I. Prefatory Information

This manual covers the cataloging of Houghton's printed materials (books, music, graphics). Also covered are other formats such as drawings and realia.  Its focus is special collections cataloging to assist catalogers working in Alma. Manuscript cataloging for collections and single item manuscripts is described under the Manuscripts Section. 

 It is recognized that some of the Rare Book Section's time is spent on what is not normally considered traditional "rare book" cataloging.  Examples of this work are the cataloging of reference books and modern collections, database clean-up, collection-level descriptions, and expedited cataloging. Decisions about the treatment of such material will be made as needed. 

This manual will continually be added to and changed in light of conversations and developments in cataloging practice both locally and nationally.

NOTE:
In this manual, "Houghton" refers to Houghton Library, Harvard Theatre Collection, Woodberry Poetry Room, and other collections administered by Houghton Library, unless specific exception is made as documented.

PRINCIPLES

1. Houghton's collections are extraordinarily rich and diverse, and they contain many unique or nearly unique items. Preserving the intellectual record, physical evidence, and history of these collections is a high priority.
2. It is impossible to predict which materials acquired today will be most highly valued by future generations.
3. Houghton collections are highly significant for their copy-specific features. For many items, their research value lies more in these features than in the text.
4. Houghton collections are rich in duplicates and near-duplicates, potentially affording exceptional opportunities for bibliographical comparison and discovery.
5. Houghton has a long tradition of supporting bibliographical scholarship, both by staff and researchers.
6. Because Houghton is a closed-stack library, researchers rely heavily on Houghton catalogers providing rich descriptions of its collections.  Access to Houghton collections will be significantly impaired by items cataloged improperly or to minimal standards.
7. HOLLIS is not only a local online catalog, but a major bibliographical resource accessed worldwide by innumerable individuals who will never visit Harvard's libraries or use its collections.
8. HOLLIS gives off-site researchers considerable help in identifying precisely which items they need to consult and in planning research visits. The more thorough and accurate the information is in HOLLIS, the more useful it will be to researchers, the more they will be able to do for themselves, and the more cost-effective it will be for Houghton to serve them.
9. Houghton benefits greatly from its participation in cooperative cataloging activities and adherence to Harvard and national standards. Likewise, it benefits greatly from its connections to the international community of scholars and librarians.