ISBD(ER) Revisions

Proposals initiated by the IFLA Section on Cataloguing’s ISBD Review Group

In an effort to take into account the changes being adopted in describing electronic resources by the Joint Steering Committee for Revision of AACR (JSC) and other sources, the IFLA ISBD Review Group commissioned an investigation into those problem areas in the ISBD(ER) that it deemed to be significant and in need of immediate resolution. Four specific problem areas were identified: 0.5 (Sources of Information); Area 3 (Type and Extent of Resource); Area 5 (Physical Description); and Area 8 (Standard Number (or Alternative) and Terms of Availability). A principal investigator was appointed to conduct a six-month investigation, which resulted in a report containing options and recommendations for the ISBD Review Group to consider. The Group discussed the report at its August 2002 meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, and limited the number of changes to the following 8 recommendations that are being issued at this time for worldwide review. The proposed changes following each recommendation are underlined.

Please send comments to the Review Group investigator, Ann Sandberg-Fox, via e-mail (asandbergfox@earthlink.net) by January 15, 2003.

Recommendation 1: Revision of the first paragraph of 0.5.1 only. The rest of 0.5.1 remains unchanged.

0.5.1 Order of preference of sources

For direct access electronic resources, sources internal to the electronic resource shall be preferred to all other sources. In the case of remote access electronic resources, the resource itself shall be used. Such information must be formally presented (e.g. in the title screen, main menu, program statements, first display of information, the header to the file including "Subject:" lines, home page, encoded metadata, (e.g. TEI header) or other identifying information prominently displayed).

Rationale: The order of preference of sources remains the same for direct access electronic resources. Because of the diverse and unconventional ways in which information is presented in remote access electronic resources, it has become problematic to designate a particular preferred source. For that reason, the entire resource itself is preferred for use.

Recommendation 2: Elimination of Area 3 from the ISBD(ER) with the information relocated elsewhere in the bibliographic record. This results in the deletion of the entire text and examples.

Rationale: Bibliographic agencies report the area is redundant with other parts of the description and is problematic.

Recommendation 3a: An option to replace the second paragraph in the "Introductory note"

The resource characteristics of an item that relate to designation of the class of material and information on its extent may be given for an electronic resource that is available by remote access. .

Rationale: Area 5 in all the other ISBDs is used to describe the physical aspects of the material covered. Users are accustomed to consulting this area to learn what these aspects are. The option allows bibliographic agencies to use the area to identify remote access resources and their physical characteristics (e.g. sound, color).

Recommendations 3b: Revision of 5.1.1

5.1.1. The first element of the physical description area names and numbers the physical unit or units upon which the item is carried. It may also identify the particular class of material to which an item available by remote access belongs. The specific material designation is given in the language of the bibliographic agency. A selective list of specific material designations for use to describe physical carriers in English appears in Appendix C. When none of those terms is appropriate, an appropriate specific term is supplied, qualified by the word "electronic".

Rationale: The same as for Recommendation 3a.

Recommendation 3c: Addition of second paragraph and examples to 5.1.2

5.1.2 The number of physical units is given in arabic numerals before the specific material designations.

Rationale: Same as for Recommendation 3a.

Recommendation 3d: Revision of the first paragraph and examples, and deletion of the second paragraph in 5.1.3.

5.1.3 The identification of a specific format of the physical carrier may be given if the format is in common usage.

Rationale: Giving formats in common usage directly as the specific material designation helps users to identify formats more readily and easily. It further allows for greater flexibility in the assignment of terms, and accommodates the identification of new and emerging formats.

Recommendation 4a: Revision of 8.1.1

8.1.1 The international standard number (ISBN, ISSN) or other international identifier (e.g. URN, DOI) is given when known.

Recommendation 4b: Revision of 8.1.2 and the addition of 3 examples

8.1.2 The standard number or identifier is transcribed in accordance with the relevant standard.

Rationale: There is the need to expand 8.1.1 to include the term "identifier," which is

used to designate Internet access schemes and protocols. The revision treats identifiers as standard numbers, but adopts the terminology consistent with their use in the Internet standards community (e.g. the IETF). The addition of the term "identifier" also applies to 8.1.2. There is no need to qualify number or identifier here as they are qualified in 8.1.1. (The example of the URL in 7.5.2 (Mode of Access) is retained for the interim. It continues to let bibliographic agencies decide whether to give URLs or not.)

Revision to 7.12 (Notes on numbers) is necessitated by revisions to 8.1.1 and 8.1.2:

7.12 These notes are for numbers borne by the item other than standard numbers or identifiers (see 8.1).