<font size="4"><font face="garamond,serif">I would be disappointed if we had to compromise so far as to bury the facts about the physical make-up of the complete text block and its appurtenances in a note. A brief form of description that incorporates that information for comparative purposes is always desirable for those who can use the information. If anything, I'd settle for say "908 pages in various pagings ([18], 303, [1], 46, 49-100, [2], 69-232, [2], 79-80, [26], 98, [2], 109-156, 257-993 [i.e. 399], [1] pages)" as an optional parenthetical addition. (I'm hoping that my arithmetic is correct--I might be able to tot it up more easily from a proper Bowers-style registration of the pagination, with the collational formula as a check (pages must equal leaves times 2).</font></font><div>
<font size="4"><font face="garamond,serif"><br></font></font></div><div><font size="4"><font face="garamond,serif">A principle that is foundational to the rare book rules is that the "extent" must account for all pages of all integral leaves, together with plates, etc. that conform to ideal copy. RDA's exceptions to this are similar to AACR, and likewise call for different treatment in DCRM(B). The detailed register is a result of an assessment of the integrity of the book (old-timey phrase: "collated & perfect", or C&P for those who can tolerate abbrev).</font></font></div>
<div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="garamond, serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="'courier new', monospace">RICHARD NOBLE : RARE BOOKS CATALOGER : JOHN HAY LIBRARY : BROWN UNIVERSITY<br>
PROVIDENCE, RI 02912 : 401-863-1187/FAX 863-3384 : <a href="mailto:RICHARD_NOBLE@BROWN.EDU" target="_blank">RICHARD_NOBLE@BROWN.EDU</a> </font><br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Aug 31, 2010 at 2:36 PM, Erin Blake <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:EBlake@folger.edu">EBlake@folger.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">As
a non-cataloger and a provider of reference services, I’ve found the
statement of extent for rare books accounts for each page very well, using a
succinct standard formula, BUT it often fails to do something else important
for many users: letting us know how big the book is. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">When
I see “[18], 303, [1], 46, 49-100, [2], 69-232, [2], 79-80, [26], 98,
[2], 109-156, 257-993 [i.e. 399], [1] p.” I know that I can easily
check it against a standard bibliography, but I’d have to get out a
calculator and use all my fingers to determine how many pages there are. Is
this book likely to provide me with a lot of information on the topic, or just
a little? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">If
a revised DCRM(B) ignored the “Early Printed Resources” exception
in RDA’s “Complicated or Irregular Paging, Etc.” and instead
went with standard option (a) plus a mandatory note on pagination, I could have
my cake and eat it, too:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Existing
RDA text:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">3.4.5.8.</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> If the resource has
complicated or irregular paging, etc., record the number of pages, leaves, or
columns using one of the following methods:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">a)
Record the total number of pages, leaves, or columns (excluding those that are
blank or contain advertising or other inessential matter) followed by in
various pagings, in various foliations, or in various numberings, as
appropriate.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">
Example: 1000 pages in various pagings</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Hypothetical
DCRM(B) addition</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">:
always provide pagination in a note.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The
“advertising or other inessential [sic] matter” opens up a can of
worms (is a half-title essential?) but DCRM(B) 5B5.2. does already say “Make
a note to indicate the presence of pages that only contain advertisements.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Thanks,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">
EB.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">--------------------------------------------------</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Erin C. Blake, Ph.D. | Curator of Art & Special
Collections | Folger Shakespeare Library | 201 E.
Capitol St. SE | Washington, DC 20003-1004 | office tel.
(202) 675-0323 | fax: (202) 675-0328 |
<a href="mailto:eblake@folger.edu" target="_blank">eblake@folger.edu</a> | <a href="http://www.folger.edu" target="_blank">www.folger.edu</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></p>
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