13.0 DISCRETE ITEMS, GENERAL RULES
13.0A. Preliminary rule
13.0A1. Scope.
The rules in this chapter may be used to describe discrete items as instructed in 1.0A1. A discrete item is defined as an item that is not part of a larger body of material (e.g., a fonds or collection). Examples of discrete items include: a textual record such as a single letter, diary, or logbook; graphic material such as a single photograph, postcard, or drawing; cartographic material such as a map or atlas; or an object such as a sculpture or medal.
These rules form the basis for a single descriptive record for material(s) in any physical form. Use these rules in conjunction with the chapter(s) dealing with the broad class(es) of material relating to the intellectual form of the unit being described.
Archives most often consist of aggregations of materials and are managed as such. However, repositories do acquire materials that do not form a part of a larger fonds, collection or series. Context of creation, accumulation and use may or may not be known. Where provenance is known, no other materials of the same provenance may be held by the repository. Alternately provenance may be unknown and the material(s) acquired on the basis of another attribute. For this reason, the rules in this chapter accommodate the presentation of any information that may help to situate material(s) contextually.
13.0B. Sources of information
13.0B1. Chief source of information.
For the chief source of information for discrete items, consult the item-level .0B1 rules of the chapter(s) dealing with the broad class(es) of material relating to the intellectual form of the unit being described.
13.0B2. Prescribed sources of information.
Areas of description used for discrete items are presented in 1.0B2.
For the prescribed source(s) of information for each area of description, consult the .0B2 rules of the chapter(s) dealing with the broad class(es) of material relating to the intellectual form of the unit being described.
Enclose information taken from outside the prescribed source(s) in square brackets, unless otherwise instructed in specific rules.
13.0C. Punctuation
For the punctuation of the description as a whole, see 1.0C.
For the prescribed punctuation of elements, see the following rules.
13.0D. Levels of detail in the description.
13.0E. Language and script of the description.
13.0F. Inaccuracies.
13.0G. Accents and other diacritical marks.
13.0H. Examples.
See 0.12. A selection of full-length example descriptions has been prepared using the rules in this chapter (see 13.10). The partial examples presented on a rule-by-rule basis in this chapter have been synthesized to form complete descriptions. The inclusion of full-length examples illustrates the application of the rules in the creation of complete descriptive records. The examples are intended to illustrate, but not prescribe, various possible outputs.
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