Including the sequence of the first few named and then truncating the statement 
with [and x others] seems like a reasonable and flexible option.

But I do view the use of [and x others] as itself violating the principle of 
representation, and perhaps that is why the LC-PCC PS has indicated that they 
will not generally use the optional omission.

The first named does have a connection with the name potentially used in the 
authorized access point for the work, so there is a stronger reason for the 
first named versus the second named. The access point for that first named is 
also a core element (essentially, this is how RDA restates the main entry 
rule—as in AACR2, one name is more important than others, and receives a spot 
in the 100 field).

As for the others that are named, I would be more comfortable transcribing the 
entire statement. In those exceptional cases with a huge number of names, it 
seems to me that potentially none of the names are that important (except the 
first named which might be used in the authorized access point), or that only 
select names would be useful for the users of the library, and so I would more 
comfortable putting those in a note, likely with some explanation as to why I 
pulled those specific names out of the statement of responsibility.

I don’t see much discernible value in setting an arbitrary cut-off—if given a 
choice between transcribing a full statement of responsibility and making 
authority records for the first four or five names I would likely choose 
transcribing the whole statement of responsibility as more useful, if only for 
keyword searching. There might even be some workflow logic to that in that 
authorized access points can be added later if needed and the statement of 
responsibility wouldn’t have to be adjusted with some other arbitrary cut-off.

Thomas Brenndorfer
Guelph Public Library



From: Resource Description and Access / Resource Description and Access 
[mailto:RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA] On Behalf Of Heidrun Wiesenmüller
Sent: February-07-13 3:11 PM
To: RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA
Subject: Re: [RDA-L] Statement of responsibility naming more than three persons 
etc.

Thomas,

If I understand your reasoning correctly, your main concern is with the case of 
transcribing selected names from further down the list (which, as I've tried to 
explain, I would see as an exception and not as the rule). I see what you mean, 
although I still think that it wouldn't be much of a problem for our users as 
long as something like "[and 38 others]" makes it clear that the statement is 
not complete.

But you haven't mentioned the case from which the whole discussion originated: 
The question whether it should be allowed to transcribe e.g. "with 
contributions by A, B, C, D [and 16 others]" instead of "with contributions by 
A [and 19 others]", with A, B, C and D being the first names in the list. Do 
you see problems there as well?

I'd argue that the first version meets the principle of representation better 
than the second.

Heidrun



On 07.02.2013 19:50, Brenndorfer, Thomas wrote:
Perhaps, but one should always refer back to the RDA objectives and principles, 
and FRBR/FRAD user tasks.

At one point in RDA development, the statement of responsibility was not going 
to be considered a core element. It was added back in as a core element. The 
core element set’s primary concern is the Identify user task, where resources 
have to be sufficiently differentiated from each other. The statement of 
responsibility also has utility in confirming that the resource sought is the 
one that matches the search criteria.

RDA’s principle of representation (RDA 0.4.3.4) says that the data describing a 
resource should reflect the resource’s representation of itself.

I think a highly elliptical statement, with names selected here and there, 
might violate the principle of representation, as people also match that 
statement of responsibility as recorded with what is on the resource.

And if not all names are to be recorded even in a note, it seems best to 
accompany the recording of those select names with a brief explanation. It 
seems easier to just list names in a note, separated by commas, then to have an 
awkward-looking statement of responsibility filled with gaps and unexplained 
appearances of some names and not others.

Thomas Brenndorfer
Guelph Public Library

From: Resource Description and Access / Resource Description and Access 
[mailto:RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA] On Behalf Of Heidrun Wiesenmüller
Sent: February-07-13 1:39 PM
To: RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA<mailto:RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA>
Subject: Re: [RDA-L] Statement of responsibility naming more than three persons 
etc.

Thomas Brenndorfer wrote:
AACR2 also says “not named in a statement of responsibility” but its 
application extended to situations when all but the first named in a 
transcribed statement of responsibility were omitted.

Thanks for this information; I didn't know that.

Nonetheless, the idea doesn't really appeal to me. In the RAK rules, there is a 
very basic principle which says that notes are normally used only to give 
information which is not apparent from the rest of the bibliographic 
description. I think this is a sound idea.

True, if we choose not to transcribe a name in a s-o-r, then this information 
isn't apparent from the rest of the bibliographic description, so we could give 
it in a note. But I'd still say it would be better to amend the s-o-r instead 
of using a note as some sort of "workaround".

Heidrun






--

---------------------

Prof. Heidrun Wiesenmueller M.A.

Stuttgart Media University

Faculty of Information and Communication

Wolframstr. 32, 70191 Stuttgart, Germany

www.hdm-stuttgart.de/bi<http://www.hdm-stuttgart.de/bi>




--

---------------------

Prof. Heidrun Wiesenmueller M.A.

Stuttgart Media University

Faculty of Information and Communication

Wolframstr. 32, 70191 Stuttgart, Germany

www.hdm-stuttgart.de/bi<http://www.hdm-stuttgart.de/bi>

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