Comments on Hebraica Manuscript Records

(Karen Spicher) Additonal comments from Carol King (below) Return to MSSA Tools

30 July 2004

Hi Daniel, I looked at the records, and have made some comments, attached. The first part is general comments, based on decisions made by the Ms Cataloging Committee, with a few bib ids for sample small collection records, in case these might illustrate some points better. This is followed by specific comments for each record. Hope this if helpful, and let me know if I should clarify anything better. I would be glad to look at more records, if you want. These are interesting materials! Karen General Comments

Leader Type of control: always use a, for archival control, for record type: p

008 Place of Publication: always use ctu Connecticut; since there is no publication, this is used for location of repository

1XX Should have a main entry if one person, family, or corp body created the papers

245 Can transcribe a title for a single item; for a collection devise a title

246 Use this only for an additional title transcribed from the material, that readers might search for. This usually occurs only for single items. Put other descriptive information in a 500 general note or a 520 scope and content note

300 Don’t list number of folders. You can do one of three things:

State linear ft. in |a, followed by “linear ft.” and number of boxes in ( )’s, either also in |a or in |f, eg: 300 |a 0.20 linear ft. (1 box)

Or state number of items only, eg: 300 |a 15 items.

Or, for single items, describe the item, eg: 300 |a 1 |f v. (32 p.) : |b ill. ; |c 28 cm.

Here is a linear footage calculator:

http://www.library.yale.edu/beinecke/manuscript/process/lconv.htm

351 Optional; can use to describe arrangement, eg 351 |b Arranged chronologically.

5XX Recommended order

520 Use scope and content note to explain what is in collection, list highlights, summarize research value, justify access points. Can quote from vendor descriptions, but I think it is better not to for a full level record, as this might sound like the cataloger did not examine all the material. You could also make a container list (a listing of the collection stored in the box with the collection) and state this in a 555, eg: 555 0b/ |a Accompanied by a container list.

541 Don’t use this field; use 561 instead. 541 was originally intended to include confidential information, such as purchase price, but the standard practice has become using local databases for confidential information, and using 561 for all other provenance information.

656 is indexed in voyager by keyword only; not by subject. So, you may want to use 650 in addition to or instead of 656. Some of our older records have 656 only, because notis indexed them as subjects.

Prelim vs. full level: not necessary to establish authorities for all name headings. Follow Yale practices for establishing names to break a conflict or when cross refs are needed. Maybe you have additional guidelines for Hebraica? You may also want to establish a name whenever you hold an important collection of papers of that person, to ensure that the name is established by a repository that has extensive information about the person. So, it is very common for a ms record to be full level even though not all names are established.

For collections, it is not necessary, and often not practical, to analyze every item, but the description should give a summary level description, and account for all physical pieces, either by a linear footage measurement (if at least one box), or an item count (if less than one box).

Here are some examples of small collections done by our unit , in case these are helpful to look at:

6556364

6577634

4822587

3173810

4667357

Leader Type of Control: a archival control

Encoding Level: b/ full level

008 Publication status: i inclusive

Place of publication: ctu Connecticut

Form of item: b/ None of the following

Modified record: b/ Not modified

041 could code the six languages listed in 546

245 |f for dates; use “ca.” and brackets, if estimating; can use |g in addition to |f for bulk dates

246 Use this only for a title transcribed from the material itself; descriptive information should go in a 520 (Scope and content note)

541 Use 561 instead

505 Should be in 520s (Scope and content). Use 505 to transcribe titles or a list contents from the materials

505/5 typo: liturgies

524 space before Judaica

710 Should be 700 3b/ for family name

852 Collection name was not used in other records?

6404576

Leader Type of Control: a archival control

008 Place of publication: ctu Connecticut

300 Linear ft : number of boxes

500 Can use 520 for scope and content note

561 Include a provenance note?

656 Use 650 instead?

6249081

Mfhd first ind should be 0?

Leader Type of Control: a archival control

Encoding Level: b/ full level?

Bibl Level: c collection

008 Place of publication: ctu Connecticut

043 for Palestine

100 instead of 700 for Alsheikh, Shalom ben Joseph; if he is creator of papers

246 Use this only for a title transcribed from the material itself; descriptive information should go in a 520 (Scope and content note)

351 Should be 300; give linear ft and no. of boxes; give count of items and describe as letters or other ms documents in 500 or 520. Can say more in 500 or 520 about content and connection to Palestine

541 Should be 561

524 Capitalize Papers

656 Use 650 instead?

852 Use name, instead of symbol; put both name and address in |a

6624783

Leader Type of Control: a archival control

008 Place of publication: ctu Connecticut

300 Linear ft : number of boxes

351 could use, if eg all documents are in chronological order

500 typo: “…manuscript letters from rabbis…”

Could use 520 (Scope and content note) for this

541 should be 561

524?

656 Use 650 instead?

Carol King (2-7364):

Grey storage boxes, e.g., 41 x 38 x 4 cm., lie flat (like pizza boxes). If 3 in. deep, e.g., divide by 12 to get linear ft. Bar code gets affixed to side of box, doesn't matter which side (LSF can generate duplicate stickers). Label should go on "right front" end of box