Physical Description – AACR2 1.5, 2.5

1. Physical Description – AACR2 1.5, 2.5 MARC Field 300 Required; not Repeatable Prescribed sources of info: Everything Ending punctuation: Always has ending punctuation, whether it is a period or some other punctuation.

2. MARC 300 • Indicators: NONE • Subfields • $a Extent (number of pages or volumes) • $b Other physical details (illustrations) • $c Dimensions (usually height in cm.) • $e Accompanying material

3. Physical description • Recording physical description information is important because it tells the user the number of pages, whether a book is illustrated, and the height. • You can take this information from anywhere in the book. Everything is fair game.

4. Extent -number of pages/volumes MARC 300 $a Required 1.5B, 2.5B

5. What is a page? • In cataloging, a “page” is defined as a sheet with printing on both sides of it. • Most of the books that you’ll be cataloging will have pages – printing on both sides. • However, sometimes publishers will publish books that have printing on only one side of a page. • This is called a “leaf”; collectively: “leaves” • When you do cataloging, you have to use the correct terminology in the $a.

6. Number of pages • You put the number of pages in the $a. • However, you only record the last numbered page • You follow the page number by: “p.” • In this case, the last numbered page is page 852, even though the book is really 853 pages. • But you have to put the last numbered page: • 300 $a 852 p.

7. Page numbers cont. • Is there a separate Roman numeral sequence at the beginning of the book? • If so, add the last page of the Roman numeral sequence before the Arabic page number, separated by a comma: • 300 $a ix, 250 p. • 300 $a lxvii, 1045 p.

8. Are there plates? • Plates are pages of pictures (usually glossy) that are inserted in the middle of books. • They are usually not numbered with the book itself - they are usually numbered separately, or are unnumbered. • Per LCRI 2.5B9, add the number of plates if they have page numbers. If they don’t have page numbers, don’t add them. • 300 $a ix, 250 p., 8 p. of plates

9. What about volumes? • If you are cataloging a multipart monograph, add the number of volumes followed by “v.” • 300 $a 2 v.

10. The pages aren’t numbered? • Sometimes books don’t have page numbers. This happens more often than you’d think. In this case, you have several options. • You can: • 1. Count the number of pages and add them in brackets: • 300 $a [45] p. • Usually this is only done for shorter books and children’s books (“readily ascertainable” – you can count them quick.) • 2. Per LCRI 2.5B7 just do this: • 300 $a 1 v. (unpaged) • Have a book with too many numberings? • 300 $a 1 v. (various pagings) – per LCRI 2.5B8

11. Illustrative matter MARC 300 $b Required if there are illustrations 1.5C, 2.5C

12. What’s an illustration? • Illustrations are pictures – this covers all types of pictures that are in books except tables containing only words or numbers and minor illustrations like page borders. Not an illustration This IS an illustration

13. What you should use • AACR2 2.5C2 allows you to use many terms to describe exactly the type of illustration that you have in the book. • However, LCRI 2.5C2 says that you should only use “ill.” or “map” or “maps” • You should follow this!! • Put this information in a $b and precede it with a colon • 300 $a ix, 500 p. : $b ill. • 300 $a ix, 500 p. : $b ill., map • 300 $a ix, 500 p. : $b maps

14. Are the illustrations colored? • If any of the illustrations have color in them (not black-and-white), then you must indicate this. • Here are some common situations: • $b col. ill. -all illustrations are in color • $b ill. (chiefly col.) - most of the illustrations are in color • $b ill. (some col.) – some of the illustrations are in color

15. More about illustrations • Add the number of illustrations if they are numbered. • 300 $a ix, 250 p. : $b 150 ill. (75 col.) • I rarely see this… • If there is a map, you must indicate this: • 300 $a ix, 250 p. : $b ill. (some col.), 12 maps • 300 $a ix, 250 p. : $b map • Plates are also considered illustrations, so if you have added this in the $a you must put “ill.” in the $b • 300 $a ix, 250 p., 8 p. of plates : $b ill.

16. Dimensions MARC 300 $c Required 1.5D, 2.5D

17. Height in centimeters • You must record the height of the book in centimeters. • This goes in a $c and is preceded by a semicolon. • 300 $a ix, 250 p. : $b ill. ; $c 28 cm. • You have to use a ruler with centimeters to measure the spine. • You always round up to the nearest centimeter! • If it measures 21.3 cm, you round up to 22 cm: • 300 $a ix, 250 p. : $b ill. ; $c 22 cm.

18. More info • If the item is extra tall and/or extra wide (not thickness) use a height x width dimension – 2.5D2 • 300 $a ix, 250 p. : $b ill. ; $c 20 x 40 cm. • If you don’t have illustrations, just leave the $b out of the 300. • 300 $a ix, 250 p. ; $c 28 cm.

19. Accompanying material MARC 300 $e Required if needed 1.5E, 2.5E

20. Accompanying Material $e • Sometimes items have accompanying material (CD-ROMs, floppy disks, pamphlets, etc.) • You indicate this in a $e, preceded by a “+” • 300 $a ix, 250 p. : $b ill. ; $c 28 cm. + $e 1 booklet.

21. Practice test! • Go do the practice test for Module 2 Area 5: Physical Description.