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| Undefined # - Undefined |
Undefined # - Undefined |
| Subfield Codes | |
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Physical description of the described item, including its extent, dimensions, and such other physical details as a description of any accompanying materials and unit type and size.
Data in this field are customarily formulated as specified by various cataloging rules. In records formulated following cataloging rules based on International Standard Bibliographic Description (ISBD) principles, a relationship exists between prescribed ISBD punctuation and the identification of specific subfield data. Most of the examples in this section illustrate the prescribed ISBD punctuation associated with specific subfields.
$a - Extent
Number of physical pages, volumes, cassettes, total playing time, etc., of of each type of unit.
For multipart and serial items, it includes volumes (and pagination when pages are numbered consecutively). In records formulated according to ISBD principles, subfield $a contains all data up to and including the next mark of ISBD punctuation (e.g., a colon (:), a semicolon (;), a plus sign (+)).
| 300 | ##$a149 p. ;$c23 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 score (16 p.) ;$c29 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a11 v. :$bill. ;$c24 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 map :$bcol. ;$c30 x 55 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 sound disc (20 min.) :$banalog, 33 1/3 rpm, stereo. ;$c12 in. | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a160 slides :$bcol. ;$c2 x 2 in. | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a8 reels of 8 (7557 ft.) :$bsd., col. ;$c35 mm$3dupe neg nitrate (copy 2) | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 videocassette of 1 (Beta) (30 min.) :$bsd., col. ;$c1/2 in.$3(2 copies) | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 computer disk :$bsd., col. ;$c3 1/2 in. | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a95 linear ft. | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a10 boxes (24 linear ft.) | ||||||||
When the statement of pagination and of illustrative matter are combined, they are both recorded in a single subfield $a.
| 300 | ##$a74 p. of ill., 15 p. ;$c28 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a27 leaves of plates, 4 p. ;$c31 cm | ||||||||
In works that are not yet complete, only the type of unit designation is recorded preceded by three spaces. (The actual number of pieces received may be recorded as temporary data enclosed in angle brackets.)
| 300 | ##$av. ;$c29 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$av. <1-3 > ;$c25 cm | ||||||||
For mixed materials, terms in the physical description indicating the type of unit may be separately subfield coded (see description of subfield $f). In these cases, subfield $a contains only the numeric extent designation.
| 300 | ##$a42$fcu. ft. | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$3poems$a1$fpage ;$c108 cm. x 34.5 cm | ||||||||
Repeatable when alternate or additional forms of extent data are given. Alternate forms of extent data are recorded in parentheses.
| 300 | ##$adiary$a1$fvolume$a(463$fpages) ;$c17 cm. x 34.5 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a17$fboxes$a(7$flinear ft.) [Repeated subfield $a for archival materials.] |
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May be repeated to describe different parts of multipart items.
| 300 | ##$a1 reel (312 ft.) :$bsi., b&w ;$c16 mm$3ref print. | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 reel (312 ft.) :$bsi., b&w ;$c16 mm$3dupe neg. [Repeated field in a record for motion pictures.] |
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| 300 | ##$a65 prints :$brelief process ;$c29 x 22 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a8 albums (550 photoprints) ;$c51 x 46 cm. or smaller [Repeated field in a record for graphic materials.] |
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For music, subfield $a is repeated for parts information when a subfield $b or $c separates it from the main extent data.
| 300 | ##$a1 score (30 p.) ;$c20 cm. +$a16 parts ;$c32 cm | ||||||||
$b - Other physical details
Physical characteristics such as illustrative matter, coloration, playing speed, groove characteristics, presence and kind of sound, number of channels, motion picture presentation format, etc.
In records formulated according to ISBD principles, subfield $b contains all data following a colon (:) and up to and including the next mark of ISBD punctuation (e.g., a semicolon (;)).
| 300 | ##$a104 p. :$bill. ;$c20 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$av. :$bill. (some col.) ;$c25 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a2 computer disks :$bsd., col. ;$c3 1/2 in. | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 globe :$bcol., wood, mounted on brass stand ;$c12 cm. in diameter | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 sound disc (20 min.) :$banalog, 33 1/3 rpm, stereo. ;$c12 in. | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 sound disc (56 min.) :$bdigital, stereo. ;$c4 3/4 in. | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a14 film reels (157 min.) :$bPanavision ;$c16 mm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 videoreel (Ampex 7003) (15 min.) :$bsd., b&w ;$c1/2 in. | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 print :$blithograph, 4 cols. ;$csheet 17 x 21 cm | ||||||||
$c - Dimensions
Expressed in centimeters, millimeters, or inches; may include a parenthetical qualifier giving the format of the item (e.g., (fol.), (8vo)).
Format qualifier is recorded as part of subfield $c and is not separately subfield coded. In records formulated according to ISBD principles, subfield $c contains all data following a semicolon (;) and up to and including the next mark of ISBD punctuation, if any (e.g., a plus sign (+)).
| 300 | ##$a149 p. ;$c23 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a271 p. :$bill. ;$c10 x 27 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 map :$bcol. ;$c200 x 350 cm., folded to 20 x 15 cm., in plastic case 25 x 20 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$3poems$a1$fpage ;$c108 cm. x 34.5 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 sound cassette (85 min.) :$b3 3/4 ips, mono. ;$c7 1/4 x 3 1/2 in., 1/4 in. tape | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 computer disk ;$c3 1/2 in. | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a14 film reels (157 min.) :$bPanavision ;$c16 mm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 print :$blithograph, b&w ;$cimage 33 x 41 cm., on sheet 46 x 57 cm | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a40 p. :$bill. (woodcuts) ;$c20 cm. (8vo) | ||||||||
For music, subfield $c is repeated when dimensions are associated with a repeated subfield $a. When dimensions are given as part of the description of accompanying material, subfield $c is not repeated.
| 300 | ##$a271 p. :$bill. ;$c21 cm. +$eatlas (37 p., 19 leaves of plates : 19 col. maps ; 37 cm.) | ||||||||
$e - Accompanying material
May include a parenthetical physical description of the accompanying material.
In records formulated according to ISBD principles, subfield $e follows a "plus sign" (+) and contains all remaining data in the field.
| 300 | ##$a271 p. :$bill. ;$c21 cm. +$e1 answer book | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a271 p. :$bill. ;$c21 cm. +$e1 atlas (37 p., 19 leaves : col. maps ; 37 cm.) | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$a1 computer disk ;$c3 1/2 in. +$ereference manual | ||||||||
$f - Type of unit
Terms such as page, volumes, boxes, cu. ft., linear ft., etc. that are used to identify the configuration of material and how it is stored.
Subfield can assist those keeping statistics on the physical items.
| 300 | ##$a24$ffile drawers | ||||||||
Subfield $f is repeatable when alternate or additional forms of extent data are given. Alternate forms of extent data are recorded in parentheses.
| 300 | ##$a5$fboxes$a(3$flinear ft.) | ||||||||
$g - Size of unit
Size of a type of unit given in the preceding subfield $f.
| 300 | ##$3records$a1$fbox$g2 x 4 x 3 1/2 ft. | ||||||||
Repeatable when additional forms of extent data are given.
$3 - Materials specified
Part of the described materials to which the field applies.
Placed either immediately before or after the physical description data.
| 300 | ##$a1 reel of 1 (37 ft.) :$bsi., b&w ;$c35 mm$3dupe neg. | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$3diaries$a3$fv. | ||||||||
| 300 | ##$3correspondence$a3$fboxes | ||||||||
$6 - Linkage
See description of this subfield in Appendix A: Control Subfields.
$8 - Field link and sequence number
See description of this subfield in Appendix A: Control Subfields.
Punctuation - Field 300 may end in no punctuation, may end in a right parenthesis when the last element of the field is a parenthetical qualifier, or may end in a period when the last element is an abbreviation ("cm" and "mm" are not treated as abbreviations) or a 490 field is present in the record.
Temporary Data - If any portion of the number in the extent is subject to change (e.g., when the record for a multipart item is not yet complete), angle brackets (<...>) are customarily used to record that part of the data which is subject to change. The opening or closing data may also be omitted until the first and/or last price of the bibliographic item is received.
Field 300 was extended to music sound recordings and visual materials in 1980. Prior to that time, music sound recordings specifications used field 305 (Physical Description for Sound Recordings (Pre-AACR 2)) and visual materials specifications used field 301 (Physical Description for Films (Pre-AACR 2)).
Prior to the definition of field 256 (Computer File Characteristics) in the computer file specifications in 1987, field 300 contained both the physical description of the files (e.g., the number or reels or disks) and file characteristics information (e.g., the type of file, the number of logical records).
Prior to when subfield $e was added to the format , accompanying information was contained in a second subfield $a in the books, archival and manuscripts control, music score and serial specifications and in a 500 note field in the maps specifications.