[DCRM-L] Recording symbols

[Manon Theroux]

Larry,

LCRI 1.0E goes into this issue in greater detail. 
I've copied relevant bits of the LCRI below, 
though you might want to read through the whole 
thing (which has a lot of examples). Whether or 
not to transcribe the symbol depends on whether 
or not the symbol is judged to be an integral 
part of the title. If you do want to transcribe, 
you use the language of the title. If you don't 
know how to express the symbol in the language of the title, you use English.

Like Deborah, "fist" is what came to mind for me 
(in English). Not sure of the Spanish equivalent.

-Manon

======================

Signs and Symbols

The objective in treating signs and symbols not 
represented in the character set is to render or 
convey the intention without undue time and 
effort and with a minimum of interpolation, using 
one of the techniques described in this section. 
Note that a minimum of interpolation is wanted 
because those searching the machine catalog 
cannot very often be expected to "second-guess" 
the cataloger in this respect, i.e., users will 
normally formulate search queries that 
necessarily do not take interpolations into 
account. As judged appropriate, use notes to 
explain and added entries to provide additional 
access; the examples below are illustrative, not prescriptive.

1) If the symbol is judged not to be an integral 
or essential part of the title, do not intervene 
in the transcription. Instead, omit the symbol; 
explain its presence in a note if it is judged worth mentioning.

transcription: 245 10 $a "W" today! Tomorrow?
(On the title page the traditional female symbol 
appears under the letter "W" but the preface 
makes it clear that the symbol is not intended to 
form part of the title and gives the full title)
suggested note: 500 ## $a On t.p. the symbol for 
female appears under the letter "W"
added entry: 246 30 $a Women today! Tomorrow?

<snip>

4) Substitute in the language of the context the 
word, phrase, etc., that is the obvious 
spoken/written equivalent (if unknown in the 
language of the context, use English); bracket 
the interpolated equivalent. If the element in 
the source is not preceded or followed by a 
space, in general precede or follow the bracketed 
interpolation by a space unless the preceding or 
following character in the source is itself also 
a separator or unless the use of a space would 
create an unintended result for searching.

transcription: 245 10 $a I [love] a piano
suggested note: 500 ## $a On t.p. "[love]" appears as a heart

Exception 1: Do not transcribe characters that 
indicate birth (e.g., an asterisk) or death 
(e.g., a dagger) even if such characters are in 
the character set. Do not use a mark of omission; 
instead, explain the omission in a note.

Exception 2: Ignore symbols indicating trademark 
(registered or otherwise), patent, etc. These 
include a superscript or subscript "R" enclosed 
in a circle (®) (ignore although included in the 
character set) and the superscript or subscript 
letters "TM" (™). Do not explain their presence 
in a note. (Ignore such symbols also when they 
appear with elements used in headings.)

If the spoken/written equivalent is not obvious 
or if there is doubt that it is obvious or if it 
is unknown, give an explanation or a description 
in the language of the context (if unknown in the 
language of the context, use English).

If a title consists solely of a sign or symbol or 
one or more marks of punctuation, provide an 
equivalent in all cases, even if the particular 
symbol is itself in the character set.



At 12:23 PM 11/30/2006, Deborah J. Leslie wrote:
>Is it a fist?
>
>We don't transcribe or describe non-textual 
>symbols such as paragraph marks, rules, and the 
>like. Why would we interpolate a description of a fist, if that is what it is?
>
>Deborah J. Leslie, M.A., M.L.S.
>Head of CatalogingFolger Shakespeare Library
>201 East Capitol St., S.E.
>Washington, DC 20003
>202.675-0369
>djleslie at folger.edu
>
>________________________________
>
>From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu on behalf of Laurence Creider
>Sent: Thu 2006-11-30 12:05
>To: DCRM Revision Group List
>Subject: [DCRM-L] Recording symbols
>
>
>
>Folks,
>         I am currently cataloging a work with a title and statement of
>responsibility that says:
>Tiernos afectos de amor, temor, humildad, y confianza ?h [microform] : ?b
>con que clama en dulces soliloquios una alma, que arrepentida llora, y
>ansiosa suspira por su verdadero bien / ?c dispuestos en decimas, las
>cincuenta y tres asignadas con esta sen~al [] por el Lic. D. Diego
>Calderon ... y las restantes por el Rdo. P. predicador Fr. Francisco de
>las Llagas, hijo de la santa provincia de San Diego de la Serafica
>Descalzes de Nro^. P. San Francisco ...
>
>Following the word senal is a small hand with the bottom figure extended.
>Other records for this title go straight from senal to por with no
>indication of an omission.  My reading of DCRB 0F and DCRM(B) 0G1.2 is
>that I should provide a cataloger's description of the hand in brackets.
>
>There is a common term for this symbol; can anyone tell me what it is?
>
>Now the point that makes all this relevant to this list is that DCRM(B)
>0F1.2 says to give interpolations into the title area in the language of
>the publication.  Does this mean that the cataloger's description should
>be in Spanish?  Or not?  In either case, an example might be a good idea.
>
>If the description should be in Spanish, any suggestions on what the
>terminology should be?
>
>Thank you.
>
>In puzzlement,
>         Larry Creider
>
>Laurence S. Creider, Ph.D., M.S.L.S.
>Head, General Cataloging Unit
>New Mexico State University
>Las Cruces, NM  88003
>Work: 505-646-4707
>Fax: 505-646-7477
>lcreider at lib.nmsu.edu
>
>
>

____________________________________________

Manon Théroux
Authority Control Librarian
Catalog Department
Yale University Library
P.O. Box 208240
New Haven, CT 06520-8240

203-432-8376 (tel)
203-432-7231 (fax)
manon.theroux at yale.edu