RSLP Collection Description

Data Entry Guidelines

These guidelines are primarily intended to be used with the RSLP Collection Description Tool and should be in conjunction with the associated schema description.

Introduction

These data entry guidelines are split into three sections. The first gives guidelines for the attributes used to described collections. The second gives guidelines for the attributes used to describe the locations at which those collections are held. The third gives guidelines for describing the agents (people and organisations) that are related to the collection and its location.

Note that the agent attributes are listed once in these guidelines. They appear four times in the schema (and hence in the tool) - for the collector(s), owner(s) and contributor(s) of the collection and the administrator(s) of the location.

All the RSLP Collection Description attributes are optional - unused attributes should be left blank.

Minimum level record

A minimal description should include either the title of the collection or the name of the location, the address or locator of the location and a short description.

Guidelines

Collection

Title

The name of the collection.

Enter the name of the collection preserving the original wording, order and spelling. Punctuation need not reflect the usage of the original. Subtitles should be separated from the title by a colon, for example:

Voices from the Dust Bowl: The Charles L. Todd and Robert Sonkin Migrant Worker Collection

Where a collection has a well known acronym it should be provided in parentheses after the name, for example:

The Wilfred Owen Multimedia Digital Archive (WOMDA)

Description

A free text summary of the collection.

Although a description might contain detailed subject-specific information, at least part of the description should be understandable by an end-user with no specialist knowledge of the subject area.

Note that the text cannot be explicitly formatted in any way (by using HTML mark-up for example) - it should be treated as a single paragraph of text.

Concept(s)

Keywords or subject descriptors associated with items in the collection.

The terms used indicate the subject matter of the collection.

Recommended best practice is to select terms from LCSH level 1.

Where a scheme is used, provide a shortened version of the scheme name. The shortened version of the scheme name should be taken from the enumerated list maintained at <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/metadata/rslp/schemes/>. Enter the complete subject descriptor, including punctuation and capitalisation, according to the relevant scheme, for example:

World War, 1939-1945 - Germany (Scheme=LCSH)
Germany - History - 1933-1945 (Scheme=LCSH)
Hitler, Adolf, 1889-45 (Scheme=LCSH)
940.43 (Scheme=DDC21)

Where more than one keyword or descriptor is provided, a repeated attribute should be used for each.

Object(s)

Object name(s) associated with the items in the collection.

The object names used indicate the subject matter of the collection.

Where a scheme is used, provide the shortened version of the scheme name. The shortened version of the scheme name should be taken from the enumerated list maintained at <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/metadata/rslp/schemes/>. Enter the complete object name, including punctuation and capitalisation, according to the relevant scheme.

Where more than one object name is provided, a repeated attribute should be used for each.

Name(s)

Agent (person or corporate body) name(s) associated with the items in the collection.

The names used indicate the subject matter of the collection.

Where a scheme is used, provide the shortened version of the scheme name. The shortened version of the scheme name should be taken from the enumerated list maintained at <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/metadata/rslp/schemes/>. Enter the complete name, including punctuation and capitalisation, according to the relevant scheme.

If no scheme is used, enter personal names, where possible, surname first followed by a comma and the elements of the name that usually precede the entry element. Enter corporate names in direct form. For more precise rules see AACR2 chapters 20-24.

Where more than one name is provided, a repeated attribute should be used for each.

Place(s)

Time(s)

Strength

A free or structured text statement of the strength(s) of the collection.

Where a scheme is used, provide the shortened version of the scheme name. The shortened version of the scheme name should be taken from the enumerated list maintained at <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/metadata/rslp/schemes/>. Enter the complete statement of collection strengths, formatted according to the relevant scheme.

Language(s)

The language(s) of the items in the collection.

Enter language names in the format defined by by RFC-1766, ISO 639-2 or as a free text description of the languages (or families of languages) used in the collection.

RFC-1766 includes a two-letter language code (taken from the ISO 639-1 standard), followed optionally, by a two-letter country code (taken from the ISO 3166 standard). For example, 'en' for English, 'fr' for French, or 'en-GB' for English used in the United Kingdom

ISO 639-2 provides a list of three-letter language codes. For example, 'eng' for English.

Where more than one language is provided, a repeated attribute should be used for each.

Identifier

An identifier of the collection.

A URI or other identifier for the collection. Internal, library or archival, identifiers can be given here.

Note that this identifier should not be the URL for the location of the resource. Note also that the RSLP Collection Description Web-based tool authomatically assigns a URN to each collection that is described.

Physical characteristics

A free text statement of the physical or digital characteristics of the collection.

The statement may include an indication of the number of items in the collection, the total duration of items and physical or digital space requirements.

Note that the text cannot be explicitly formatted in any way (by using HTML mark-up for example) - it should be treated as a single paragraph of text.

Type

The type of the collection.

Enter a term taken from the list at <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/metadata/rslp/types/>.

Accumulation date range

The range of dates over which the collection was accumulated.

Enter a date range - two dates separated by a forward-slash (/). Each date should be entered according to the W3C note on 'Date and Time Formats', <http://www.w3.org/TR/NOTE-datetime>. Null dates may be used to indicate open-ended date ranges.

All the following are examples of valid date ranges:

1888/1894
1960/
2000-02/2000-06

indicating, '1888 to 1894 inclusive', '1960 onwards' and 'February 2000 to June 2000 inclusive' respectively.

Contents date range

The range of the creation dates of the individual items within the collection.

All the following are examples of valid date ranges:

1888/1894
1960/
2000-02/2000-06

indicating, '1888 to 1894 inclusive', '1960 onwards' and 'February 2000 to June 2000 inclusive' respectively.

Sub-collection(s)

A collection contained within the current collection.

Enter the name or identifier of the collection refered to. If a name is entered, the data entry guidelines for collection names should be followed. If a URI is entered, it should be fully specified, for example:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/afctshtml/tshome.html
urn:x-cld:950615195-30859

Super-collection(s)

A collection that contains the current collection.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/afctshtml/tshome.html
urn:x-cld:950615195-30859

Description or catalogue

A collection that describes the current collection (for example, the catalogue for the current collection).

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/afctshtml/tshome.html
urn:x-cld:950615195-30859

Described collection

A collection that is described by the current collection.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/afctshtml/tshome.html
urn:x-cld:950615195-30859

Associated collection

The identifier or name of a second collection that is associated by provenance with the current collection.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/afctshtml/tshome.html
urn:x-cld:950615195-30859

Associated publication

The identifier or name of a publication that is based on the use, study, or analysis of the collection.

Enter the name or identifier of the publication refered to. If a name is entered, preserve the original wording, order and spelling. If a URI is entered, it should be fully specified, for example:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/afctshtml/tshome.html
urn:x-cld:950615195-30859

Publications may include Web sites that are based on the collection.

Accrual status

A free text statement of accrual policy, accrual method and accrual periodicity of the collection.

Where possible cover the following areas using terms taken from the bracketed lists:

accrual policy (closed, passive, active, partial/selective),
accrual method (purchase, deposit),
accrual periodicity (closed, irregular, periodic).

Note that the text cannot be explicitly formatted in any way (by using HTML mark-up for example) - it should be treated as a single paragraph of text.

Legal status

A free text statement of the legal status of the collection.

Note that the text cannot be explicitly formatted in any way (by using HTML mark-up for example) - it should be treated as a single paragraph of text.

Custodial history

A free text statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the collection that are significant for its authenticity, integrity and interpretation.

Note that the text cannot be explicitly formatted in any way (by using HTML mark-up for example) - it should be treated as a single paragraph of text.

Access control

A free text statement of any access restrictions that are placed on the collection.

The statement may cover cover issues such as allowed users, charges, etc. and may give reasons for any restrictions that are in place (for example the physical status of the collection).

Note that the text cannot be explicitly formatted in any way (by using HTML mark-up for example) - it should be treated as a single paragraph of text.

Note

Any general information about the collection.

Only enter information here that is not covered by other attributes in the collection description schema.

Note that the text cannot be explicitly formatted in any way (by using HTML mark-up for example) - it should be treated as a single paragraph of text.

Location

Location name

The name of the location of the collection.

Enter the name of the location preserving the original wording, order and spelling. Punctuation need not reflect the usage of the original.

Where a location has a well known acronym it should be provided in parentheses after the name, for example:

The Natural History Museum (NHM)

Postal address

The postal address of the physical location of the collection.

Enter the postal address on one or more lines. Separate address components using a comma (,).

Library and Learning Centre, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY

Postcode

Country

The country in which the collection is physically located.

Enter a two-letter country code (taken from the ISO 3166 standard).

uk

Locator

The online locator (URL) of a digital location.

Enter the URL of the location. URLs must be fully specified, for example:

http://www.sosig.ac.uk/
z39.50s://z3950.copac.ac.uk:2100/COPAC

Do not use this attribute as part of the description of a physical collection. If you want to provide the URL of a Web page that describes the location, use the 'See also' attribute.

Access conditions

A free text statement of any access conditions associated with the location.

The statement may include hours of access, classes of permitted user, etc.

Note that the text cannot be explicitly formatted in any way (by using HTML mark-up for example) - it should be treated as a single paragraph of text.

See also

The identifier of a resource that provides further information about this location (typically the URL for an organisational home page).

URLs must be fully specified, e.g.

http://www.bath.ac.uk/Library/

Related Agents

Name

Organisation

Role

Telephone number

Fax number

Email address

Biography/history

An administrative history of, or biographical details on, the agent.

Record concisely any significant information on the origin, progress, development and work of the organization (or organizations) or on the life and work of the individual (or individuals) responsible for the collection.

This attribute should only be used for the Collector(s) of the collection.

Maintained by: Andy Powell
Version: 1.0 (2000-10)

[RSLP] [Metadata] [UKOLN]