[DCRB-L] DCRM(B) series area

[Robert Maxwell]

Richard & al.:

You are not the only one unhappy about this, and you should know that
discussion of the issue is about to begin on the CC:DA list. 

As ACRL liaison to CC:DA and representing the BSC I have also written a
note of protest to our JSC representatives.

Robert L. Maxwell
Special Collections and Ancient Languages Catalog Librarian
Genre/Form Authorities Librarian
6728 Harold B. Lee Library
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602
(801)422-5568 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Noble [mailto:Richard_Noble at brown.edu] 
> Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2003 9:11 PM
> To: dcrb-l at lib.byu.edu
> Subject: [DCRB-L] DCRM(B) series area
> 
> 
> A personal inquiry from Jerry Wager, and Jane Gillis's 
> posting to autocat, 
> prompt the following:
> 
> I overheard much of the conversation about 12.1 and mandated 
> quasi-accuracy 
> (i.e. silent correction) in transcription into the 440 field. This is 
> pretty nearly ("pretty nerdy" says wife Robyn looking over my 
> shoulder) a 
> hill to die on: exact transcription is the core (nay, 
> minimum) activity of 
> DCRB/DCRM(B). Unfortunately BDRB/DCRB had nothing to say 
> about series, what 
> with the exclusive emphasis on "early printed monographs". 
> DCRB 6 simply 
> refers the cataloguer to AACR2, a bit of a throwaway.
> 
> I imagine we want to avoid an awkward (and intellectually 
> indefensible) 
> inconsistency in the treatment of this one portion of 
> transcribed data. We 
> have backing in ISBD(A), which, though it too refers the 
> cataloguer to 
> other rules--ISBD(S)--"for an understanding of the elements 
> pertaining to 
> the area", nevertheless prescribes transcription consistent 
> with the rest 
> of the record:
> 
> "6.1.1  The title proper of the series or sub-series 
> corresponds to the 
> title proper in the bibliographic description of the series 
> or sub-series 
> when it is described as a serial according to the provisions 
> of area 1 of 
> ISBD(S). The provisions of area 1 in ISBD(A) are applied to the 
> transcription of the data selected for the title proper of 
> the series."
> 
> That's pretty straightforward. It's hardly radical to suggest 
> that in this, 
> as in other respects, DCRM(B) ought at last to follow its 
> precursors in 
> attempting to conform as closely as possible to ISBD(A). The 490/8XX 
> complex functions perfectly well for the purpose; indeed, it 
> will often be 
> necessary anyway, given the grievous complexity that obtained 
> at the birth 
> of the series (it's all very simple nowadays, of course).
> 
> 
> Post-script (what oft was thought, and here again's expressed): The 
> assumption behind DCRB area 6 is a bit unfortunate. There was 
> never any 
> historically valid reason to limit the rules to the putative 
> hand press 
> period (a rather foggy notion), since 
> scholarly/historical/artifactual 
> treatment of all printed books depends on the same attention to the 
> physical construction of the object, the genetics of its 
> printed surfaces, 
> and the bibliographical relationships that are ascertained from such 
> evidence. At this point in the history of the printed codex, the 
> distinction between hand-press and machine-press printing seems 
> increasingly jejune--merely a way of avoiding the 
> complexities introduced, 
> gradually, by way of cloned and reusable printing surfaces, machine 
> composition, publisher bindings and binding issues, etc. 
> etc., which if 
> anything require even greater attention to the details of subtler 
> variation. One can be easily deceived by how much more closely, but 
> deceptively, C19and C20 books may resemble each other. Of course, I'm 
> preaching to the choir, since the BSC has made serious 
> progress towards 
> overcoming the false distinction, but also facing the 
> peculiar problems 
> involved in cataloging "later printed monographs". The series area is 
> certainly a peculiar problem.
> 
> 
> RICHARD NOBLE : RARE BOOK CATALOGUER : JOHN HAY LIBRARY : 
> BROWN UNIVERSITY
> PROVIDENCE, RI 02912 : 401-863-1187/FAX 863-2093 : 
> RICHARD_NOBLE at BROWN.EDU
>