CC:DA/AMIA/2002/1 Report to MRC regarding changes to AACR2R 7.5

Abstract

Allowing the use of conventional terminology in the physical description area of the MARC record means that catalogers can express an item’s physical description in current language that is more illustrative of the item in hand and better understood by public service staff and users. Another benefit of using of conventional terms in the physical description is that it unites aspects of a work’s physical description that currently are dispersed amongst several MARC fields. For some institutions, the specific format and technical specification is critical data that is most useful when displayed "up front" in the physical description area, rather than in a notes field (for example, 538). Notes often seem to be more for librarians (catalogers, in particular) than for users. If specific format and technical specifications information is important enough to include in the record, we recommend putting it in the 300 field rather than a note in order to provide a discrete, self-contained physical description statement.