v.3 (1902)]

Spacing within data

When creating item descriptions manually, one space should be inserted between enumeration and chronology or after a comma, as necessary to enhance readability. For other elements, data is run together without spaces (unless there is no punctuation, in which case a space should be used, e.g., Heft 12). (Please note that items created by prediction will not have these spaces; there is no need to bring items into alignment in this regard.) When both enumeration and chronology are present, the chronology follows the enumeration and the chronology is enclosed in parentheses.

Bd.3:Heft 12 (1988:Dez.)

1985:1, 1986, 1987:2-6

1942-1944

2000:enero-marzo

Item created by prediction: 

v.3:pt.2(1976:Jan.)

Language of captions and chronological designations

The recommended best practice is to record captions and chronological designations in the language in which they appear on the resource being described. For resources with multiple languages, the predominant language should be preferred. This prevents users from needing to translate between data from citations and data in HOLLIS.

Optionally, in cases in which stakeholders (RTL, Collection Development, etc.) have been consulted and agree, English may be used instead of the vernacular. English may also be the default for certain languages or when it is an established practice in a subject area.

English has been used routinely for certain languages in much legacy data.

Capitalization

Follow capitalization rules of the language used, e.g. capitalize German nouns and months in English, Greek, Indonesian, Latin, Malaysian, Romanian, and Welsh. 

The first letter in the Description field is NOT capitalized (unless it is a capitalized month, or a German noun, etc.)

Record captions beginning with a lowercase letter, unless the language of the caption requires an uppercase first letter. 

tome 10 becomes t.10 

Band 3 becomes Bd.3 

reel 32 remains reel 32 

Supplied information

If information pertaining to the resource needs to be supplied or clarified, square brackets may be used for this information in the Description field only.  For instance, if a bibliographic item normally carries chronology data and such data is omitted from some pieces, or if clarification is needed (e.g., to establish Gregorian dates):

[1984]

[spring]

5779 [2019]

Gaps

The Description field can also be used to indicate gaps in the item. (For detailed best practices, see below.)

SEQUENTIAL DESIGNATORS

Arabic numbers

Convert all numeric information to Arabic numbers. 

VII becomes 7 

six becomes 6 

Ordinal numbers

If ordinal numbers are recorded, use the form:

1., 2., 3., etc.

Optionally, in the case of English-language items, record ordinal numerals in the form:

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th …

Optionally, In the case of other languages, follow the usage of the language if ascertainable. For example:

1er, 1re, 2e, 3e ... [French]

1., 2., 3. ... [German]

1o, 1a, 2o, 2a, 3o, 3a ... [Italian]

Therefore,

first becomes 1. or 1st 

troisième becomes 3. or 3e 

3. Teil becomes 3.T. 

Alphabetic characters

Record uppercase and lowercase alphabetic characters as they appear on the bibliographic item. 

23a 

no.36B 

v.B 

Optionally, romanize nonroman alphabetic data. 

Combined numbering

When a bibliographic item is issued with combined numbering—not when bound together locally after receipt—separate the numbers by a forward slash. 

v.5/6 

v.5:no.1/2 

v.4:no.4/v.5:no.1 [Published as a combined issue] 

v.33/v.44:no.2 [A microfilm reel or CD-ROM containing v. 33 through v. 44, no. 2] 

Jahrg.71:Folge 12/Jahrg.72:Folge 1

Bracketed numbering

When a part of an otherwise numbered unit lacks numeric or alphabetic designation, it may be supplied in square brackets. 

[v.1]-3 [Enumeration supplied for v.1.] 

CAPTIONS

Order of captions with sequential designations

Record the enumeration for serial and multipart units by giving the caption, followed by the sequential designations of the pieces held. 

Band 5 becomes Bd.5 

volume 16, no. 3 becomes v.16:no.3 

third series becomes ser.3 

Caption abbreviations

In cases where captions exist on the piece/in the holdings record, abbreviated captions are to be used for all linked items created. 

Bd.1 (1972)

Bd.2 (1973)

Standard abbreviations for vernacular captions can be found in RDA B7-10.

A list of supplementary terms exists here: https://wiki.harvard.edu/confluence/display/LibraryBestPractice/Holdings+records?showComments=true&preview=/209191910/209197294/caption_abbreviations_supplementing_AACR2%20copy.pdf).

No captions

In cases where no captions exist on the piece/in the holdings record, no captions will be used on item records. 

1 (1990)

2 (1991)

LEVELS OF ENUMERATION 

Use of colons to separate hierarchical levels of enumeration

When enumeration below the first level is given, use a colon to separate each level of enumeration. 

v.1:no.1 

Bd.1:T.1:Nr.3 

1:2:1 

First-level series designators

For both numbered and unnumbered first-level series designators, record the series level as the first level of enumeration. When the first level is a series, always record the second-level enumeration along with the first level. As usual, separate the first level from the second with a colon.

ser.3:v.1 [The first level is a numbered series, “ser. 3”] 

new ser.:v.1 [The first level is an unnumbered series, “new series”] 

Note: Holdings statements created according to this standard, Z39.71-2006, are to use the abbreviation “new ser.” followed by a colon. Holdings statements created according to Z39.42-1980 or Z39.44-1986 may use the obsolete abbreviation “n.s.” without a colon.

Caveat when compressing holdings statements

Don’t compress half of the statement. If it is necessary to record both first-level and subsequent level enumeration in the holdings statement, repeat all levels of enumeration at the beginning and end of each range held.

v.1:no.3-v.29:no.4 

1:10-4:24 

v.2:pt.1:no.1-v.5:pt.2:no.3,v.5:pt.2:no.5 [not v.2-v.5:pt.2:no.3,…]

(Please note that compressed statements that similarly combine incomplete volumes are not allowed in 85X/86X pairs in holdings records. For more information, see Example 33 in the Holdings Examples:  https://harvardwiki.atlassian.net/wiki/x/yBR_Aw.)

LEVELS OF CHRONOLOGY 

Maintaining correspondence between levels of enumeration/chronology

Chronology data below the first level should be recorded when a corresponding level of enumeration is recorded.

v.5:no.1-v.7:no.4,v.8:no.2 (1975:Jan.-1977:Oct.,1978:Apr.) [not v.5:no1-v.7:no.4,v.8:no.2 (1975-1977,1978)]

v.1:no.1-v.3:no.4 (1994:spring-1996:autumn)

There may be circumstances that require a detailed chronology when only one level of enumeration is present (e.g., to show incompleteness in a daily newspaper):

no. 1-61 (1971:Jan.1-Mar.1)

Use colons to separate hierarchical levels of chronology

When chronology below the first level is recorded, use a colon to separate the year from the month. 

1982:Feb. 

Exception: In recording chronology data that contains day notations, do not treat these as a separate hierarchical level, and do not separate them with a colon. 

1988:Feb.1 [not 1988:Feb.:1] 

DATES

Order of preference between type of dates

When more than one type of date is present on the bibliographic item, select date from the following preferred dates, in this order: 

1. Date of coverage 

2. Date of publication 

3. Date of copyright 

4. Date of printing 

Do not use the date of reprinting because the chronology information should be that which is associated with the original work. Reprint information is properly a part of the bibliographic description of the work. 

Recording years

Use Arabic numerals.

Record all four digits of the year. 

1993/1994 [not 1993/94]

1980-1981 [not 1980-81]

For dates in other calendars, record the given date in Arabic numerals, followed by the Gregorian date in square brackets.

5779 [2019]

Abbreviation of months

Abbreviate months using standard abbreviations found here: Month abbreviations in various languages

1989:Jan. 

1987:juil. 

1993:mid-Sept. 

Recording seasons

Although seasons are recorded in Enumeration and Chronology fields as numeric values, in Description fields seasons are recorded in spelled out form:

spring

INDICATING GAPS 

When recording gaps in Description field:

If 4 gaps or fewer, record detailed holdings statement, using commas to show gaps

514,518 (1988:Sept.,Feb.)

If more than 4 gaps, as long as holdings record details the gaps, record summary holdings statement, followed by the word “incomplete”

590-608 (1996-2002) incomplete 

ALTERNATIVE NUMBERING

When creating item records for a new serial that has a main numbering system and an alternative numbering system, record only the main numbering system.

When adding item records to an existing serial that has a main numbering system and an alternative numbering system, follow the pattern already established in existing item records unless a pressing problem results (e.g., the main numbering system was used but becomes discontinued).

In cases when an alternative numbering system gets introduced and is presented more prominently than the previously existing main numbering system, it is acceptable to continue using the first system in the Description field.

SPECIAL SITUATIONS

Changes in designation

When the designation has changed, resulting in a mixed statement of enumeration and chronology, record such mixed statements as they occur, separated by a SEMICOLON. 

1882-1884;v.5-44 (1885-1922/1923)

v.1-10 (1900-1910);new ser.:v.1-3 (1911-1913)

Supplied/inferred volume numbering for earliest parts

In some cases, volume numbering begins not long after the first issue of a serial or first part of a multipart monograph. When a note in a bibliographic record shows that the volume numbering of the earliest parts is being supplied as inferred by the cataloger, use brackets in the item description for the inferred number:

bib. record 515 field note:          Volume numbering begins with: 2nd (1900/1901).

Item record Description field:     [v.1]-6 (1899/1900-1905/1906)

Numbering mistakes

Notes about misnumbered parts can be recorded in holdings records (see Holdings Examples, example 36, Error in numbering). Errors in numbering can optionally also be described in the Description field. When a part is clearly misnumbered, optionally record the incorrect number followed by the correct number given in brackets after “i.e.”:  

v.1-2[i.e.3], 5

Do not assume misnumbering unless you have the previous and following parts to compare to.

ADDITIONAL DESCRIPTIONS

Supplements

Use the Description field to indicate the presence of supplements or to indicate when the entire item consists of a supplement:

Supplement(s) to entire volume(s)

v.3-5 (2002) + suppl(s).

Stand-alone supplement to volume(s)

v.5:suppl. 

Formats and special issues

The Description field can also contain data to identify a work or a section of a work identified by a non-numeric designator, or to describe additional physical contents of the item (such as when volumes are specific to format or content, e.g. text; plates/illustrations; answers; media, maps; posters):

Individual volumes of set are format-specific:

v.1:text

v.2:plates

v.2:answer book

v.2:discs 1-4

v.5:maps

v.9:posters

For special issues of a serial:

If a serial issue is designated as a special issue but is one of the predicted issues, no change is needed from the predicted description. For example if no. 13 of volume 5 is termed special:

v.5:no.13 (1990)

If a supplemental issue is only designated as special, record its presence in the description. Therefore, a separate special issue to v. 5 housed with it would be recorded as:

v.5 (1990) + special issue

If the supplemental special issue has its own enumeration:

v.5 (1990) + special issue no.1

For multiple supplemental special issues with and without enumeration:

v.5  (1990) + special issues no.1-3

v.5  (1990) + special issues

Indexes

Use the plus sign to record information about indexes that were originally physically separate, but are now bound or housed with other parts. The indexes may cover all of the item, some of the item, or more than the item:

Index included in volume (index applies to all in item):

v.1-3 + index

Index included in volume (index applies to more than item)

v.2-3 + index:v.1-3

Use a term “index:” to record information about indexes that remain physically separate:

Stand-alone index

index:v.1-3