I sent this off to the coop address in response to the recent posting , but I might as well throw this out on the PCC list as well. Actually, does the Leader c have to be assigned exclusively to RDA records? Steven Arakawa Catalog Librarian for Training & Documentation Catalog & Metadata Services, SML, Yale University P.O. Box 208240 New Haven, CT 06520-8240 (203)432-8286 [log in to unmask] From: Arakawa, Steven Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 3:09 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: RDA Decisions Report I didn't see this addressed on the RDA Decisions spread sheet, or maybe there has been an announcement I have overlooked. Can bibco records use Descriptive Cataloging Form "c" [Leader position 18 ]? The gloss in MARC Format for Bibliographic Records: "Descriptive portion of the record contains the punctuation provisions of ISBD, except ISBD punctuation is not present at the end of a subfield." It would allow the cataloger to avoid 250 ## First ed.. with the double periods, and other weird punctuation applications associated with abbreviations at the end of fields, and ignore the complicated instructions for "cm" -- not to mention it would sure simplify training. Given that most online catalogs don't display the bib records in 3 x 5 card format, the function of the period space to define ISBD areas often cannot be applied. I don't see any immediate damage to the public view of the record. When I saw the gloss I thought it was too good to be true, so if there is a downside, I'd be interested to know. Steven Arakawa Catalog Librarian for Training & Documentation Catalog & Metadata Services, SML, Yale University P.O. Box 208240 New Haven, CT 06520-8240 (203)432-8286 [log in to unmask]