8.6 Using standards We have looked at the kind of information that users are likely to require and started to understand that there are many levels of data and different relationships between events and recordings and between digital resources and their analogue surrogates. In order to create a working system of documentation, you must also address the issue of standards. There are two types of standard that you must address in creating your documentation. Broadly speaking, standards fall into the following categories: Integrity or authority standards These are the rules developed by library and archive professionals to facilitate effective information retrieval. These standards may include agreed proper forms for personal names (e.g. Tchaikovsky rather than Chaykovsky) or internationally-agreed ways of expressing dates. Frameworks When we talk about metadata standards we usually mean the frameworks that have been developed to store separate pieces of information - equivalent to the individual fields in a database. These will include the types of information recommended by the International Association of Sound Archives (see Section 8.4) but will often be grouped in a certain way and use general, non subject-specific terms (for example, CREATOR instead of COMPOSER). 8.6.1 Why should we use standards? Standards improve understanding of a resource. Without standard names (usually with dates of birth and death attached) we do not know whether you mean that John Smith, or another John Smith altogether. Without standardised date forms (1999/07/05), American (07/05/1999) and European (05/07/1999) users will become quickly confused. Standards facilitate intuitive searching of a resource. Without standardised terminology to describe the content, genre or category of a resource, users cannot find resources effectively. 8.6.2 Which standards? Standards for data entry - authority, integrity and consistency Even if you are creating an extremely basic record, it is important to understand the impact of your data entry methodologies. If you only follow one rule as a data creator, that rule must be consistency. Names, dates and titles Since 1967, most UK and US libraries have been using the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules to describe the items in their collections. Use of AACR as the common standard for cataloguing has made it possible for libraries to pool their efforts through the use of derived cataloguing and shared cataloguing projects. Of equal importance, the adoption of AACR has provided consistency and clarity for library users. Although the rules are in perpetual revision, the basic principles for best practice remain broadly constant. AACR2 (Anglo-American cataloguing rules, 2nd ed. 1988 revision) provides building blocks for the construction of meaningful and consistent data entries for names, dates and titles and other information, including format(s). For example, the standard form for personal names is as follows: Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750 Note that the forenames and surname order is inverted and that the dates of birth and death are incorporated (so that we know which Johann Sebastian Bach). Musical works often have multiple titles and may also be known by their numbers (e.g. Symphony Number 9). Chapter 8 of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules offers a formula for constructing a uniform title which incorporates all the appropriate information in a recognised form: Sehet, welch eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeiget = See now, what kind of love this is : BWV64 / Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750. 1982 The uniform title above includes the full title of the Cantata in German, the English translation of that title, the standard catalogue number for the work, derived from W. Schmieder's reference work 'Thematisch-systematisches Verzeichnis der musikalischen Werke' and the full names and dates of the composer. Subjects and classification Most libraries group similar resources together under headings, or use classification schemes such as Dewey Decimal classification scheme, the Universal Decimal Classification scheme (UDC) or the Library of Congress classification scheme (LC). As well as directing users to a particular section of a physical library space, these schemes also help users to find other items dealing with the same subjects or concepts. You may wish to incorporate a standard classification statement in your record to help users understand the context and meaning of your resource. For example, you may wish to assign your resource a Dewey Decimal classification number. Many audio resources may fall under the following categories: 780 Music
781 General principles & musical forms
782 Vocal music
783 Music for single voices
784 Instruments & Instrumental ensembles
785 Chamber music
786 Keyboard & other instruments
787 Stringed instruments
788 Wind instruments Most resources will be assigned further refinements: 780 Music: general resources
780 Music: departments and institutions
780 Music: education and research
780 Music: journals and magazines
780 Music: libraries
780 Music: collections
780.285 Music software
780.82 Women in music
780.89 Ethnomusicology
780.9 Music of specific areas
780.9 Music of specific periods
780.92 Composers
781 General principles and traditions of music
782 Vocal music
782.1 Opera
784 Orchestral and instrumental ensembles and their music
784.19 Musical instruments: general resources
786 Keyboard and percussion instruments
787 Stringed instruments
788 Wind instruments
788.9 Brass instruments Some non-music resources may be categorised as follows: 791 Public performances
791.028 Acting
791.43028 Film actors/actresses
791.4309 History of film
791.437 Screenplays
791.44 Radio
791.45 Television
792 Stage presentations; Theatre
792.027 Stage makeup
792.09 History of theatre
792.3 Mime Top of Page
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