physical description Archives - Problem Cataloger

Sometimes I receive oddly-shaped materials for cataloging, such as this book with uncut pages (on the bottom) that are intended to stay uncut. Only the outsides are numbered, and the resulting “pocket” in many cases holds loose photos/cards. I was able to find copy (thank you EYM), so didn’t have to wonder about this one very long.

The physical description is done as:

300  __ ǂa 63 pages : ǂb illustrations (some color) ; ǂc 29 cm
    + ǂe 16 cards.

This is correct, as 63 is the last numbered page in the volume. While it is thicker than the average 63-page book, using this number is not “misleading” in a RDA 3.4.5.5 sense; it correctly describes the number of pages with content, and similar standards are followed for traditional Japanese books with double leaves.

They did include a concise note to explain the weirdness:

500 __ ǂa Pages uncut at bottom, with cards inserted between
    pages in photography section.

Walid Raad, walkthrough. (OCLC #890913763)

This title consists of one pamphlet and seven posters, gathered inside a colorful case. There are several records for it in OCLC, and each handles the physical descriptions in different ways, depending on what the cataloger judged to be was the primary content:

300 __ ǂa 2 v. : ǂb col. ill. ; ǂc 22-24 cm., in slipcase 25 cm. 
    + ǂe 6 posters.

300 __ ǂa 6 v. (in slipcase) : col. ill. ; 26 cm.

300 __ ǂa 96 p. ǂb ill. ǂc 25 x 18 cm

I preferred the conciseness of this record:

300 __ ǂa 1 case : ǂb color illustrations ; ǂc 26 cm.

with the details of the contents in a 500 note. RDA 3.4.1.3 (Recording Extent) says to use units from the list of carrier types (“case” is not on this list), but provides an alternative to use a word in common usage (including a trade name) instead.

British Library has an interesting PS for this rule:

Apply alternative b) for hand held digital resources if the appropriate term in common usage is readily ascertainable; for example, use the terms CD-ROM, DVD and DVD-ROM in preference to using a term from the list of carrier types at 3.3.1.3