[DCRM-L] Devised titles in DCRM(MSS): required components conundrum

[Robert Maxwell]

I wonder if 1B5 is out of place in the numbering scheme. The first line of a verse is not what I would call a “devised title”, that is, made up by the cataloger (albeit following rules). Everything else in 1B does seem to be “devised,” but not (in my opinion) 1B5.

It also seems odd to me that 1C, Formal title, follows 1B, devised title, since 1B expresses a preference for using a formal title as the title proper (“For manuscripts without a formal title … devise a brief title”)—that is to say, the first thing you look for is a formal title, so I’d think the rule for that would precede the rule for devised titles. And choosing a title that is a quote from the item itself (first line of the text, 1B5) seems pretty formal to me.

Bob

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

From: DCRM-L <dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu> On Behalf Of Erin Blake
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2018 4:17 PM
To: DCRM Users' Group <dcrm-l at lib.byu.edu>
Subject: [DCRM-L] Devised titles in DCRM(MSS): required components conundrum

Can someone please help me see what I'm missing? DCRM(Manuscripts) appears to have contradictory instructions on devised titles...

1B1.2.1 says there are two required components in a devised title: Form or Genre, and Creator (if known).

But both both required components are missing from 1B5, which says to use the first line of a work in verse as the title, if it lacks a formal title.

The example in 1B5 says:
Oh God! whose dread and dazzling brow
Note: Title from first line of hymn

If the required elements are included,it seems it would have to be something like:
Hymn by William Cullen Bryant beginning Oh God! whose dread and dazzling brow

The instructions at 1B1.1 say that the order of required components isn't prescribed, unless rules for specific types of manuscript say otherwise. What about their presence in the first place?

Thanks,

Erin.
________

Erin C. Blake, Ph.D.  |  Head of Collection Information Services  |  Folger Shakespeare Library  |  201 E. Capitol St. SE, Washington, DC, 20003  |  eblake at folger.edu<mailto:eblake at folger.edu>  |  office tel. +1 202-675-0323

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserver.lib.byu.edu/pipermail/dcrm-l/attachments/20180319/d310a0c1/attachment.html>