PART I: DESCRIPTION, INTRODUCTION

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This part of the rules contains instructions on the formulation of descriptions of archival fonds, series, collections, and discrete items. Those descriptions need (in most instances) headings added to them to make the descriptions accessible. For instructions on the formulation of such access points, see part II.

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The rules are based on the archival principle of respect des fonds and the framework of the General International Standard Bibliographic Description (ISBD(G)).¹ They follow that framework exactly in the order of elements and their prescribed punctuation. IFLA has developed, and is developing, specialized ISBDs for specific types of material, also on the basis of the ISBD(G). Close correspondence will therefore exist between chapters in part I and the corresponding ISBD.

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STRUCTURE OF PART I

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The basic rules for the description of archival material are to be found in chapter 1, which sets out all the rules that are of general applicability. Then follow rules for broad classes of material at all levels of description (chapters 2-8 and 11-12) and rules of partial generality (chapters 9-10 and 13). There are no chapters numbered 14-20; part II begins with chapter 21, the paragraphs of the Introduction to part II being numbered 20.1, 20.2, etc.

Chapter 1 is a general chapter containing those rules that apply to all archival material. For example, rule 1.1F deals with the statement(s) of responsibility for the material being described and subsequent chapters in part I refer the user to that rule for guidance on that topic. Where certain classes of material demand specific treatment of a certain element, the general chapter contains only brief guidance and the user of the rules will find specific guidance in the chapter dealing with the particular class of material being described. For example, rule 1.5 contains an indication of the type of information found in the physical description area; and detailed guidance on the physical description of graphic material will be found in rule 4.5, on the physical description of moving images in rule 7.5, and so on. Use the chapters in part I alone or in combination as the specific problem demands. The majority of problems, however, can be solved, once the rules have been studied comprehensively, by a single reference to a single rule.

Within the chapters the rule numbering has a mnemonic structure. For example, rule 1.4B is concerned with the date(s) of creation for all types of archival material, rule 3.4B is concerned with the date(s) of creation for textual records, and so on. If a particular rule appearing in chapter 1 is not applicable to the material treated in a subsequent chapter, the rule is omitted from that chapter.

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METHODS OF PROCEDURE

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It is a cardinal principle of the use of part I that the description of a unit of material should be based in the first instance on the chapter dealing with the broad physical class(es) of material to which that unit belongs, e.g., text, moving images, sound recording, microform. In other words, the starting point for description is the physical class of material into which the descriptive unit falls; for example, describe text in microform as a microform.² In the case of units composed of multiple media and of discrete items, the description should be based in the first instance on the chapter dealing with multiple media (chapter 2) or discrete items (chapter 13) in conjunction with the chapters dealing with the broad classes of material that make up the unit being described.

When describing reproductions, there will be need in many instances to consult the chapter(s) dealing with the original form(s) of the material in order to complete the description.

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The ISBD(G) contains an area of description for details that are special to a particular class of material or type of publication. This is the third area of description, called the Material (or type of publication) Specific Details Area. In these rules, this area has been re-named Class of Material Specific Details Area. This area is used for cartographic materials (chapter 5), architectural and technical drawings (chapter 6), and philatelic records (chapter 12). Do not use this area for any other materials treated in these rules. Where it is applicable and appropriate, repeat this area.

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OPTIONS AND OMISSIONS

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Although the rules for description are based upon a standard (the ISBD(G)), it is recognized that certain types of material do not require every element of that standard. For this reason there are differences in the treatment of different kinds of material. For example, the accompanying material element is not used for textual records.

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All notes described in the chapters of part I are optional (unless a note is specifically stated to be mandatory) in that their inclusion in the entry depends on the nature of the material being described and the purpose of the entry concerned. In addition, the wording of notes in the examples is not prescriptive (i.e., if desired, choose another wording provided that it meets the general requirements of brevity and clarity).

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All measurements prescribed in part I are in SI.³ They are the normal measurements used at this time in archival and other cultural institutions in Canada.

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Rule 1.0D contains a specification of two levels of detail of description. Consider each of these levels as a minimum.⁴ When appropriate, add further information to the required set of data. The two levels of detail of description allow archival institutions flexibility in their description policy, because they prescribe an entry that is in conformity with descriptive standards and yet allow some types of material to be described in more detail than others. Use the two levels of detail of description:

1. either by choosing a level of detail of description for all types of material being described in the institution at all hierarchical (part-to-whole) levels of description, e.g., a fonds, series, file, and item level or
2. by drawing up guidelines for the use of the two levels of detail of description depending on the purpose or type of finding aid for which the descriptions are made.

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