APPENDIX D 1 Punctuation One of the unique features of the ISBD [International Standard Book Description] is a set of prescribed punctuation.

. The prescribed punctuation mark precedes each element in the description and signifies the nature of that element. The prescribed punctuation marks are used as a device of recognition for both machine and human manipulation of bibliographic records. Specific and detailed rules with regard to prescribed punctuation are given in each chapter in AACR 2. Following is a summary of the use of each mark of prescribed punctuation. Brackets See Parentheses; Square brackets. Colon A colon precedes 1. Each unit of other title information 2. The name of publisher, distributor, printer, manufacturer, etc. 3. Other physical details (e.g., illustrations) 4. Terms of availability [usually this means price in the 020 tag]

A colon and a space separate introductory wording from the main content of a note.

Comma
1. Separates units within a statement, e.g., phrases within a title, names of authors within a statement of responsibility 2. Precedes each subsequent edition statement 3. Precedes the date of publication, distribution, printing, manufacture, etc. 4. Precedes the ISSN [International Standard Serials Number] of a series or subseries in the series area

Dash
1

This information is taken directly from the book Cataloging and Classification: An Introduction, by Lois Mai Chan, McGraw-Hill, 1981. This book is owned by SELCO and shelved in the SELCO Professional Collection. It is available for circulation. Information appearing in square brackets is my own.

A full stop, space, dash, space (. -- ) precedes each title in the contents, unless the area begins a new paragraph. Diagonal Slash A diagonal slash precedes any statement of responsibility. Ellipses See Mark of omission. Equals sign (=) precedes -1. A parallel title 2. An alternative numbering in the numeric or chronological designation area of a serial publication 3. A key-title in the standard number and terms of availability area

Full Stop (period) 1. Ends the last area in a paragraph. 2. Used for abbreviations only if they are used on source (most words should be spelled out). 3. Precedes the title of a supplement or section. 4. Precedes the title of a subseries.

Hyphen A hyphen follows the numeric or alphabetic designation, or both, and the date of the first issue of a serial publication. Mark of Omission A mark of omission (. . .) is used 1. To indicate an abridged title proper or other title information 2. To indicate omission from the statement of responsibility 3. To replace the date or numbering that varies from issue to issue in the title proper of a serial publication

Minus Sign A minus sign is used to indicate the Southern Hemisphere when giving the declination of the center of a celestial chart. Parentheses Parentheses are used 1. To enclose the full address of a publisher, distributor, etc. (if given) after the name of the place 2. To enclose physical details of accompanying material 3. To enclose each series statement 4. To enclose the continuous pagination of a multivolume monograph after the number of volumes 5. To enclose the statement of coordinates and equinox in the mathematical data area for 3 cartographic materials 6. To enclose the number of logical records after the designation for a data file; the number of statements and the name of the programming language after the designation for a program file; the number of logical records or statements in each file after the designation for a multipart file; or the name, number, etc., of the machine after the designation for an object program 7. To enclose the number of frames of a microfiche or a filmstrip and the speed of a film or recording 8. To enclose a date following a designation that is numeric, alphabetic, or both, for a serial publication Period See Full stop. Plus Sign A plus sign 1. Precedes a statement of accompanying material 2. Is used to indicate the Northern Hemisphere when giving the declination of the center of a celestial chart
2

According to the Anglo American Cataloguing Rules, Second Edition (1998), a monograph is defined as A nonserial item (i.e., an item either complete in one part or complete, or intended to be completed in a finite number of separate parts) (620).
3

According to the AACR 2 (1998), cartographic material is defined as Any material representing the whole or part of the earth or any celestial body at any scale. Cartographic materials include two- and threedimensional maps and plans (including maps of imaginary places); aeronautical, navigational, and celestial charts; atlases; globes; block diagrams; sections; aerial photographs with a cartographic purpose; birds-eye views (map views), etc. (616).

Question Mark A question mark is used to indicate a conjectural interpolation. Semicolon A semicolon precedes 1. Each subsequent statement of responsibility in the 245 2. A second or subsequently named place of publication, distribution, etc. 3. Dimensions (e.g., size) in the physical description area 4. Subsequent statements of responsibility relating to a series or subseries 5. The numbering within a series or subseries 6. The projection statement for cartographic materials 7. A new sequence of numbering, etc., in the numeric, alphabetical, chronological, or other designation area for a serial publication Slash See Diagonal slash. Space A space precedes and follows each mark of prescribed punctuation, except the comma, full stop, hyphen, and opening and closing parentheses and square brackets. The comma, full stop, hyphen, closing parenthesis, and square bracket are not preceded by a space; the hyphen, opening parenthesis, and square bracket are not followed by a space. Square Brackets Square brackets are used to 1. To enclose information taken from outside the prescribed source or sources 2. To enclose the general material designation 3. To enclose a supplied statement of function of a publisher, distributor, etc.

When adjacent elements within one area are to be enclosed in square brackets, they are enclosed in one set of square brackets unless one of the elements is a general material designation, which is always enclosed in its own set of brackets. When adjacent elements are in different areas, each element is enclosed in a set of square brackets.