12. Copy Cataloging: Verification, 245-250 (Sound Recordings, RDA)

Searching for Copy

For audiobooks in particular, it is relatively easy to confuse cataloging for the print version with cataloging for the sound version, so it is usually to your advantage if your search does not retrieve all formats.

If available, search by the ISBN number or the publisher number (MARC 028; the OCLC index term is Publisher number (mn:)

If a number search is not an option, take advantage of Connexion's limiting functionality when using the Search WorldCat window and select the appropriate Format and Material Type. The Material Type you are likely to use will be either Cassette recording (cas) or CD audio (cda), as in the following example:

Don't forget to change the Format/Material Type back to ANY once you have finished searching for sound recordings.

If you are using a number search, it is not necessary to use the Format/Material Type limiting.

CAUTION: Compact discs vary in format, and they often are published in both abridged and unabridged editions, so you still need to verify that the record retrieved is a true match. See the detailed checklist below, especially 250/500.

In some cases where a sound recording is published with a book, the cataloger will decide that the sound recording is primary and the printed matter is the accompanying material, while another cataloger will decide that the printed matter is primary and the sound recording is accompanying material. If the printed matter is substantial enough to be considered a book in its own right, it may be worthwhile searching under the book title. This may be a problem if you are cataloging for a sound recording collection. If there is cataloging available reflecting both decisions, choose the cataloging where the sound recording is primary. If not, consult with your supervisor. For regular stacks, use the cataloging copy that is available; if more than one option is available, choose the one that makes the most sense.

Verification

Most of the items on the list should apply to either LC or member copy. Because audiobooks reproduce the content of printed texts & because sound recordings are published in multiple formats, descriptive verification is important; it is relatively easy to accept a record that does not actually match the item because there may be many superficial similarities with the item in hand. Because LC copy catalogs many records from OCLC, some of the LC records are not always consistent with LC's own rule interpretations. In general these deviations do not affect verification, but it sometimes makes the process a little more difficult.

020 must match the number on the item

028 ‡a must match the number on the item, ‡b should be the label name or the publisher name. The publisher number is sometimes repeated in a 500 note. Leave the indicators as is. If the number in 028 differs from the number on the item, it is not a match.

If the item has a publisher number but the record lacks a 028, it is a match, all other things being equal. If the publisher number is lacking, add it following the pattern below--but be very sure that all the other elements match!

RDA -- AACR2 -- Hybrids

The verification process is more complicated with AACR2, RDA, and hybrid versions entering OCLC. Non-music audio recordings are often audio versions of printed books, and sound recordings can be in a variety of different formats: compact discs, MP3 compact discs/computer discs, cassette tapes, and sound files, among others, and these will all be represented by different bibliographic records. Be sure to check the description carefully to make sure that your record is in fact for the same format as the item to be cataloged. There are certain elements used to identify sound recordings that will differ depending on the cataloging rules that were applied, so first of all, the cataloging rules used to create the record must be identified.

AACR2 records will generally have Desc c in the OCLC fixed fields (in Voyager, OCLC Desc will be in the Leader section as Cataloging Form c).

RDA records will generally have Desc i in the OCLC fixed fields (in Voyager, OCLC Desc will be in the Leader section as Cataloging Form i). In addition, subfield ‡e in 040 must have rda.

Hybrid records may have some of the typical features of RDA records in the variable fields, but 040 should not have rda. Desc could be either c or i.

YUL copy cataloging policy is to accept cataloging following RDA, AACR2, or the OCLC hybrid guidelines, as long as the record description is a match for the recording to be cataloged. Generally, a cataloging record from OCLC should not be modified to conform to a different set of rules: don't recatalog an AACR2 record to RDA; don't try to update a hybrid record to RDA; don't add AACR2 elements to RDA records.

MARC Verification Checkpoints

245 GMD ‡h [sound recording] vs 336-337-338

RDA records should not have ‡h [sound recording], but should have fields 336, 337, and 338.

AACR2 record 245 usually will have ‡h [sound recording]; OCLC has provisional plans to use computer processing to remove ‡h from bibliographic records at some future date to be announced. If this occurs, it would be replaced by variable fields 336-337-338, but the record will not have rda in 040 ‡e. 

Hybrid records are AACR2 records where the cataloger may have manually removed ‡h [sound recording] and added fields 336-337-338. If the record has not been fully recataloged to RDA, however, there will be no 040 ‡e rda.

1xx. Relationship designators (‡e) were introduced with RDA cataloging and are acceptable in either RDA or AACR2 cataloging. Do not remove. Under current YUL policies, they are not added to cataloging copy.

245 ‡b/‡c

RDA: Supplying ‡b and ‡c information in brackets is not allowed, although RDA records may be encountered that use the obsolete practice. Do not spend time trying to correct these records. With RDA, ‡b must be on the same source as the title proper in ‡a, but ‡c can be taken from the container or accompanying material even if the title proper is taken from the CD's label. This means that the statement of responsibility may not be on the label but would still be present in 245 ‡c, but without brackets.

AACR2. Including 245 ‡b and ‡c information in brackets is common in audiobook cataloging. Verification is based on what is printed on the disc or cassette (or cassette label), not on the container. The bracketed information is often taken from the container. The practice is not followed in RDA, but do not attempt to recatalog the record by removing the bracketed information from AACR2 records.

An AACR2 example with ‡h and bracketed statements of responsibility.

An RDA example. In current cataloging, ‡e rda is entered in 040 between ‡b eng and ‡c, but earlier records cataloged as RDA may have ‡e rda entered somewhere after ‡c. GMD: no ‡h; identified as an audio recording because of the 300 field. RDA uses "audio discs" rather than "sound discs." Audio discs can mean compact discs or LPs and other analog-type discs; to verify that the record is for a compact disc, check the diameter, which should be 4 3/4 in.  The container has the subtitle: "interpreting our democratic Constitution" but is not inserted in brackets in ‡b. 

250/500 It is not a match if the publisher is the same but you have the unabridged edition and the record is for the abridged edition.

AACR2 EXAMPLE: "Unabridged ed." in 250 (LCCN 2007572884)

Keep in mind that information about abridgement could be in either 250 or a 500 note--check both. In the following examples, abridged/unabridged information is in the notes in the AACR2 example and in 250 in the RDA example.

AACR2 example. Abridged version (indicated in 500 note). Other AACR2 clues: ‡h in 245, 260 rather than 264, copyright p in 260 ‡c, "sound discs" in 300. Leave the 500 note as is.

RDA record for unabridged version: same publisher, publication date. RDA clues: 040 ‡e rda, 264 _1 rather than 260, no copyright p in 264 ‡c, "audio discs" in 300 (diameter indicates it's a compact disc.  Compare the number of discs with the abridged version. This example follows RDA practice. The copyright "p" is never recorded in 264 _1.  Common pre-RDA practice was to enter Abridged/Unabridged (without "edition") in 500; RDA enters  Abridged/Unabridged in 250. Still, it's best to look in both 250 and 500 to check on whether abridgment is mentioned.