[DCRM-L] "Bookseller" as Relator Term

[Noble, Richard]

What is the consensus regarding the application of the relator terms
"Bookseller" and "publisher" in the context of a database that contains
records for books old and new? "Bookseller" as the counterpart of what we
now call a "publisher" is essentially an archaic usage; the role played by
the e.g. c18 bookseller named in an imprint is really what we understand as
a combination of publisher, distributor and retail bookseller (and possibly
printer as well).

Our foremost concern in providing an access point for entities named in
imprints and colophons is to identify "a person or organization responsible
for publishing, releasing, or issuing a resource"--which is one of the
parameters for identifying a manifestation. And that is the definition of
the relator term "publisher", no matter how the person or body might have
been styled when the resource was produced.

The relator term "Bookseller" designates one who "makes books and other
bibliographic materials available for purchase". Vis-a vis manifestations,
this is a secondary role of the bookseller. That is, "bookseller" as a
relator term applies more to items than it does to manifestations.

I've seen many rb records that use "bookseller" for the bookseller as
publisher, but I'm uncomfortable using a data point that relies on
historical context, and specialized knowledge, for its correct
interpretation.

RICHARD NOBLE :: RARE MATERIALS CATALOGUER :: JOHN HAY LIBRARY
BROWN UNIVERSITY  ::  PROVIDENCE, R.I. 02912  ::  401-863-1187
<Richard_Noble at Br <RICHARD_NOBLE at BROWN.EDU>own.edu>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserver.lib.byu.edu/pipermail/dcrm-l/attachments/20160510/6cf544c0/attachment.html>