Revised from the ISBD(CF):
International Standard Bibliographic Description
for Computer Files
Recommended by the ISBD(CF) Review Group
(Originally issued by K.G. Saur, München, 1997,
as Vol. 17 in the UBCIM Publications, New Series)
International Standard Bibliographic Description arose out of a resolution of the International Meeting of Cataloguing Experts, organized by the IFLA Committee on Cataloguing in Copenhagen in 1969, that a standardization of the form and content of bibliographic description be established. The International Standard Bibliographic Description for Monographic Publications was the first of the ISBDs pursuant to the mandate of 1969. The first text of the ISBD(M) was published in 1971 as a set of recommendations. By 1973 this text had been adopted by a number of national bibliographies and, with translations of the original English text into several other languages, had been taken into account by a number of cataloguing committees in redrafting national rules for description. By this time it had also been noted that the printed word is only one of the means of documentary transmission through which the communication needs of individuals and institutions are served, and that a standardized descriptive structure for documentary materials other than books should be addressed by IFLA's programme for International Standard Bibliographic Description. Consequently, the ISBD(NBM) International Standard Bibliographic Description for Non-Book Materials was produced and published in a first edition in 1977.
This ISBD contained provisions covering machine-readable data files. However, when the ISBD(NBM) was being reviewed, together with the ISBD(CM), ISBD(M), and ISBD(S), by the ISBD Review Committee formed by IFLA in 1981, it was decided that special consideration should be given to the rapidly increasing need for a separate ISBD for computer files. With the development of programs and data files for smaller computers, the nature of the medium became more complex; in addition, this change resulted in physical items roughly comparable to other library materials to be more widely added to library collections, with bibliographic control needed for them. As a result, the ISBD(CF) Working Group was established and met for the first time in March 1986. Preliminary drafts based on the revised ISBD(NBM) were gradually improved through comments by a wide variety of users of computer files; these and other efforts by the Working Group culminated in a final draft of the ISBD(CF) in late 1988. A key feature of this work was the harmonization of the text of the ISBD(CF) with revised texts of the four ISBDs mentioned above as published in 1987-1988.
Electronic resources are products of a volatile technology that continues to generate changes at a very rapid pace. Specific among recent advances are the following: emergence of interactive multimedia; development of optical technology; availability of remote electronic resources on the Internet and World Wide Web; and reproductions of electronic resources. As a result of these considerations and in recognition of the importance that ISBD(CF) should address the bibliographic implication of such developments, the IFLA Cataloguing Section's Standing Committee decided to initiate formal review and revision of the ISBD(CF), in collaboration with the Section on Information Technology. A Working Group was formed in late 1994 with participating and corresponding members from both sections. With IFLA sponsorship and additional funding from the Research Libraries Group, the Working Group met in April 1995 and laid the foundation for the preparation of the draft Second Edition. This draft was distributed for worldwide review in response to which more than 30 commentaries totalling more than 110 pages of text were received from individual readers, library associations and national libraries. As a result, many improvements have been realized, including recognition of the need for a new term by which to characterize the material under discussion: this term is "electronic resource" which is judged more appropriate than the term previously used "computer file", given the array of materials intended to be comprehended by this ISBD.
A special word of acknowledgement is due to Ann Sandberg-Fox who has served as principal editor of this text. Special thanks are given to the Research Libraries Group in appreciation of the help they have given in support of the ISBD(ER) project.
The ISBD(ER) includes an index and five appendices. Appendix A offers a prescription for the special technique of multi-level description. Appendix B provides a brief sketch of the way in which data should be transcribed when partly in a script reading from right to left and partly in a script reading from left to right. Appendix C lists the recommended general material designation, resource designations and specific material designations with their definitions. Appendix D gives recommended abbreviations for use in English-language records. Appendix E conveys the examples formulated to offer an illustration of the result of applying ISBD stipulations in all areas of a record.
John D. Byrum, Jr.
Chairman, ISBD Maintenance Committee
and Chairman, ISBD(CF) Review Group
Washington, D.C.
June 1997
| John D. Byrum, Jr. (Chair) | Chief, Regional and Cooperative Cataloging LM535, Library of Congress Washington, DC 20540-4380 United States |
| Sten Hedberg | Utvecklings- och systemavdelningen Uppsala Universitetsbibliotek Box 510 S-751 20 Uppsala Sweden |
| Catherine Marandas | AUROC Bibliothèque Cujas 2, rue Cujas 75005 Paris France |
| Maria Luisa Martinez-Conde | Unidad de Coordinación Informatica Biblioteca Nacional Paseo de Recoletos, 20 28071 Madrid Spain |
| Ann M. Sandberg-Fox | Cataloging Consultant and Trainer 34 Broadstreet Road Fairfax, VT 05454 United States |
| Sandie Beaney | Electronic Media Cataloguing Project Record Creation British Library Boston Spa Wetherby West Yorkshire LS23 7BQ United Kingdom |
| Ton Heijligers | Chair, Dutch Cataloguing Committee University Library Amsterdam Singel 425 1012 WP Amsterdam Netherlands |
| Stuart James | Librarian University of Paisley High Street Paisley PAI 2BE United Kingdom |
| Laurel Jizba | Principal Cataloger Michigan State University Libraries East Lansing, MI 48824 United States |
| Mona Madsen | Head, Dept. of Bibliography The Royal School of Librarianship Birketinget 6 DK-2300 Copenhagen S Denmark |
| Eeva Murtomaa | Librarian Helsinki University Library / Bibliographic Dept. Box 26 (Teollisuuskatu 23) SF-00014 University of Helsinki Finland |
| Ingrid Parent | Director, Acquisitions and
Bibliographic Services Branch National Library of Canada 395 Wellington St. Ottawa, Ontario K1A ON4 Canada |
| Mirna Willer | Consultant for Library Automation National and University Library Ul. Hrvatske bratske zajednice bb P.O. Box 550 10 000 Zagreb Croatia |
