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Discussion topic: Dedications

Page history last edited by Manon Theroux 10 years, 1 month ago

Table of Contents:


 

DSG meeting, 2014-02-28: Resolved

 

  • The revisions will affect DCRM(C) only. They will be entered in the DCRM Editorial Guidelines wiki as a material-specific change.
  • Two further revisions will be made to the proposed text:
    • Clarification will be provided to indicate that transcription is required in a dedication note only if the dedication appears in the chief source of information (though the transcription may be abridged); if a note is made for a dedication appearing elsewhere, the dedication may be summarized.
    • An example of a summarized dedication will be provided.

 


Archived Discussion

 

Link to a Word version of the discussion topic.

 

Background: Treatment of Dedications in the DCRM Modules


Dedications are not treated consistently in the DCRM modules.

  • DCRM(B) does not address dedications. Although DCRB had included "dedications" in the list of things to be silently omitted from the transcription, the word was deleted from the list when revising DCRB for DCRM(B) and no explicit guidance was provided on what to do with dedications.
  • DCRM(S) is also silent on the matter but does have an example of a dedication given as an "at head of title" note illustrating a "phrase or name that is clearly neither part of the title nor a statement of responsibility."
  •  DCRM(G) includes "statements of patronage" but not "dedications" in its list of information to be silently omitted from the transcription (although dedications are often made to patrons, so some catalogers might consider a dedication to be a statement of patronage). It also says "Optionally, transcribe dedications as other title information." Given that "Optionally" is supposed to introduce an alternative treatment (but no primary treatment has been explicitly indicated), this sentence seems odd.
  •  DCRM(M) has dedications in the list of things to be silently omitted from the transcription.
  •  DCRM(MSS) does not address dedications.

 

Treatment of Dedications in DCRM(C)

 

Dedications are exceedingly common on early maps, so explicit guidance is needed in DCRM(C). In Cartographic Materials (CM), the rules call for omitting a grammatically separable dedication from the transcription and optionally giving it in a note. (The CM rules on dedications have been provided as an appendix at the end of this document for reference). The DCRM(C) editorial team had initially ignored the CM instructions and secured approval from the RBMS Bibliographic Standards Committee to treat dedications as "other title information" in our rules. However, after trying out this approach with numerous "real-world" map examples, we have come to the conclusion that treating dedications as "other title information" does not work so well for maps after all.

 

Problems With Treating Dedications as Other Title Information

 

Map layouts tend to be more complex than those of typical book title pages. A map will often have multiple scattered elements and figuring out where exactly in area 1 to transcribe a dedication, and how best to fit it in with other elements of the transcription, will often pose quite a challenge. For example, a single sheet map may have multiple titles, multiple statements of responsibility (many roles can go into creating a map), and multiple statements relating to publication, distribution, etc. (the fact that the creator and publisher are often the same person only adds to the confusion). The dedication will sometimes occur in conjunction with one of the titles, but not necessarily the one chosen as the title proper. It may appear far from the title, in a separate cartouche, so that squishing it into the title area feels artificial. The name of the dedicator may duplicate the name of the creator transcribed in the statement of responsibility, making for an awkward-sounding repetition of names. The cataloger may have to resort to liberal use of the mark of omission when transcribing the dedication to avoid producing a nonsensical result. These marks of omission can make it impossible for a user to know what's been left out of the transcription (e.g., just words from the dedication or also words from other "other title information").

 

Proposal

 

Our new proposal calls for adding grammatically separable dedications back to the list of things that can be silently omitted from the transcription. However, we also propose adding a new requirement: giving any omitted dedications in a note. We see several benefits and rationales to support this approach:

  • It ensures that dedications are somehow recorded, thus providing a good compromise between CM's explicit instruction that grammatically separable dedications should not be transcribed in area 1 (although they may be given in a note) and DCRM(B)'s silent implication that they should be.
  • It provides an unambiguous instruction that makes it easy for catalogers to know how to handle dedications, thus speeding their work and ensuring more predictable records.
  • Catalog users will benefit from having dedications recorded as a matter of course, in a predictable place, and in the same place they are already used to seeing them in records created according to CM (provided the cataloger has exercised the option to do so).
  • Dedications really do seem to constitute "information that does not easily fall into any area". If a statement of privilege fits this category, then surely a dedication does as well.

 

Specific wording for our proposal is provided below. It includes revisions to 0G5.2 and a new rule to be inserted as 7B14; the existing 7B14-7B19 would also need to be renumbered. Although we have used DCRM(B) as our "base text" to illustrate the changes in wording, this should not be interpreted as meaning that our text should be adopted for DCRM(B) or any other DCRM module (although it certainly could be if that were seen as desirable). We consider our proposal to be a cartographic-specific deviation from DCRM(B) that attempts to take into consideration the greater frequency with which dedications appear in maps, the greater complexity of map layouts, and the desirability of striking a happy balance between DCRM and existing cartographic cataloging traditions.


Proposed Changes from DCRM(B) to Be Used in DCRM(C)

 

0G5.2. Information not considered part of any area. Omit from the transcription, without using the mark of omission, grammatically separable information not considered part of any area. Such information may include pious invocations, quotations, devices, announcements, epigrams, dedications, mottoes, statements of privilege, etc. If such information is a grammatically inseparable part of an area, however, transcribe it as such. Give a grammatically separable dedication that has been omitted from the transcription in a note (see 7B14). If considered important, Ggive otherthe omitted information in a note if considered important.

 

A new and exact map of the dominions of the King of Great Britain on [the] continent of North America : containing Newfoundland, New Scotland, New England, New York, New Jersey, Pensilvania, Maryland, Virginia and Carolina according to the newest and most exact observations / by Herman Moll, geographer

Note: Dedication: "To the Honourable Walter Dowglass, Esqr., constituted captain general and chief governor of all [the] Leeward Islands in America by Her Majesty Queen Anne in [the] year 1711, this map is most humbly dedicated by your most humble servant Herman Moll, geogr., 1715"

 

7B14. Dedications

Make notes on grammatically separable dedications appearing in the chief source of information that have been omitted from the transcription. Make notes on dedications appearing elsewhere in the material if considered important. Parts of lengthy dedications that do not contain essential information may be omitted using the mark of omission.

 

"Dedicated to the citizens of Baltimore"

 

"To Mr. Micajah Perry of London, merchant, this map of Virginia &ca. is humbly dedicated and presented"

 

Dedication in separate cartouche at bottom right corner of sheet reads: "To His Grace, Charles, Duke of Grafton ... this map is humbly dedicated ..."

 

Added engraved dedication leaf reads: A new and elegant general atlas, dedicated to Her Royal Highness Charlotte Augusta, Princess of Wales. London: Printed & published by Laurie and Whittle, 1802

 

Dedication "to His Most Sacred Majesty George II, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland ..." by Margaret Flamsteed and James Hodgson on p. [3] (first count)


Appendix: Cartographic Materials Rules on Dedications

 

1B1. APPLICATION

Transcribe a dedication that forms an integral part of the title proper.

 

1B14. APPLICATION

If the dedication forms part of the title proper and begins the title proper, do not omit the first five words of the dedication.

 

To the Right Honourable John Lord Sommers ... this map of North America, according to ye newest and most exact observations is most humbly dedicated

(Chief source of information: To the Right Honourable John Lord Sommers Baron of Evesham in ye county of Worcester President of Her Majesty’s most Honourable Privy Council &c. this map of North America, according to ye newest and most exact observations is most humbly dedicated)

 

To the Honorable the Court of Directors of the United Company of Merchants ... this chart of the Indian and Pacific oceans is most respectfully dedicated

(Chief source of information: To the Honorable the Court of Directors of the United Company of Merchants, trading to the East Indies, this chart of the Indian and Pacific oceans is most respectfully dedicated)

 

1B15.

Omit, without using the mark of omission, mottoes, quotations, dedications, statements, pious invocations, devices, announcements, epigrams, prices, etc., appearing on the item (title page, cartouche, etc.) that are separate from the title proper.

 

1B15. APPLICATION

Use the note area to record or describe this kind of information if it is considered important.

 

7B5. APPLICATION

Dedication. Many early cartographic items were dedicated by their authors to some influential person, explorer, or patron.

A dedication not already transcribed in the title and statement of responsibility area may be transcribed in a note, preceded by the word Dedication:.

 

Dedication: To the most serene and most sacred Majesty of Charles II. By the grace of God King of Great Brittain, France, and Ireland. This map of North America, is humbly dedicated

 

In a first-level description, parts of a lengthy dedication that do not contain essential information may be omitted. Indicate omissions from the dedication by the mark of omission (...).

In a second- or third-level description, transcribe the dedication exactly.


Comments

Comments (4)

Deborah J. Leslie said

at 3:53 pm on Feb 22, 2014

The intention behind removing dedications from the list of silently-omitted text in B was to consider them other title information and be transcribed or ellipsed. However, the arguments here for a cartographic exception are persuasive. I very much like the proposed solution of transcribing if grammatically inseparable; otherwise requiring a note.

What isn't quite clear is whether the note must be transcribed, or if it's acceptable to summarize a dedication statement.

Nancy Lorimer said

at 9:57 pm on Feb 22, 2014

I like this solution as well.

Manon Theroux said

at 12:38 am on Feb 26, 2014

Re notes on dedications: So far, all the DCRM(C) members who have weighed in (me, Randy, Todd, Nancy) agree that it would be fine to summarize dedications not on the chief source of information, but we should require transcription for dedications on the chief source, with the option to abridge lengthy dedications. And we think it would be good to add a variant example of a note, showing summarization, to 7B14: Dedication to Charlotte Augusta, Princess of Wales, on added engraved dedication leaf.

Deborah J. Leslie said

at 11:07 am on Mar 1, 2014

I'm a little troubled by the inclusion of dedications in 0G5.2 with other silently omitted material, in which a note may be made if considered important, unless it's a dedication. Since dedications have different requirements, treat them in a separate paragraph in 0G5?

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