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B. Cataloguer’s Notes

A cataloguer’s note is any annotation that might be helpful to those using or revising the cataloguing data. It includes information that does not readily fit into dedicated fields or other areas of the description. The extent and specificity of notes will depend upon factors such as staff, viewing facilities, documentation, system designs, etc.1

Take information recorded in notes from any suitable source. When creating the note, apply the guidelines in Chapter 0. Preliminary Notes on capitalisation, quotations, references, etc.

Institutions may establish more rigorous, local guidelines as to the order of information in the notes area. For example, when recording notes which further describe data elements already catalogued, some institutions may stipulate the order of notes follow a particular sequence wherever possible, e.g., title, statement of responsibility, edition/version/variation, production, distribution, etc.; or, when uniformity of presentation assists in the recognition of the type of information being presented or gives economy of space without loss of clarity.23

Example

Title, Country of reference, Year/Date and Language(s) verified by telephone call to production company, 2013-07-01.

Example

Intended audience: secondary school students.

In general, make the following notes, if they are considered to be important:4

  • notes on the specific instructions applied in creating headings/access points, or otherwise justifying the choice and form of name and title
  • notes limiting the use of the heading/access point
  • notes differentiating persons, families, or corporate bodies with similar names
  • notes differentiating WVMI entities with similar titles

Example

sex, lies and videotape (United States of America, 1989)

Title represented onscreen in lower-case.

Example

Herr der Ringe Die Zwei Türme (Germany, New Zealand, United States of America, 2002, Peter Jackson) Part II of trilogy. Majority German financing nationality confirmed, thus German title assigned as Preferred title and The Lord of the Rings The Fellowship of the Ring as Alternative.

Example

Le cœur de la France (France, 1967, Roger Leenhardt)

The word “cœur” does not actually appear in the title, but is represented by a heart-shaped symbol.

Example

Carlyle Films (production company)

Not to be confused with Carlyle Corporate Communications who also trade as Carlyle Films

Example

Harrison Ford (actor) Silent film actor, retired from the screen in 1932.

Harrison Ford (actor) Not to be confused with the silent movie actor of the 1920s of the same name.

The following instructions for notes should be considered neither all-inclusive nor mandatory. The number and type of notes included in a description must be dictated by the moving images being described and the needs of the individual institution.5

B.1 Boundaries

Provide additional or explanatory information that clarifies boundary decisions, particularly in cases where the system used does not allow for the clear representation of all the WVMI entities.6

Example

Version information (re-editing and new narration) from copyright descriptive material.

Example

Censored version.

Example

Remake of the 1941 motion picture, Here comes Mr. Jordan. Originally developed for ABC-TV.

Example

Teaching version includes questions for discussion about the novel’s theme and philosophy presented in a classroom setting at the end of the film; discussion is 10 min. in length.

  1. Based on FIAF 7. Notes Area, Introduction and RDA 29.7.1.1 Scope, 29.7.1.2 Sources of Information ↩

  2. FIAF 7.1.3 Form of notes ↩

  3. Adapted from FIAF 7.1.3 Form of notes ↩

  4. Based on RDA 5.9.1.3 and 8.13.1.3 Making Cataloguer’s Notes ↩

  5. Based on FIAF 7.2. Notes ↩

  6. FIAF 7.2.7. History of edition/version/variation ↩