UK DESCRIPTIVE STANDARDS FOR CATALOGUING MANUSCRIPTS
Fourteen representatives (as listed at the end of this report) from institutions across the UK with an interest in the cataloguing of manuscripts gathered in the Senate House Library, University of London, on 3 May 2006, to discuss issues about standards used in the UK to catalogue manuscripts at item level. Representatives from several other institutions had expressed interest but were unable to attend.
The UK Bibliographic Standards Committee (UK BSC) of the CILIP Rare Books and Special Collections Group had called this meeting to explore the need for recommended UK descriptive standards for cataloguing manuscripts. Brian Hillyard, who chaired the meeting in his capacity as Chair of the UK BSC, explained the background. In 2005 the CILIP Rare Books Group set up a Bibliographic Standards Committee and at about the same time decided to change its name to the Rare Books and Special Collections Group (this has now been approved by CILIP) in order more accurately to reflect its members’ concerns, which include manuscripts. This parallels the organisation in the United States where the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) of the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) has a Bibliographic Standards Committee. As part of its recent work this US BSC has overseen the publication of Descriptive Cataloging of Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, and Early Modern Manuscripts (AMREMM). The CILIP Rare Books and Special Collections Group Committee had asked the UK BSC to establish if there was any demand that it should provide support in this area of cataloguing.
In a wide-ranging discussion some of the points made were as follows:
- Descriptive Cataloging of Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, and Early Modern Manuscripts (AMREMM) was seen to be useful though it focused primarily on pre-1600 manuscript books (codices). However, it was pointed out that it could be used for later material where appropriate and that it does claim to be appropriate for more than just codices.
- General International Standard Archive Description (ISAD(G)), while not a national standard, is widely followed in the UK for the elements of a description and could be applied at any level. However, for the structure and content of the description ISAD(G) recognises that further standards have to be used and indeed requires (3.7.2) the recording of the rules followed in preparing descriptions.
- Resource Description and Access (RDA), the new revision-in-process of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2), is aiming to increase its usefulness for manuscripts/archives cataloguing and points to the two US descriptive standards, Descriptive Archival Cataloging Standards (DACS) and Descriptive Cataloging of Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, and Early Modern Manuscripts (AMREMM). Neither are well known in the UK (though there had been UK editorial involvement in AMREMM) but would be brought into greater prominence by RDA. The desirability of organised participation in any future revision process was worth considering.
- there is a perception that especially among smaller libraries there is a lack of awareness of various standards for cataloguing manuscripts at any level: this is not confined to item-level that was the original impetus for the meeting
- archives and manuscripts must be seen as integrated, and interoperability is a major concern
- there might be room for two kinds of publication: one aimed at providing information for managers taking decisions about how to proceed with cataloguing that involves manuscripts, and the second aimed at those carrying out the cataloguing.
- there was unanimous agreement that standards should not be unnecessarily multiplied: where a descriptive standard exists, a new one with the same scope should not be drafted
This was not the first time such queries had been raised, and it was agreed that the UK BSC has a role to play in helping to meet the various needs, and also indeed perhaps to provide training. There was general consensus at the meeting that there is scope for the compilation of a report on the various standards, setting out the circumstances in which each is most appropriate. To be able to respond to any concerns from Rare Books and Special Collections Group members and to take forward any initiatives, it would be sensible to appoint one or more persons with the appropriate cataloguing expertise to the UK BSC. It was also considered important that the UK BSC should not proceed without liaising in these matters with AMARC and the Society of Archivists. Finally it was agreed to communicate the outcome of the meeting widely (through various e-mail lists as well as the Rare Books Newsletter) to all who might be interested, and furthermore to use that communication as an opportunity to ask for further comment.
Following the circulation of these notes to participants, there was further discussion about the way forward. Brian Hillyard consulted with both AMARC and the Society of Archivists, and both bodies were happy to support the next stage of this initiative, which is further consultation. This report is therefore now being widely circulated to all who might be interested. if you are reading it, please let us know if you think that the UK BSC should pursue this initiative and, if so, what kind of documentation you would like to see resulting from it. We would also be glad to hear from anybody who would be willing to participate in this work. Please send your comments to Dr Karen Attar, Rare Books Librarian, Senate House Library, University of London, Senate House, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HU, e-mail Karen.Attar[at]london.ac.uk.
Those attending on 3 May 2006:
- Karen Attar Hon. Secretary, UK BSC
- Alun Ford Senate House Library, University of London
- Alex Franklin Bodleian Library, Oxford
- Rachel Hart St Andrews University Library
- Richard Higgins Durham University Library
- Brian Hillyard Chair, UK BSC
- Sheila Hingley Durham University Library
- Elizabeth James Victoria and Albert Museum
- Oliver Pickering Leeds University Library
- Elizabeth Solopova Bodleian Library, Oxford
- Rachel Stockdale British Library
- Rowan Watson Victoria and Albert Museum
- Mike Webb Bodleian Library, Oxford
- Fergus Wilde Chetham’s Library, Manchester
Updated: 10 March 2008