-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Spell out 255 Field Abbreviations?
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 15:53:37 -0400 (EDT)
From: Paige G. Andrew <[log in to unmask]>
To: Air Photo Maps, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship <[log in to unmask]>


Merry,
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I think your best bet is to spell out all abbreviations in the 255 field regardless. That way you don't have to worry about "exceptions" for this circumstance or that. To be more specific however, the only terms allowed to be abbreviated in RDA are those in table B7 in the toolkit. If you take each of your terms and compare (i.e., if they are not in the table they cannot be abbreviated). And by the way, you don't have to worry about 255$c as there aren't terms in the coordinates statement and directions are already abbreviated to W, E, N, and S as a standard and have been for a very long time. Its $a and $b that you need to focus on.
Â
Paige Andrew
Maps Cataloging Librarian
Penn State University

From: "Angie Cope, American Geographical Society Library, UW Milwaukee" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2014 3:38:30 PM
Subject: Spell out 255 Field Abbreviations?


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Spell out 255 Field Abbreviations?
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 19:21:26 +0000
From: Merry Bower <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>


K-State is considering having its database maintenance vendor perform RDA enrichment on our bibliographic records. One option is to expand abbreviations in the 255 field:


"Abbreviations to be spelled out in 255 fields include RA to Right ascension, Decl. to Declination, eq. to equinox, hr. to hour, and ca. changed to approximately and brackets removed. No changes will be made to 255|b statement of projection as it is a transcribed field."


Since I catalog maps infrequently, I would like to ask my more experienced colleagues if they see any pitfalls in applying this option. Would you recommend:


  • Don't apply
  • Apply as stated
  • Apply with the following modifications [state]


Thanks,

Merry


Merry Bower
Metadata Librarian
Metadata & Preservation Dept.
K-State Libraries
509 Hale Library
Manhattan, KS 66506-1200
voice mail: (785) 532-7435
fax: (785) 532-7644