Scope: This document describes the differences between cataloging a bound manuscript and cataloging a book or loose manuscripts. If a given field is not mentioned below, treat it the same as you would when cataloging a book. For further details on how different fields are used, see Procedure 91. , Details on Fields Used in Manuscript Cataloging.
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Unit: Cataloging & Metadata Services in RMC
Date last updated: 02/0209/20162017
Date of next review: January 20172018
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Publication status: s for single date, i for a range of dates (beginning date goes in Date 1, ending date in Date 2), or q for a questionable date (with the beginning date of the probable date range in Date 1, and the end date of the probable date range in Date 2).
Place of publication: nyu (here we record the location of the repository, namely Cornell, in New York State)
040 field: $a NIC $c NIC $e dacs
We currently follow DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2004) when describing a manuscriptmanuscripts, whether bound or unbound. DCRM(MSS) (Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (Manuscripts)) will be implemented soon for cataloging single manuscripts, once OCLC makes 040 $e dcrmmss valid in its system. Both DACS (2nd edition) and DCRM(MSS) are freely available online.
099 _9 field: Local call number
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This consists of the brief title followed by a comma and the date in $f. Transcribe the title from the title page if there is one. If there is no title page, take the title from the spine or elsewhere in the volume, or devise a titletitle–a brief phrase that identifies what the manuscript is. Don't use square brackets around a devised title in manuscript cataloging. A devised title should consist of the creator's name + nature of the materials + (optionally) topic.
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Omit the 260 field.
300 field
Treat this field the same as in book cataloging, except without abbreviations If the pages are unnumbered, it's sufficient to describe the extent of the item as "1 volume." Note that abbreviations are not used ("volume," "pages," etc. are spelled out). If the manuscript has numbered pages, it's helpful to also give the extent in terms of the number of pages. If the text of the manuscript ends before the last numbered page, give the number of the last numbered page in the 300 field and make a 500 note about the blank pages at the end (e.g. "Pages 50-75 are blank").
If the manuscript is illustrated, add [space][colon]$b illustrations. Add [space][semicolon][space]$c[height of the volume in centimeters]. Note that "cm" is used without a period at the end (it's considered to be a symbol rather than an abbreviation).
Examples:
300 1 volume.
300 1 volume (164 pages).
300 _154 pages :$b illustrations ;$c 21 cm
545 field: Biographic/Historical information (first indicator 0 for an individual, 1 for a group or organization).
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In English; $b secretary hand.
In German; $b mainly in 19th-century German Suetterlin script, with two notes in Fraktur glued in.
561 field: Provenance (coded with first indicator 1 to display to the public)
Use this field for the provenance note if the item has a signature, bookplate, stamp, etc. with a previous owner's name, or the previous owner is known based on other evidence.
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Form/genre terms for manuscripts can be drawn from the Art & Architecture Thesaurus or (less commonly) from RBMS Genre Terms. We subdivide RBMS terms by country and century (or by country and decade for common 20th-century genres such as novels). "Diaries" is a valid term in both thesauri, but it's helpful to use the RBMS version so you can subdivide it by country and century (we have many, many diaries).
Examples:
655 _7 Diaries$zGermany$y20th Diaries $z Germany $y 20th century. $2rbgenr$2 rbgenr
655 _7 Photograph albums. $2aat$2 aat
If the item has an especially interesting binding or the like, you can use a term from one of the other RBMS Controlled Vocabularies to describe it, as you would for a book. See LTS Procedure 88, "Thesaurus Terms Commonly Used for Rare Books."
Example:
655 _7 Clasps (Binding). $2rbbin$2 rbbin
7xx field
Make added entries for co-creators of the manuscript, or other contributors such as editors, translators, copyists, etc. If the volume is a letterbook, for example, trace the compiler of the letterbook as the creator in a 100 field, and the predominant correspondents in 700 fields.
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Receipt status: 2 if we have the complete set of volumes, 5 if we don't
Completeness: 1 if the set is complete, 2 if it isn't