Saturday, January 21, 2012

Walkthrough with MARC


100 and 110 Fields (main entry/creator of records; NR)


100 – personal name of individual or family; Subfield codes oft used – subfield a, and d
110 – corporate body (indicator 1 used for things like governments, for all other cases use 2); Subfield a and b

WATCH THE PUNCTUATION

245 Field (title statement; NR)


Indicators – 0 for added entry, 1 for added entry; second indicator for nonfiling characters, usually 0 for archives

Subfield codes often used – a, f and g; k is for forms

300 Field (physical description, R)


Indicators are undefined
Subfield codes of used – a, b, f and g

351 Field (Organization and arrangement of materials, R)


Subfield codes often used – a and b

$3 – material specified; this is ONLY for X, like “diaries and notebooks”

520 Field (Summary, abstract, etc; R)


Indicators very important!

Subfield codes often used – a, sometimes b (sometimes systems display short versions, and long versions); $3

Essentially a copy and paste from finding aid

545 Field (Biographical or historical Data, R)


Indicators – usually choose 0 or 1, second is undefined
Subfield codes often used – a and b

5XX


506 – restrictions on access; required in archives
524 – Preferred citation for described materials; for optimal record
535 – location of originals/duplicates
540 – terms governing use and reproduction aka copyright note
541 – immediate source of acquisition (always use)
561 – for the elaborate history of ownership
544 – location of other archival materials; related collections to collection at hand; associated materials are other materials Ided in a note that has the same provenace but reside in different reposityr; related materials have different provenance and reside in your repository
546 – Language note; use when lang is other than english
555 – Note making a pointer to more extensive finding aid
583 – Action note; record actions in area of preservation or appraisel or status of preservation of material; standardized terminology

7XX (Added entries, R)


700 and 710 mostly; Similar to 100 and 110 fields

852 – Location (r)


Required even for minimum records

First indicator – should probably use 4 (number assigned to collection is here)
Second indicator – should be # usually

Subfield codes often used – a, e, j

Don't pay attention to classification schemas, as we don't use them in archival collections

Organization code source list

Leader and 008 Field

Leader is a fixed field with fixed number of characters; NR; no indicators or subfield codes
06 – choose p unless you have specific formats
07 – choose c for collections
08 – choose a for archival
09 – choose # for MARC
10 – choose 2
11 – choose 2
12-16 – don't worry about bc system generates it for us
17 – encoding level; usually put # for full level
18 – choose AACR2 (a) because of the derivation of them
19 - use # bc not worried about it
20-23 – tell you exactly what to put there: 4, 5, 0, 0

008 field – control field; fixed legnth data element; there are 39 defined character position; character position 18-34 jump to mixed materials position

MARC - Overview

Overview of MARC Structure


Structure of MARC
  • Structure – Form that the information takes in a computer record (Order of elements; lengths of fields; how fields are subdivided)
  • MARC and EAD require an order of elements, unlike DACS

Composition of MARC record
  • Record structure – adheres to the ANSI standard for bibliographic information interchange (ANSI Z39.2)
  • Content designation – codes and conventions used to characterize the data, which is established by MARC
  • Content of the data elements – governed by a content standard (e.g. DACS)

MARC Tags and Codes
  • Field tag – three character numeric codes which identify fields of information (e.g. 100, 245, 300)
  • Indicators – one character codes which come immediately after field tags and provide information on the content of the tag; not always used
  • Subfield codes – define elements within a field; are preceded by a character called a delimiter sign (often the characters $ or # are used)

Major components of MARC record in bibliographic format
  • Leader and Directory – fixed; 24 characters long; often supplied automatically (no data entry required)
  • Variable fields – Control fields (no indicators or subfield; 00X fields); Data fields (two indicator positions, two-character subfield codes preceding each data element within the field)

Other important aspects of MARC record structure
  • Field/subfield repeatability – some fields and subfields are repeatable and some are not (e.g. each record may only have one 1XX, or main entry); commonly repeatable fields include 300, 6XX, and 7XX; check the MARC format online to see which can be repeated, R is repeatable and NR is not
  • Display constants – some systems are programmed to display certain descriptive information automatically, so you don't have to type in things like “scope and content” every time you input this information; these constants are often controlled by indicator codes – kind of like turning it on or off, depending on what code you put in; Check the MARC format codes online to make sure you have it when you want it or don't

Major blocks of fields for MARC
0XX – control information, numbers, codes
1XX – Main entry
2XX – titles, edition, imprint
3XX – physical description, etc
4XX – series statements (but this is different than archival series)
5XX – Notes (used a lot)
6XX – subject access fields
7XX – Name, etc added entries or series, linking
8XX – series added entries, holdings and locations
9XX – reserved for local implementation

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Authority Control: Creating Headings for Geographic Names


DACS 13

Geographic Names
  • Use the English form of the name of the place if there is one in general use (Germany not Deutschland)
  • If there is no English form in general use, use the vernacular form (in the official language of the country)
  • If the country has more than one official language, use the form most commonly found in English-language sources

Geographic Reference Sources
  • For US names, use the Rand McNally Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide
  • For canadian names, use the heading provided by the National Library of Canada
  • For other names, use a recently published gazetteer or consult the US Board on geographic Names

Modifications:
  • Drop initial articles unless retention is supported by gazetteers (i.e. Los Angeles)
  • Always spell out Saint and Mount
  • Drop “town” or “township”

Additions
  • Add to the name of a place the name of a larger place (except for states, provinces, territories, and countries); for example “San Francisco (Calif.)
  • Exception: for UK and Irish names of the country, not the country of the area; e.g. Glasgow (Scotland)
  • Differentiate between otherwise identical names by adding an additional smaller places required; e.g. Basildon (Essex, England) and Basildon (Berkshire, England)
  • for communities within cities, add the city and state or country; e.g. Highland Square (Akron, Ohio)

Authority Control: Creating Headings for Corporate Bodies

Original Lecture Video


Basic Rule
  • Enter a corporate body directly under the name by which it is commonly identified, except when required to enter under the name of a higher or related bosy, or under the name of a government
  • IE: personnel department of a business; many businesses have such a department so invoke the higher name

Order of preference for corporate body names
  • Name is determined by consulting the following sources (in order of preference): name that appears most frequently in published items issued by the body IF ANY; name that appears most frequently in reference sources; the name that appears most frequently in corporate body's records; the name that appears in administrative records relating to the acquisition of the materials being determing; name that appears in other archival records

Punctuation and changes of names
  • Delete any punctuations, like periods – Use IBM not I.B.M.
  • Changes of name: if the name of a corporate body has changed, establish a new heading under the new name for material appearing under that name; make a “see also” reference from the old heading to the new and from the new heading to the old (this goes back to respect de fond)

Variant Names, additions, and omissions
  • Variant names – use form of name found in the records according to the following order of preference: records legally establishing the crporate body; records of administrative regulations (e.g. by laws); other records of policy (e.g. minutes)
  • Additions – add qualifiers for names not conveying the idea of a corporate body of to differentiate between similarly-named entities
  • Omissions – omit initial articles, terms including incorporation, and abbreviations

Governments and conferences as corporate bodies
  • Governments – use the conventional name of the government (e.g. Pennsylvania not Commonwealth of Pennsylvania); differentiate among governments that have the same names using qualifiers
  • Conferences and Meetings – use the specific name unless there is a corporate body to which the meeting is subordinate; omit locations, numbers, frequencies, or years of convocation (this info. Will be used as qualifiers in a specific order) (SEE chapter 14)

Subordinate bodies rule
  • Subordinate bodies – DACS 12.12.13) – enter a subordinate body directly under its own name unless its name belongs to one or more of the following types (see DACS); make a cross-reference from the non=preferred to preferred form of the name
  • Type I: a name containing a term that by definition implies that the body is part of another (e.g. department)
  • Type II: a name containing a word that normally implied administrative subordination (e.g. committee)
  • Type III: a name that is general in nature or that does no more than indicate a geographic, chronological, or numbered or lettered subdivision of a parent body (e.g. research institute)
  • Type IV: name that does not convey the idea of a corporate body
  • Type V: name of a university faculty, school, college, institute, laboratory, ec, that simply indicates a particular field of study, interest, or activity
  • Type VI: name that includes the entire name of the higher or related body (e.g. Yale University Library)
    • Kent State University. School of Library and Information Science. Admissions Committee

Direct v Indirect subheading (12.14)
  • If corporate body fits one+ types, enter as a subheading of the lowest element in the hierarchy that is entered under its own name
  • Sometimes we can eliminate certain levels of the hierarchy
  • DACS p179 and 180

Government agencies entered subordinately
  • Enter a gov. agency subordinately to the name of the government if it belongs to one or more of the following types:
  • Types 1: agency with a name containing a term that, by definition, implates that the corporate body is part of another
  • Types 2: agency contains a word that normally implies administrative subordination in the terminology of the government concerned
  • Type 3: agency with a name that is general in nature or that does no more than indicate a geographic, chronological, numbered, or lettered subdivision of the government or of one of its agencies entered subordinately
  • Type 4: agency with a name that does not convey the idea of a corporate body and does not contain th name of the governments
  • Type 5: agency that is a ministry or similar major executive agency as defined by official publications of the government in question
  • Type 6: Legislative body
  • Type 7: A Court
  • Type 8: a principal service of the armed forces of a governments
  • Type 9: a head of state or head of governments
  • Type 10: an embassy, consultate, etc
  • Type 11: A delegation to an international or intergovernmental body
Enter all agencies belonging to the above types as a direct subheading of the heading for the government unless eliminating levels of hierarchy would confuse it with another agency

Special rules for Government Agencies
  • government officials (14.20)
  • Legislative bodies (14.21)
  • Constitutional conventions (14.22)
  • Courts (14.23)
  • Armed forces (14.24)
  • Religious bodies and officials (14.27)

Authority Control: Creating Headings for Persons

Original Lecture Video


Choice of Name
  • DACS 12
  • choose the name by which the person is commonly known (determine from chief source of information) and/or from reference sources in person’s language or country of residence/activity
  • You may include titles of nobility or terms of honor with names lacking a surname
  • Include diacritical marks and hyphens

Choice among Different Names
Order of preference – choose the name that appears most frequently in the person's published works (or any) OR; the name that appears most frequently in the archival materials being described OR; the name that appears most frequently in reference sources OR; the latest name; DON'T include nicknames

Pseudonyms
  • Use these only for those individuals who have published or distributed works exclusively using that pseudonym; prefer a person's real and full name to an nicknames, pseudonyms, etc. Make a reference from the real name to the pseudonyms
  • See DACS 12.2B2 for persons with “separate bibliographic identities”

Change of Name
Choose the latest name or form of name unless there is a reason to believe that an earlier name will persist as the name by which the person is better known (pseudonyms not included in this rule)

Choice among different forms of the same name
  • If name varies in fullness, choose according to the following order of preference: name that appears most frequently in the person's published works if any; the name that papers most frequently in the archival materials being described; name that appears in reference sources; the latest name
  • If no one form predominates, choose the latest form; in case of doubt about which is the latest form, choose the fuller or fullest form

Choice among different forms of the same name
More than one language? Choose according to the following order of preference: form corresponding to the language of most of that person's published work IF ANY; the form corresponding to the language of most of that person's papers; the form that appears most frequently in reference sources

Choice of Name: Language exceptions
  • for well-established English forms of foreign names, choose the former. When in doubt, though, use the vernacular form
  • For names written in a non-roman script, choose the form which has become well established in English-launguage reference sources
  • If variant spellings exist due to different romanizations, choose the predominant spelling (think of the word czar or tsar)

Entry Element
  • Select as the entry element that part of the name under which the person would normally be listed in alphabetic lists in his or her language or country of residence
  • Use surname if found as the entry element
  • Rare to include a first name as an entry element

Special Rules:
DACS chapter 12

Additions to Headings
  • Additions (put in parentheses)
  • Dates (add birth and death dates if known) (12.17)
  • Fuller forms of name (12.18)
  • Distinguishing terms (12.19)

Family names
Use the family surname followed by the term “family”
Choose the name according the following order of preference: Choose according to the following order of preference: form corresponding to the language of most of that person's published work IF ANY; the form corresponding to the language of most of that person's papers; the form that appears most frequently in reference sources

Authority Archival Control according to DACS

Original Lecture Video


Authority Control is part of the third step in describing creators, focusing on personal, corporate, and geographic names; SH come under authority control also but not focusing on this atm

Document Creator Information
  • Traditionally, creator information goes directly in the finding aid (as biography or administrative history)
  • But...we can also create a separate record system to manage authority information
  • Benefits of separate authority file: can link this information to multiple collections (both within and outside out own repository); relationships among creators can be documented; we can control what form of name is used consistently (and track name variants as well)(last one is what we are focusing on)

What is Authority Control?
  • A process for managing name variants for persons, corporate bodies, geographic names and subjects
  • In an authority record, which is different from a bibliographic record, the authorized version of a name is selected, and regerences are made from the unauthorized variants of the name to the authorized version

Authortiy Control, AACR2 and DACS
  • AACR2 stressed authorship and “blibliographic identities” while DACS stresses creationship
  • BUT...the structure and content of the chapters relating to formation of names are very similar
  • End result: rarely will the rules for DACS contradict the rules for AACR2 in terms of choice of names

Constructing Authority Records for Creators
  • After identifying the creator(s) of the records...
  • Record the name of the entity being described in a standardized format (as prescribed in DACS 12-14)
  • Record all other forms of the name “that might reasonably be sought be user”
  • Describe the entity using the rules found in DACS 10
  • Related persons, families and corporate bodies – record authorized names of all entities that “have significant relationship with the entity named in the authority record”; describe the relationship (unless it is already defined in the Admin/BIO history) and record the dates of the existence of the relationship; this goes far beyond what AACR2 requires
  • Authority record management – record repository core; record a number that uniquely identifes the authority record, record the rules used to create the authority record, indicate the status of the record (draft, finalized, revised, etc), indicate whether information is partial or full, record date of authority record creation, record information about any sources consulted, record the name of the archivist who compiled this

Page 113-114 of DACS gives a DACS authority record

Other Information to Include in a Finding Aid

Minimum v Optimum
  • Review the minimum and optimum levels of description found in DACS
  • Match your description level to your institutions requirements
  • Include those elements required for the level you have chosen
  • Any other elements found in DACS are recommended but optional

  • See Roe Appendix E, p 146-174 for examples of finding aids
  • Look at which pieces of information are being included
  • Good for the post workshop assignment

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Administrative and bibliographic history - Describing creators using DACS

Original Lecture Video

3 steps in describing creators
  • Identification of individuals, families, and corporate bodies that played a significant role in record creation (DACS ch. 9); primary and secondary creators like a family and then its members; could have creators of individual items or series like a letter writer; can write history notes for both primary and secondary creators
  • Assembly of biographical information about individuals and families, or data about the history, structure, functions, and relationships of the relevant organization (DACS ch. 10); might have to go to outside information sources
  • Standardization of names to facilitate retrieval of information across descriptions, systems, and institutions (aka authority control) (DACS ch. 11-14)

Identifying creators
  • Who is a “creator”?
  • DACS definition – a person, family, or corporate body that created, assembled, accumulated, and/or maintained and used records in the conduct of personal or corporate activity; creator can also be responsible for the intellectual content of a single item
  • Creator's names have to appear in the archival description (e.g. the finding aid)
  • Easiest rule of thumb: it is most often in the supplied title

Describing creators
  • Assemble information from reliable sources (the materials themselves and reference works)
  • Provide administrative/biographical history information for all creators and, optionally, for non-creator access points (e.g. for correspondents)
  • When primary responsibility for record creation is shared between two or more people o corporate bodies, make separate histories for each creator
  • Optionally: make separate histories for creators different from the primary creator at subordinate units of description

Biographical histories of individuals or families
  • Minimal amount needed to included if possible
  • DACS 10.14 – record information relevant to the understanding of the life, activities, and relationships of the person or family including...
  • Names including all variants
  • Family history, where relevant
  • Dates of birth and death
  • Places of residence
  • Education
  • Occupation, life, and activities (including important relationships with other persons or organizations

Administrative histories of corporate bodies
  • DACS 10.25 – give information relevant to the understanding of the creator's functions, activities, and relations with other corporate bodies including...
  • Dates of founding and/or dissolution
  • Geographical areas (where head and regional offices were located)
  • Mandate (legislation or other source of authority for corporate body in terms of its powers, responsibilities, or sphere of activities); law passed that established the body
  • Functions
  • Administrative structure
  • Predecessor and successor bodies – kind of like genealogy of it
  • Names of corporate bodies
  • Names of chief officers

Will be important when headings are created later on


Scope and Content Notes According to DACS


How it is you write scope and content notes in finding aids

Purpose of the scope and content note
  • Give users information about the nature of the archival materials and the activities of the creator which generated them
  • Helps users determine the relevance of the materials to their research question

Think of this note to be more of the archivist's opinion; archivists knowledge comes into play; acknowledging the strengths of the collection; this should be analytical; opposed to a history note which is factual

Information included in a scope and content note
  • Corresponds to DACS 3.1
  • Functions, activities, transactions, and processes that generated the materials being described
  • Documentary forms or intellectual characteristics of the record being described (minutes, diaries, reports, etc)
  • Content dates (time period) covered by the intellectual content or subject of the unit being described
  • Geographic areas and places to which the records pertain
  • Subject matter to which the records pertains, such as topics, events, people and organizations
  • Any other information that assists the user in evaluating the relevance of the materials, such as completeness, changes in location, ownership and custody

Other important instructions
  • Source of the information for the scope and content note is primarily the records themselves, thus a full note usually cannot be written without processing a collection (arranging and describing it)
  • Make sure that you note gaps in the records (except for those gaps that results from appraisal decisions, which should be recorded in the appraisal element area DACS 5.3)

DACS Element Areas

Original Lecture Video


DACS Element Areas

Chapter 2
Identify elements area
Reference codes (data value sets); name and location of repository; title; dates; extent; name of creator(s); administrative/biographical history

Chapter 3
Content and structure elements
scope and content note (topics) and system of arrangement

Chapter 4
Conditions of access and use element
Conditions governing access (if none mention that); physical access; technical access; conditions governing reproduction and use (legal restrictions like copyright or donor restriction); language and scripts or materials; finding aids (if exists)

Chapter 5
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history; immediate source of acquisition; appraisal, destruction, scheduling information; accruals

Chapter 6
Related Materials element
Existence and location of originals; existence and location of copies; related archival materials; publication note

Chapter 7
Notes element
General notes; conservation notes; migration or reformatting notes; citation notes; alpha-numeric designations (file or item)(most common with corporate records, who may have had their own numbering system)

Chapter 8
Description control element
Rules or conventions; sources used; archivist and date


Friday, January 13, 2012

Levels of Description in DACS

Levels of Description in DACS


Levels of Description – when we are creating records (colleciton lelve records, finding aids, etc) we may find that we don't nee dot include EVERY DACS element; want to mathc diffferent levels of description to what our product will be

There are 25 elements in DACS and not every element is required (This is chapter 1 in DACS book)

Single-level description
  • (can be used at ANY level, but can only describe ONE level)
  • Maybe want to create a record for an individual item, contribute to a union catalog, etc
  • Have minimum, optimum and added value approach
  • Examples: accession record, MARC21 record (not linked to other records)

Multilevel descriptions
  • Can be used at ANY level but MUST include at least one sublevel
  • corresponds with a finding aid (start at collection level, describe series, files in the series, subseries, item level)
  • Example: inventory/registry/finding aid, multiple linked MARC21 records (such as series records linked to one another)
  • Have minimum, optimum and added value detail

Single-level: Minimum (SLM)
  • Reference core – collection number
  • Name and location of repository
  • title
  • Date or date span of collection
  • Extent
  • Name of creator(s)
  • Scope and content
  • Conditions governing access
  • Languages and scripts of the materials
Most closely corresponds of an accession record; brief record with minimum level of documentation, usually made before collection is processed

Single-Level: Optimum (SLO)
  • All elements in SLM
  • Administrative/biographical history
  • Scope and content (full)
  • Access points
Created after a collection has been fully processed; after finding aid or MARC record is created

Single-Level: Added Value
  • All elements in SLO
  • Any relevant elements the repository would like to add

Multilevel: Minimum (MLM)
  • All in SLO
  • Identification of the whole-part relationship of the top level to the next subsequent level
  • each subsequent level should include all the above elements unless the information is the same as that of a higher level
  • could be a preliminary collection inventory, before processing

Multilevel: Optimum (MLO)
  • All elements in MLM
  • Administrative/biographical history
  • full scope and content note
  • Access points
  • Each subsequent level should include all elements at higher levels and identification of the whole-part relationship to the next level

Multilevel: Added Value
  • All elements in MLO
  • Icing on the cake


Guiding Principles of DACS

Original Lecture Video


Start with Prefatory Material (11 – 15)

Principles underlying DACS

1.Archival records possess unique characteristics from PUBLISHED works; archival records are by definition unpublished and organically created, they continue to grow

2.Respect des fonds is the basis of archival arrangement and description; respect des fonds means we don't want to try to separate papers of individuals, families, corporate bodies, etc; respect des fonds means the respect for the original order (the order has meaning and is critical for contextual information)

3. Arrangement involves the identification of groupings within the material; often done when identifying series, subseries, and files; e.g. personnel department, then functions of the department, then personal letters

4. Description reflects arrangement; want people to understand how materials are arranged; hopefully will reflect the functions or major events

5. The rules of description apply to all archival materials regardless of form or medium; if have collection mostly of one medium then maybe try desc. Meant for that medium

6. The principles of archival description apply equally to records created by corporate bodies, individuals, or families

7. Archival Descriptions may be presented at varying levels of details to produce a variety of outputs; DACS lets you produce at different levels of detail; however the level of description provided should correspond to the level of arrangement!
7.1 Levels of description correspond to levels of arrangement
7.2 Relationships between levels of description must be clearly indicated
7.3 Information provided to each level of description must be appropriate to that level; shouldn't be very detailed information in a description at a higher level; e.g. collection level record shouldn't have a lot of information about individual items

8. The creators of archival materials, as well as the materials themselves, must be described; provenance!

Other things to remember!
  • Data lements are mutually exclusive; shouldn't have an overlap (see the DACS book)
  • there is no preferred order of elements (order is determined by the output of the system used); examples can be seen in the Roe book
  • All data elements have a preferred source of information (see DACS book)
  • Some rules are optional or alternative
  • Taste and judgment, and institutional practice will determine the extent and form of some elements
  • DACS does not specify outputs, including punctuation, layout, labels, etc; to be MARC compliant we might use ISBD punctuation
  • Therefore! Examples in DACS are illustrative, not prescriptive
What DACS Doesn't Do
  • DACS does not give guidance about creating subject access points; consult other resources such as LCSH, AAT (form and genre terms), Other thesauri
  • DACS does not replace rules for special formats-consult them if you have significant material that is not text (and that may require item-level description)

Structure of DACS
  • Part I: Describing Archival Materials - Identity elements, content and structure elements, conditions of access and use elements, acquisition and appraisal elements, related materials elements, note materials elements, description control elements
  • Part II: Describing the Creators (creating the histories, or an administrative history) - How to identify the creators; administrative/biographical history; authority records
  • Part III: Forms of names (from AACR2) - Persons and families, geographic names, corporate bodies

Data Element Rules
  • There is a numbering system and a mnemonic similar to AACR2
  • Purpose and Scope → Commentary → Exclusions → Sources of info → General rules → Examples in EAD and MARC21




Introduction to DACS and Brief History

Original Lecture Video

Intro to DACS

Data Content Standards

  • Prescribe the way description is applied to a resource (AACR2, APPM, DACS); consistent way to record information such as dates, names, quantities of materials, sort of punctuation needed to use, things we MUST include and what is optional
  • DACS emerged out of APPM
  • APPM was the first archival content description thing out there for archives; based off AACR2

Data Structure Standards
  • govern the way data is presented and communicated for machine readability; makes data more granular; helps break up larger pieces of data into the component parts
  • Examples: MARC, EAD, METS

Data Value Standards

  • Provide consistent access points for discovery
  • Examples: LCNAF, LCSH, AAT

1980's: Archival community decided to piggyback on AACR2 and MARC; developed APPM
Archivist thought since their collections were unique so why need standard? Realized they needed to help the user of the archives

Before DACS....got special format rules for movies, oral histories etc

Benefits of APPM
  • Provided standardized description at the collection level; not meant to replace a finding aid
  • Played will with others ie AACR2 compliant bibliographic records
  • Allowed archives to adopt MARC, the primary data structure standard of the time, and contribute descriptions to the local and union catalogs, and bibliographic utilities such as OCLC and RLIN

Limitations of APPM:
  • Meant primarily on collection level records
  • Little support for multilevel description; not created to standardized finding aids and inventories
  • Bibliographic model borrowed from AACR2 marginalized crucial contextual information as “notes”
  • Rules for choosing access points and creating name headings written to manage author names, not creator names; look at title page to determine the name of the author but that probably won't work in archives


CUSTARD – Canadian US Task Force on Archival Descriptions - 2001
  • Harmonize US and Canadian descriptive practice (AAPM and Rules for Archival Description)
  • Incorporate international standards: ISAD and ISAAR (CPF)
  • Rules for all types of archival material
  • Rules for all levels of description (from items all the way to collections/fonds)
  • Output neutral (not tied to a particular data structure standard; can be used for EAD, MARC, or another database of the repository's choice)
  • Canada revised this again and it diverged from US

DACS Genealogy

APPM V DACS
  • APPM – supports single-level description only (catalog records); mimics ISBD areas of description someonf which are not applicable to archival materials
  • DACS – Grounded in archival principles; supports both single level and multi-level description (can create both finding aids and catalog records from the same set of rules!); Give more guidance on content of the data element (ie Just what information should go in an administrative history)