Metadata Policy: Rare Materials Cataloguing

Policy Area:   

• Bibliographic metadata for rare materials or unique materials, such as early printed serials, maps, etc., in the institutional zone. 

Background/Rationale: 

• With material published prior to 1800, the physical description, may be all that distinguishes one edition from another.  These include: 

• Pagination. 
• Size of gutter. 
• Paper size and fold. 
• Type face and presence of color on the title page. 
• Hand press information 
• This information is not tied to a specific copy, but represents all copies of the particular version, and is not appropriate to include in local fields. 
• The higher level of cataloging permission required will prevent staff without cataloguing expertise from editing the records, and act as a ‘flag’ to cataloguing staff to be careful when editing the records, particularly in the area of physical description.   

Policy Statement: 

• York University Libraries (YUL) and York Law Library will not share records for rare materials in the network zone. 
• Bibliographic records for rare materials will have a higher cataloging permission level (set to 90) to prevent accidental editing of these records 
• Note: cataloguing permission level does not prevent records being changed with a batch job. 

Anticipated Impacts: 

• Metadata Discovery and Access 
• Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections 

 Policy Review Information: 

First Draft of Policy Created: November 25, 2021