DCRM and visual materials

[Patrick Russell]

Hi all:

I think Elizabeth raises some good points. However, I am also concerned
that RBMS Standards may be over-extending itself.  Having used GIHC
extensively for Bancroft's pictorial materials, and at least initiated into
APPM, I would prefer to see us go the route of "referring to" in let us say
a bibliography.  If there are specific concerns (GIHC is for "original
items and historical collections", maybe we want to suggest that this be
spelled out differently, that certain kinds/situations of material be
addressed, etc.)

In my experience the real problem with GIHC is not a lack of "special
collections" orientation, but rather its being almost entirely geared to
the type of things and method of acquisition in place at LC Pic&PhotDiv.  I
would also say, from knowing Helen Zinkham and other staff members, that
they would be most willing to expand the provisions of said manual (one
area being more adequate treatment of collection-level records), which is
now in the process of revision.  Seems to me that it would be fruitful for
us to pursue "expanding" GIHC rather than offering our own solutions in
some kind of separate DCRB/V.

I'm not so sure about APPM -- We at Bancroft would not in any case use APPM
for a collection of predominantly printed and/or visual material -- We
would apply LC's monographic collection-level practice or GIHC. RBMS
Standards might consider, however, what are implications of the
collection-level concept (with linked finding aids)i to the cataloging of
early printed material, such as ephemera, broadsides, pamphlets, etc.  

In other words -- as far as DCRB goes, I would like to see us focus on
printed materials -- not that other things aren't important, but rather
that we don't over-extend what we can practically accomplish.

Patrick 

At 10:34 AM 4/20/99 -0700, Elizabeth Robinson wrote:
>Hello all,
>
>Bob has asked me to lead discussion on another "other formats" topic in
our revision of DCRB, namely visual materials.
>
>Recently at the ARLIS/NA conference in Vancouver, I presented a paper on
cataloging rare art books and visual materials. For the latter, I noted
that I have been using a variety of codes (GIHC for 2-D items, AACR2
chapter 10 for 3-D items, APPM for some collections).
>
>Per Bob's suggestion, I also asked the audience at my session to get in
contact with me or Bob if interested in participating with us in the
revision of DCRB/M as far as visual materials are concerned. So far, no
takers as far as I know. I'm not surprised about that since the audience
was mainly novice catalogers or art librarians who are mainly reference
people who have to somehow deal with special collections items. The
session, btw, was not limited to cataloging but dealt with the art book and
visual materials as special collections items for art libraries. Topics
included collection development, preservation, electronic publication, as
well as cataloging.
>
>Anyway, to return to my charge, I am just trying to get the ball rolling
as far as what we want DCRB (or DCRM) to do with visual materials. We can
refer to these other codes (listed above) perhaps in an appendix but do we
also want to look at each and recommend DCRB-like supplementary
instruction? Do we want to contact the authors of these codes -- GIHC and
APPM in particular -- about making a similar link to DCRM?
>
>Thanks.
>
>
>--Eliz.
>
>