RDA does not have a preferred order for notes. CONSER cataloging normally arranges notes in MARC tag numerical order. For monographs, possible options: cataloger decides on the order of priority, AACR2 order may be used as well but is not mandatory, or apply CONSER practice.
RDA 2.17.2.3. Source of Title note (500) MANDATORY.
The note in the example shows the usual LC note practice (e.g. LCCN 2004565667; 2002565744; 2002564903; 2004565275) for CD-ROMs. RDA refers to CDs and diskettes, etc. as "computer discs," so no distinction in spelling (disc vs. disk) is made in notes.
500 | ‡a Title from disc label. |
Per 2.2.3.1, "label" refers to a source of information either permanently printed or affixed to a tangible resource. So, even if you can't peel it off, it's still a label. For CD-ROMs, the disc label is the preferred source; the accompanying material or the container is used as the source of title only if there is no disc label; if there is no title on either the container or the accompanying material, use an "internal source" (boot up the disc and look for a title frame).
Note for source of title where there was no title on the disc:
500 | ‡a Title from container insert. |
LCCN sn 98053279 (serial issued on floppy disks and diskettes). Standard serial practice is to combine "Description based on" note with source of title note, in field 588.
588 | ‡a Description based on: 1960-1985; title from disc label. |
RDA 2.17.2.4 Variations in Title note/access point
Per RDA 2.3.2.1 "A file name or data set name is not considered a title proper unless it is the only title appearing in the resource." A file name considered to be important for identification or retrieval can be entered in 246 1_.
246 | 1 | ‡i File name: ‡a CC.RIDER |
or
LCCN 00230172 (a serial):
246 | 1 | ‡i Executable file name: ‡a Annual energy review data base ‡f 1993-1999 |
LCCN sn 97048231
130 | 0 | ‡a Best evidence (CD-ROM) | |
245 | 0 | 0 | ‡a Best evidence. |
246 | 1 | ‡i Title on Readme icon: ‡a BE |
LCCN 2002201396. Modified. Note on the original record: Title from diskette label. For RDA, they're all computer discs.
245 | 0 | 0 | ‡a BNA corporate tax audit analyzer / ‡c BNA Software. |
246 | 1 | ‡i Title from user's manuals: ‡a Corporate tax audit analyzer | |
500 | ‡a Title from disc label. |
Although the LC-PCC PS 2.17.2.4 probably applies chiefly to online resources, it could conceivably apply to CD-ROMs issued as serials: "If an electronic serial is reformatted so that all evidence of the earlier title is removed, give the earlier title in a 247 field. Give a 547 field explaining that the earlier title no longer appears on the serial."
245 | 0 | 0 | ‡a Legal medicine. |
247 | 1 | 1 | ‡a Legal medicine open file |
547 | ‡a Issues published from 1992-1996 with the title Legal medicine open file have been reformatted with a new title: Legal medicine. |
RDA 2.17.3. Note on Statement of Responsibility. Use for recording statements of responsibility not recorded in 245 for persons or bodies connected with the work or for significant persons/bodies connected with previous editions. Since the preferred source for the statement of responsibility under RDA is now the entire resource, expect that use of notes will be less common in current cataloging. As long as the statement of responsibility is taken from the resource itself it is not bracketed. The source for the statement of responsibility note is not required.
LCCN 98802418 (modified)
100 | 1 | ‡a Cohen, Judith Love, ‡d 1933- ‡e author. | |
240 | 1 | 0 | ‡a You can be a woman engineer (CD-ROM) <240 needed to break to differentiate the preferred title from the book> |
245 | 1 | 0 | ‡a You can be a woman engineer. |
500 | ‡a Title from disc label. | ||
500 | ‡a The CD-ROM is based on the book by the same author, Judith Love Cohen, and illustrated by David A. Katz. | ||
700 | 1 | ‡a Katz, David A. ‡q (David Arthur), ‡d 1949- ‡e illustrator. |
RDA 2.17.4. Note on Edition Statement.
RDA has no equivalent to AACR2 9.2B1, which requires a note if the edition statement is taken from a source that differs from the source of the title proper. Under RDA, notes on edition statements are made "if considered important for identification or access." See also the LC PCC PS 2.17.7 below.
In the example, a note was made because the box holding the CD and its case is not kept and cannot be used for verification.
500 | ‡a Edition statement from box issued with the CD container. |
There is no RDA equivalent to AACR2 9.2B4, where the cataloger is instructed to ignore minor changes in determining whether a new record is to be created and to record the differences in a note (9.7B7). The LC-PCC PS 0.0 Determining Number of Records. Edition or Copy of a Book states "Consider that a new edition is involved whenever there is an explicit indication of changes in content" or if there already exists a bibliographic record with differences in 245, 250, 300, or 4xx. But note that the PS is in reference to books; the instructions in the PS for handling differences in 264 are clearly book-oriented. However, in the absence of a PS applying to direct access electronic resources, at this time, do not ignore minor changes in determining whether to create a new record. In such cases, the cataloger may need to supply bracketed information in 250. While AACR2 9.7B7 is no longer applicable, a note could still be made if the supplied edition statement needs supplementation.
Example
250 | ‡a [Updated Version 2.1] | ||
500 | ‡a Monochrome version recoded for color. |
Example
250 | ‡a [Reformatted version] | ||
500 | ‡a Mnemonic tags substituted for numeric tags. |
Edition/history notes are also used to give dates for accompanying material, resource coverage, and when the data was collected, "if they are considered to be important."
RDA 2.17.5.4 Note on Complex or Irregular Numbering
For serials, direct access electronic resources may need a numbering peculiarities note because of the organization of the information on the carriers. [Formerly under AACR2 12.7B10; numbering peculiarities] Use MARC 516 (both indicators blank)
LCCN 98645082 (a CD-ROM serial)
516 | ‡a Issues for Sept. 1994-<Dec. 1995> on 2 discs, (disc A and disc B) with each disc containing the three primary files plus laws and regulations for approximately half the states; laws and regulations from the other states included on other disc. |
RDA 2.17.7. Note on Publication Statement
A note can be used to record different publication dates for accompanying material.
500 | ‡a Manual dated 1983. |
Per LC PS 2.17.7, "if a date of release or transmittal is found on the resource and is considered important for identification, record it in a note if it has not been recorded elsewhere in the bibliographic description (e.g. in the edition statement). Include the month and day, if present."
500 | ‡a "May 1, 1979"--Disc label. |
RDA 3.19.1.4. Digital File Characteristics in notes
The file characteristics that are BSR mandatory under 3.19, and that may apply to direct access electronic resources: 3.19 in general (for cartographic resources); 3.19.8 digital representation of cartographic resources (use either 300, 347, or 352).
For other types of content on CD-ROMs, etc., apply the principle of "considered to be important for identification or access" to: file type, encoding format, and file size (the other characteristics would not ordinarily apply to direct access electronic carriers).
Field 516 (Type of File or Data note) is probably a better location for digital file characteristics than field 300. The field can accommodate content information as well. Use first indicator blank as the default indicator. (First indicator blank will generate the label Type of file: in some OPACs).
516 | ‡a Electronic data (2 files : 800, 1250 records) and programs (3 files : 7260, 3490, 5076 bytes). | ||
516 | ‡a ISO 9660 format. | ||
516 | ‡a Files are OECD-compressed ASCII databases. | ||
516 | ‡a Electronic data (2 files : 800, 1250 records) and programs (3 files : 7260, 3490, 5076 bytes). | ||
516 | ‡a Disk characteristics: double sided, high density, soft sectored. | ||
516 | ‡a Numeric (Spatial data: Point). | ||
516 | ‡a Text (Law reports and digests). |
RDA 3.20.1. System Details (538) [AACR2 9.7B1]. MANDATORY if applicable.
a. System Requirements. 538 is repeatable, so if the system runs on both PC and MAC, record the system requirements in separate 538 fields if necessary. The 538 note always begins with "System Requirements." The text is not machine-supplied, as is the case with other notes. The information is recorded "if readily available." The type of information required is given, and should be listed in the order following:
See also policy on field 753 below.
538 field examples:
Orbis 6202781 (Comprehensive radiographic pathology). Multiple 538 fields for the same resource.
538 | ‡a System requirements for Windows: Internet Explorer, version 5 (or later) or Netscape version 4.79 (or later); Adobe Acrobat Reader 4 (or later); 800 x 600 pixels screen resolution; 16-bit color (65,000 colors); 64 MB RAM; Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT, ME, or YX operating system. | ||
538 | ‡a System requirements for the Mac: Internet Explorer, version 5 (or later) or Netscape version 4.79 (or later); Adobe Acrobat Reader 4 (or later); 800 x 600 pixels screen resolution; 16-bit color (65,000 colors); 64 MB RAM; MAC OS 8.1 (or later), or OS X operating system. |
Orbis 4417476 (Patchwork girl). Multiple 538 fields for the same resource.
538 | ‡a System requirements for Windows: 486, Celeron, Pentium, or faster processor; Windows 3.1, 95, 98, NT, or later. | ||
538 | ‡a System requirements for Macintosh: Mac OS 6.07 or later. | ||
538 | ‡a System requirements for electronic manual: Adobe acrobat or Adobe acrobat reader. |
Programming language is recorded in 538, not in 546.
A 538 note is not mandatory if no information about system requirements is readily available.
Orbis 4358519 (Schillers Werke (Nationalausgabe) auf CD-ROM; no information available about system requirements). No 538 necessary. (Original AACR2 record had: System requirements: CD-ROM drive).
RDA 7.2 (Nature of Content) 7.10.1.3 (Summarization of Content)
LCCN 91655114
520 | ‡a Contains demographic, economic, and governmental data from both the federal government and private agencies, presented for the purpose of multi-area comparisons or single area profiles. Current estimates and benchmark census results are included. |
LCCN 98678153 (cataloged as cartographic material)
520 | ‡a A reference tool that contains a world atlas, almanac, and world fact book, all in one. Graphics include over 200 full-color maps, thematic world maps, relief maps, and reference maps, complemented with comprehensive text on five subject areas: geography, people, government, economy, and communications. Features drop-down menus, point-and-click interfaces, and full index. |
LCCN 2001360713
520 | ‡a Collection of Indonesian tax laws and regulations. |
LCCN 2001561457
520 | ‡a An indexed collection of references to 4.8 million birth, christening, marriage, and death records from New South Wales (1788-1888), Tasmania (1803-1899), Victoria (1837-1888), and Western Australia (1841-1905). |
LCCN 2002556235
520 | ‡a Contains magnetotelluric (MT) and audiomagnetotelluric (AMT) data collected in Alaska between 1985 and 1992. The data from over 500 soundings was collected with computer systems that are now obsolete. Data collected in 23 Alaskan 1:250,000-scale sheets (quadrangles). |
Additional note examples. See also: LCCN 94790355; LCCN 96801355; LCCN 98645082; LCCN sn 91022863; LCCN 98803082; LCCN 00530226; LCCN 2001561445; LCCN 2002565723; LCCN 2003556207; LCCN 2003557035; LCCN 2004564574.
RDA 27.1.1.3. Recording Relations to Related Manifestations justifies accompanying material notes.* Recall that accompanying material for serials is generally recorded in notes rather in 300 ‡e, unless it is certain the accompanying material comes with each issue. Per CCM 30.14.7, record notes about search and retrieval software in 500, but use 556 to record documentation information. (556 seems appropriate also for monographic titles requiring detailed notes about accompanying documentation.)
CCM example from 30.14.7
500 | ‡a Accompanied by installation software on 1 5 1/4 in. floppy disk. |
556 | 8 | ‡a Accompanied by: SPIRS user's manual, tutorial on 1 3 1/2 in. floppy disk, and quick reference cards . |
*RDA maps 27.1.1.3 to MARC 777 and 501. Continue to follow CONSER practice; re-visit when section 30 of the CONSER Cataloging Manual has had its RDA revision.