Transcription rules, etc

[Joe Springer]

As one separated both in time from the last revision and place (until
mid-August) from my own files regarding the birth of DCRB out of BDRB I
find I cannot do more than lurk at this point.  I make this brief foray
onto the list simply to thank Eric for his cautionary message on
transcription rules.  One thing I do know without my files is that at the
time of DCRB's compromise on transcription we
recognized that while "simpler" may work for most materials, certain kinds
of materials demand much more sophisticated guidelines.  In fact, "simpler"
rules may become complicated when facing those materials.  In my mind, the
chief goal of catalog(u)ing [to introduce the memory of another difficult,
perhaps less substantive struggle!] remains access and retrieval.  I am
glad that, regardless of the outcome of this round of transcription
discussion, the mechanics of our modes of retrieval provide "workarounds"
which reduce whatever deficiencies the old or the new compromise
contains/introduces.

I do hope someone rises to the invitation to work with ISBD(A) before this
process gets much further along.  If my memory serves
me correctly, many of the misc. deviations from AACR2 were a result of a
decision to attempt to treat DCRB as something of interest to those outside
the AACR2 world--cribbing from ISBD(A) in preference to AACR2 as part of
that effort.  DCRB clearly is a tool for users of AACR2, but I hope we
don't view  ISBD as irrelevant.  In those distant files, I am quite sure I
have a messy, probably hopelessly outdated comparison of BDRB
(yes)/ISBD(A)/AACR2.  Regardless of what relative priority the current
revisors choose to place on AACR2 and ISBD(A), a thorough comparison of
DCRB with the other two is a step I would recommend
 working with earlier rather than later in the process.       

I don't know what possessed me to leave home for four months without even
bringing along a copy of DCRB for casual consultation!

Joe Springer
Goshen College SST/Deutschland-Programm
Karl-Rothe-Str. 18
D-07749 Jena
Germany
Tel: 03641/44 47 95
joeas at goshen.edu