Given the tone of the author's letter, possibly the cataloguer felt this
was the safest course ;-)

-----Original Message-----
From: Program for Cooperative Cataloging [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Antony Robert David Franks
Sent: 06 November 2008 11:43
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PCCLIST] Form of Heading for a Thesis

All I can add to this is, that we have any number of name authority
records with a 670 saying, in effect, "Communication from author [date]"
See, for example, n 79004208, in which a very un AACR2 heading is
retained.

>>> "Moore, Richard" <[log in to unmask]> 11/6/2008 3:41 AM >>>
I tend to agree. I usually try to follow an author's preference if it
can be accommodated within AACR2. If their preference doesn't conform to
any usage, I'll add it as a cross-reference, and explain that their work
is now accessible on our catalogue under both forms. This usually seems
to satisfy.
 
Regards
Richard
_________________________
Richard Moore
Authority Control Team Manager
The British Library
                                                                        
Tel.: +44 (0)1937 546806
E-mail: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>


 


________________________________

From: Program for Cooperative Cataloging [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of John Hostage
Sent: 05 November 2008 18:05
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PCCLIST] Form of Heading for a Thesis



I think there is a danger that this practice could be carried too far.
My feeling is that authors who care about how their names appear in
catalogs should take care that they appear that way on their works.
I've never heard that author's preference "trumps all", though it can be
used as a guide in some cases. The principle of predominant usage is
supposedly based on the idea that the heading will correspond to the
form that users are likely to know. Does it make sense if an author has
published just one work (and most publish no more than one) and his
heading doesn't correspond to what's on the book?

 

___________________________________________________________

John Hostage Authorities Librarian

Langdell Hall [log in to unmask]

Harvard Law School Library +(1)(617) 495-3974 (voice)

Cambridge, MA 02138 +(1)(617) 496-4409 (fax)

http://www.law.harvard.edu/library/

-----------------------------------------------------------

 

From: Program for Cooperative Cataloging [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Amy H Turner
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 10:42
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PCCLIST] Form of Heading for a Thesis

 


Thanks, Anthony, for the very lucid explanation. I also remember the
Dark Ages when the RI was first published. At that time it was used to
convert AACR1 headings, with the old rules' emphasis on the real, full
name, to the revolutionary AACR2 standard of "commonly known."
Catalogers would scan through many titles published over a range of
years. Now, we are most frequently presented with the first work or
just a handful of works by a new author. Perhaps we should make more
use of a rule of thumb that I remember only from informal communication
with trainers, that the author's preference trumps all. With Google and
email, it is easier and easier to contact authors. As many of us wrote
in another thread, authors are usually happy to be consulted about how
their name will appear in catalogs. Below is an example of how contact
with an author (initially just to determine his birth date) resulted in
a fuller form than was on the title page of his one published work. In
other cases, such as Duke theses, we have used less full forms, based on
the author's stated preference.

************************************************************************
**
 
Experience the British Library online at www.bl.uk
 
The British Library's new interactive Annual Report and Accounts 2007/08
: www.bl.uk/knowledge
 
Help the British Library conserve the world's knowledge. Adopt a Book.
www.bl.uk/adoptabook
 
The Library's St Pancras site is WiFi - enabled
 
************************************************************************
*
 
The information contained in this e-mail is confidential and may be
legally privileged. It is intended for the addressee(s) only. If you are
not the intended recipient, please delete this e-mail and notify the
[log in to unmask] : The contents of this e-mail must not be disclosed or
copied without the sender's consent.
 
The statements and opinions expressed in this message are those of the
author and do not necessarily reflect those of the British Library. The
British Library does not take any responsibility for the views of the
author.
 
************************************************************************
*