Rare Monographs

Updated 1

Table of Contents

Standards for cataloging rare monographs

Guidelines for most commonly used MARC fields

• Leader: encoding level
• 040: Cataloging source
• 1xx: Main entry
• 245: Title statement
• 246: Varying forms of title
• 264: Production, publication, distribution, manufacture, and copyright notice
• 300: Physical description area
• 490: Series statement
• 500: General notes
• 501: With note
• 510: Citation/references note
• 541: Immediate source of acquisition
• 561: Ownership and custodial history (Provenance notes)
• 563: Binding information
• 655: Index terms - Genre/form
• 7xx: Added entry
• 752: Hierarchical place name
• 773: Link to host record

Artists' books

• Definitions

• Cataloging guidelines

• Resources

Broadside numbers

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Standards for cataloging rare monographs
 

Materials published before the introduction of mechanized printing technologies (approximately 1825-1830) should be cataloged according to the RDA provisions for early printed resources and the provisions for rare materials included in the BIBCO Standard Record (BSR). When available, recommendations made by the RBMS Committee for Policy Statements to RDA should also be observed and they have been included in the documentation below.

Items produced after the advent of machine presses should be cataloged according to RDA standards, especially when original cataloging records are produced. For resources that already have a bibliographic record created prior to the introduction of RDA, the descriptions may be kept in the original standard used, if no substantial changes are performed and the cataloging level remains the same. If the level of cataloging is upgraded, the resource should be cataloged according to RDA rules and the description code in the 040 field should be changed to RDA.                    

Other resources such as artists' books, 20th century private press books, graphic materials or items that have been determined to be rare or unique may also be cataloged according to standards recommended for early printed resources and rare materials. Catalogers can apply these instructions, selectively or in full, for any resource determined by CAMS to require a more detailed description. This determination may be made for reasons including, but not limited to age, rarity, fragility, or value as part of a collection. (Cf. RDA 1.12). Catalogers should use their judgement in determining the level of detail provided in the catalog description for these resources.

Guidelines for most commonly used MARC fields

The following guidelines are intended to provide best practice recommendations for those MARC fields that are specifically relevant for the description of rare books and other printed monographs such as pamphlets, broadsides, prints, posters, drawings, etc. The documentation is not meant to be an exhaustive resource for the special collections cataloger, but a source of information about local practices and cataloging standards currently in use at Princeton University Library.

Leader: encoding level

All materials treated according to rare materials standards should be cataloged to a full description level
(Encoding level _ in the Leader field).

040: Cataloging source

For original cataloging of early printed resources using Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (DCRM) standards, add a subfield ‡e with the code "dcrmb" for books and "dcrmg" for graphic materials.

Example: 040_ _ ‡a NjP ‡b eng ‡e rda ‡e dcrmb ‡c NjP

1xx: Main entries

Add a subfield ‡e for all records that have an authorized access point in the 100/110 field (even when the record is cataloged to a different standard than RDA).

Example: 100 1 _ ‡a Sutton, James Jackson, ‡e author.

245: Title statement

Transcription of the title:

For materials printed after the 1830s, follow RDA recommendations to transcribe the title as it appears on the source of information, including punctuation, abbreviations, inaccuracies, symbols, initials and numbering (RDA 2.3.1.4)

For early printed resources, the current practice recommended by the RBMS Policy Statements to RDA is to normalize punctuation and capitalization based on textual use.

Example: Title on the resource:  MISSALE ROMANVUM, nouissime impressum. Title statement (245): Missale romanum, nouissime impressum.                                     (transcription normalized based on printer’s textual use of lower u/v)

In general, follow the established DCRM guidelines for normalizing punctuation and transcribing early letters forms. However, catalogers are advised to:

• Retain internal marks of punctuation appearing within roman numerals
• Add diacritical marks with the pattern of usage in the text, when converting uppercase to lowercase
• Transcribe ‘vv’ as ‘w’, if ‘w’ is the intended character

Exceptions:

When considered important, the cataloger can apply non-normalized transcription and transcribe punctuation and capitalization as they appear on the source.

Transcription of Inaccuracies:

Correct inaccuracies with notes in the 500 field(s) instead of providing corrections via [sic.] or [i.e.] within the transcription as formerly recommended by DRCMB.

246: Varying form of title

Always add varying forms of the title in the 246 field(s) to cover all possible reading/writing variants. 

Example: Title on the resource:          TOMVS SECVNDVS D. Erasmi in Nouum Testamentum Title statement (245):          Tomus secundus D. Erasmi in Nouum Testamentum                                                 (transcription normalized according to publisher’s intent) Variant form of title (246): Tomus secundus D. Erasmi in Novum Testamentum                                                (transcription normalized according to current standards) Variant form of title (246): Tomvs secvndvs D. Erasmi in Nouum Testamentum                                                (transcription of the title as it appears on the resource)

264: Production, publication, distribution, manufacture, and copyright notice

For materials printed after the 1830s, follow the RDA guidelines for transcribing the publication area (RDA 2.8.1).

For early printed resources (published prior to the 1830s):

• Provide a complete transcription of the publication area, including all names of printers, publishers and booksellers (and addresses if considered important or relevant for identification)

• If a place of publication is known to be fictitious or incorrect, supply a correction in square brackets

• Treat printers and booksellers as publishers (use a 264 field with 2nd indicator 1) when the distinction between various roles is not explicitly made in the resource (or it cannot be easily ascertained). See RDA 2.8.1.1: “For early printed resources, distribution and manufacture statements relating to booksellers and printers may be treated as publication statements”.

Exception:

In cases when the printer and bookseller are clearly named in the resource, provide two 264 fields with different indicators for the publication and manufacture statements.

Example: 264 _1 A Paris : ‡b Pour Claude Gautier, tenant sa boutique au second pilier du Palais,‡c 1569. 264 _3 A Paris : ‡b De l’imprimerie de l’Oliuier de Harsy, ‡c [1569?]  (Printer statement from colophon).

In order to transcribe dates, follow the RDA practice of recording numerals as they appear on the source. For early printed resources where the date is supplied in Roman numerals, add the equivalent numerals in Arabic in square Brackets (Example:  M.D.CCXX [1720]).

300: Physical description area

 Subfield ‡a: Extent of text

For resources printed after 1830, follow the established RDA rules for recording extent of text (RDA 3.4.5).

For early printed resources, use Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (DCRM) conventions when recording extent. Do not spell out unnumbered pages or leaves (as specified in RDA), but instead use square brackets for sequences of unnumbered pages/leaves. Do not abbreviate the word “page(s)”, but instead spell it out.

Example: USE:    300 _ _‡a [8], 260, [2] pages NOT:   300 _ _‡a 8 unnumbered pages, 260 pages, 2 unnumbered pages

Also for early printed resources, record full pagination sequences and don’t use one of RDA’s methods for summarizing complicated pagination (e.g., 938 pages in various pagings). Do not use a note for recording full sequences of pagination/foliation even when pagination/foliation is particularly complex. Instead, you can use the optional provision in RDA that pagination of individual volumes may be recorded in parenthesis after the number of volumes in the extent element (e.g., 3 volumes (xx, 202; xx, 203-514; xxi, [1], 515-800 pages)

Subfield ‡b: Illustrations

Whenever possible, include references to the specific types/styles of illustrations (wood engravings, woodcuts, lithographs). These can be described either in the 300 field (subfield ‡b) or separately in a note in a 500 field. For items from the Graphic Arts Collection at Princeton, illustrations should be described into more detail, including naming the illustrators in a 500 field with an additional 700 entry for theirs names in the established form.

Subfield ‡c: Dimensions and bibliographic format 

Record the bibliographic format of an early printed resource if it can be readily ascertained and is considered important for identification or selection. Use an appropriate term from the following list: folio, full-sheet, 4to, 8vo, 12mo, 16mo, 18mo, 24mo. Other terms that can be used are: royal 8vo, oblong 4to or inverted 12mo. 

490: Series statement

Transcribe the name of the series statement as it appears on the prescribed source in the item and follow the general guidelines of the Cataloging and Metadata Services Department for tracing series statements.

500: General notes

Use the 500 field(s) to record additional information about the items cataloged, including details about the title, statement of responsibility, edition, collation formula, language of publication, etc. For information specific to Princeton copies, add a subfield ‡5 followed by the MARC organization code for Princeton Library (NjP).
Copy designations in the ‡3 such as "Princeton copy 1" should be paired with a parallel note in the 866 ‡z. See documentation on Holdings Records for more detail.

Examples of notes recording copy-specific details about local items:

501: With note

Use this note field to describe separate, independent works that have been bound together under the same covers, either by the publisher or subsequent to publication by a former owner or a local institution. Create a bibliographic record for each title bound in the volume, but only one item record (for the first work listed in the volume), with one call number. The item record should then be linked to each of the bibliographic records for the titles bound in the volume. In the bibliographic record of each title, make a 501 note as described below. Consult the local procedures for Bound-with cataloging for procedural information on linking records in Alma.

For items bound together by the publisher, use a “Issued with” or “With” note at the beginning of the field

For items bound together subsequent to publication, add a structured note listing the title proper (or preferred title if different), the statement of responsibility, and the entire publication statement of the other work(s) bound in the volume. If there are more than two works, cite all the other titles in the record for the first; in the records for succeeding titles, cite only the first. Use ISBD punctuation, except omit the period-space-dash-space between areas. When multiple items are listed, separate them by a space-dash (two adjacent hyphens)-space. Add the statement "Bound together subsequent to publication" or the statement "Probably bound together subsequent to publication", followed by a subfield ‡5 NjP at the end of the field.

Optional [pending review by cataloging team]: If more than 4 works are bound together in the same volume, make an unstructured description note following the example below:

Example: 500 ‡3 Princeton copy 1 ‡a No. 2 in a volume of 7 works bound together subsequent to publication. ‡5 NjP

510: Citation/references notes

Whenever available and accessible to the cataloger, include references to bibliographies and catalogs where early printed resources are identified and described. Always record the name of a reference source if information drawn from it is used in the cataloging record or when it is necessary to distinguish the item in hand from another similar edition. Use the current Standard Citations Forms for Rare Materials Cataloging, available on the RBMS website and also in an alphabetical order on this list.

Example: Current citation form:  English short title catalogue Previous citation form: ESTC

541: Immediate source of acquisition

Example: ‡3 Princeton copy 1 ‡c Gift: ‡a Silvain S. Brunschwig,‡d 1956.

Designation of "Princeton copy 1" in ‡3 should be paired with a parallel note in the Holdings record (866 ‡z). See page on Holdings Records for details.

561: Ownership and custodial history (Provenance notes)

• For early printed resources (pre-1830), record all available information pertaining to former owners or donors, including: signatures, inscriptions, bookplates, stamps and the presence of manuscript notes/annotations/ marginalia. Provide an added access point for the name(s) of the former owner(s) in the 700 field if the owner can be identified. Former owners can include persons, families or corporate bodies and they should be traced in the 700 field with their established form (when available). 

561 __ ‡3 Princeton copy 1 ‡a Ownership inscription from the Convent of San Domenico in Ferrara ("Est Con[ven]tus S[anc]ti Dom[eni]ci de ferraria") at end of preface and below colophon; bequest bookplate of William O'Brien, dated 1899 ("Ex legato Gulielmi O'Brien justiciarii an. 1899"). ‡5 NjP 700 1_ ‡a O'Brien, William, ‡d 1832-1899, ‡e former owner. ‡5 NjP    710 2_ ‡a Convento di San Domenico (Ferrara, Italy), ‡e former owner. ‡5 NjP

• All provenance information should be entered in a single 561 note. Do not create separate notes for different owners or annotators.
• Designation of "Princeton copy 1" in ‡3 should be paired with a parallel note in the Holdings record (866 ‡z). See page on Holdings Records for details.
• Catalogers are not required to specify the location of bookplates. However, this information may be included if useful for retrieval (for example, if the bookplate is pasted in an unusual place, like the last page instead of the front pastedown).

561 __ ‡3 Princeton copy 1 ‡a Engraved armorial bookplate of Elija Impey (1732-1809) on rear pastedown. ‡5 NjP

• If an inscription is legible, concise and/or written in another language (for example in Latin), make a note in English and try to include a transcription of the inscription as it appears in the item.

Preferred style and terminology for provenance notes:

• Use signature rather than autograph, with the exception of special cases such as autograph books
• Spell out the word “manuscript” rather than using the abbreviation “MS” or “ms”.

563: Binding information

• Provide a short description for all hand-made bindings, important 19th century bindings or bespoke bindings (i.e. Riviere bindings). If a binding is particularly ornate or richly decorated, or special in any way (i.e. royal bindings or panel stamped bindings), include a more detailed description, including decorations on covers, spine, edges, endpapers, etc.
• Designation of "Princeton copy 1" in ‡3 should be paired with a parallel note in the Holdings record (866 ‡z). See page on Holdings Records for details.
• Add a 655 field with an RBMS binding term for specific types of bindings (such as armorial bindings, royal bindings).
• Include an added access point for the name of the book binder/ binding firm in the 700/710 field if they can be identified.
• Generally, a binding note is not necessary for publishers' bindings or other bindings that are not specific to the copy-specific. If binding is not copy-specific and you do include a note, omit ‡3 and ‡5.

Examples:

561 _ _  ‡3 Princeton copy 1 ‡a Bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe in red levant morocco, gold-tooled and inlaid with                     green morocco. ‡5 NjP 710_ _  ‡a Sangorski & Sutcliffe, ‡e binder.

‡3 Princeton copy 1 ‡a 16th century Flemish blind-panelled calf, central panel composed of a horizontal row of stamps of three dogs and a porcupine each flanked at top and bottom by two scrolls with a Latin inscription; spine with four raised bands and manuscript title on label; remains of tie holes on boards. ‡5 NjP

561_ _ ‡3 Princeton copy 1 ‡a Bound in full contemporary red goatskin with gold-stamped arms of Louis XIV on covers and gilt royal monograms in spine compartments; all edges gilt; marbled endpapers. ‡5 NjP 655_7 ‡a Royal bindings (Binding) ‡y 18th century. ‡2 rbbin 655_7 ‡a Armorial bindings (Binding) ‡y 18th century ‡2 rbbin

655: Index terms- Genre/ Form

• Catalogers may assign form and genre terms in the 655 field, as applicable. Please follow the CAMS Form/Genre Term Guidelines, linked here.

7xx: Added entry

Relationship designators for agents: 

• For name added entries (700 /710), assign the appropriate relationship designators in subfield ‡e. 
• Assign RDA Relationship Designators for Agents associated with a Work, Expression, Manifestation or Item.
• Some relationship designators for rare books are not in RDA. In this case, assign terms from the RBMS Relationship Designators.
• If the relationship is copy-specific, (i.e. annotator, former owner), add a ‡5 for NjP. 

Example: 700 1 _ ‡a Witherspoon, John, ‡d 1723-1794, ‡e former owner. ‡5 NjP

Selected RBMS Relationship Designators not in RDA:

• Binding designer
• Calligrapher
• Cover designer
• Former owner
• Forger
• Marbler
• Owner
• Papermaker
• Type designer
• Typographer

752: Hierarchical place name

Include an added entry for the hierarchical names of places of publication for all early printed materials, especially when the name of the place expressed in the 264 field is in another language other than English and/or the form is different from the established or well-known one.

Example: 264 _ 1 Argentorati : Jo. Gruninger,  1505. 752  _   France ‡d Strasbourg.

The Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) of the American Library Association maintains a list of Latin place names most frequently encountered in the imprints of books published before the 1800s and their vernacular equivalents.

773: Link to host record

See Bound-with cataloging page for instructions on constructing 773 fields to link constituent records for multi-title collections to their host records. 

Artists' Books

Definitions

Artists’ books are books that are considered works of art in themselves, often experimenting with the medium of the book on a formal and conceptual level. The “artist’s book” as a discrete genre can be said to have come about around 1960, though it has many precedents in art and publishing history.

Livres d’artiste, on the other hand, are books containing original works of graphic art; this variety of illustrated book emerged in Paris at the turn of the 20th century. Modernist movements such as Futurism and Dadaism turned to the book as an artistic format.

Cataloging guidelines

The title page will often not be the chief source of information. Information from bookseller’s descriptions or publisher’s website can be provided in brackets, with source cited in a 500 note.
Catalogers can follow rules for early printed resources, on a field-by-field basis, as a means of providing richer descriptions of artists’ books.

Example: 264 _ 1 ‡a [Brooklyn, N.Y.] : ‡b [Small Editions], ‡c [2017]. 500 _ _ ‡a Publisher, place and date of publication from Small Editions website (viewed on June 1, 2018).

Extent should be listed as concisely as possible in the 300 field. If the physical format differs significantly from the standard codex form, provide a fuller description in the 500 field.

Example: 300 _ _ ‡a 64 cards : ‡b illustrations ; ‡c 15 x 18 cm + ‡e 1 box (15 x 18 x 10 cm)  + 1  sheet (30 x 36 cm folded to 15 x 18 cm) 500 _ _ ‡a Publication consists of 64 screenprinted, artist-designed game cards issued in custom box. Game instructions and publication information on enclosed laser-printed sheet, which folds out to poster.

If necessary, provide a fuller physical description in 500 note. 

Example:  500 _ _ ‡a Accordion-fold book with text laser-cut into pages and silkscreened illustrations. Issued in blue cloth slipcase.

Cataloger may also include a 500 note citing the publisher’s or bookseller’s description of the item if it contains relevant information about the publication’s artistic content.
As artists’ books are often issued in small editions, indicate copy number in a local note, if it appears on the item. 

Example: 500 _ _ ‡3 Princeton copy 1 ‡a No. 114 out of 200 copies. ‡5 NjP

Include a mandatory 655 form/genre heading for artists’ books. Catalogers are also encouraged to include 655 fields for binding and printing methods, when considered important or relevant.

Example:  655 _ 7 ‡a Artists’ books. ‡2 rbgenr 655 _ 7 ‡a Accordion fold format (Binding) ‡2 rbbin

If a record has a 650 LCSH for artists’ books, change it to a 655 as described above. (Exception: leave the 650 and create a 655  if  artists’ books are the subject, in addition to the format.)
Catalogers are strongly encouraged to include 700 or 710 fields for agents associated with the production of the book as an artistic work. This includes printer, binder, book designer, writer of added text, curator, etc.

Resources

These Princeton University Library collections contain artists' books, livres d'artiste and related genres: 

• Graphic Arts Collection
• Marquand Library of Art and Archaeology
• Concrete and Visual Poetry 

The following resources provide further historical background on the genre of artists' books:

• Artists' Books Online
• Yale University Library Book Art Resources
• Smithsonian Libraries Unbound blog

Assigning broadside numbers

Broadsides are numbered sequentially within collection groups. To assign a new broadside number go to the shared drive \\lib-tsserver\rbsc\Technical Services\Broadsides (accessible only to designated staff). Read the instructions and then open the database as indicated.