Example that does comply with CCO
rules:
Source: http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/101811/walker-evans-sleeping-white-cat-on-a-rug-new-york-city-american-about-1960s/
Why it
complies with CCO:
·
It can be deduced that the title used in this
record from The Getty was a constructed descriptive title as the cataloger has
placed the title in brackets.
o
This follows the AACR2/RDA standard which states
that if certain descriptive elements are taken from anywhere other than that
source they are bracketed in the record.[i]
o
It is specified in the CCO General Guidelines
that CCO does acknowledge AACR rules and states, “For those who use AACR, CCO can
be a complement or partner to AACR, supplementing established AACR rules.”[iii]
o
Even though this use of brackets does not follow
the specific CCO guidelines for designating a constructed title, the cataloger
has still made it clear that the title came from somewhere other than the
object source.
·
The constructed title Sleeping
White Cat on a Rug, New York City is fairly descriptive as it highlights
the main subject captured in the photograph: the cat on a rug. While the
cataloger could have titled the work “Cat on a Rug,” they chose to be more
specific in describing the scene portrayed, rather than just the objects. They
have highlighted that the cat is white and sleeping on the rug.
o
“…a concise descriptive title that refers to the
iconographic content of the work (that is, the figures, stories, or scenes
portrayed in it).”[iv]
o
“It is required to include a descriptive title… that
indicates what the work is or what is depicted in it.”[v]
o
“Constructed titles may refer to the subject,
the materials, the form, or the function of the work.”[vi]
·
In addition to following the guidelines for
describing the image in the title, the constructed title also follows the rules
set for grammar. Each word that should be capitalized within the title is
(Sleeping, White, Cat, Rug, and New York City) while the articles and
prepositions used are not.
o
“For constructed titles in English, capitalize the
first word and all nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, and subordinate
conjunctions; use lowercase for articles, coordinate conjunctions, and
prepositions, unless they are the first word of the Title.” (1.2.2.1 Brief
Rules for Title – Capitalization and
Abbreviation)
Example
that does not comply with CCO rules:
Source:
http://via.lib.harvard.edu/via/deliver/fullRecordDisplay?_collection=via&inoID=622492&recordNumber=35671&method=view&recordViewFormat=full
Why it does not comply with CCO:
- Under the section UNKNOWN TITLES AND UNTITLED WORKS it states, “Do not use the term untitled unless the creator has deliberately named the work Untitled”.[vii]
o As this
photographic portrait was taken by an unidentified artist and since its
original purpose was meant to be a portrait, perhaps for a family member to
have, it is unlikely the photographer titled this work. The cataloger, not
knowing who the portrait was of, decided to title the work Untitled (portrait).
- In the section ABOUT OBJECT NAMEING, it is discussed how object titles are given and how they can come from various sources. “However, many works, including utilitarian works, decorative art, cultural artifacts, maps, diagrams, archaeological works, ethnographic materials, and some buildings, do not have titles or names per se. For these works, a descriptive title should be constructed to facilitate identification by users.”[viii]
o
The title constructed by the cataloger in the
record above fails to “facilitate identification by users,” as the given title Untitled (portrait) only describes one
aspect of the work—that the work is an image of a portrait. While it is helpful
that “portrait” was added on to the title, the user has no idea what type of
portrait the record is describing (it could be a painting, photograph, drawing,
etc.) or who the portrait may be of (a man, woman, group of people, etc.).
New Descriptive
Title:
Title: Tintype Portrait of Seated Female Figure |
Title Type: descriptive • constructed
Guidelines from CCO used in constructing this title:
- “Constructed titles may refer to the subject, the materials, the form, or the function of the work.”[ix]
- “…construct a concise descriptive title that refers to the iconographic content of the work (that is, the figures, stories, or scenes portrayed in it).”[x]
- “Descriptive titles may also refer to the Work Type or Physical Characteristics of the work.”[xi]
- “Including a Title Type provides a way to distinguish between the various types of titles (for example, repository title, inscribed title, creator’s title, descriptive title).”[xii]
- “For constructed titles in English, capitalize the first word and all nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, and subordinate conjunctions; use lowercase for articles, coordinate conjunctions, and prepositions, unless they are the first word of the Title.”[xiii]
[i] Carlton,
Tim and Jessalyn Zoom. “Library of Congress Training for RDA: Resource
Description & Access.” Library of Congress (September, 2012).
[ii] “Including
a Title Type provides a way to distinguish between the various types of titles
(for example, repository title, inscribed title, creator’s title, descriptive
title).” 1.1 ABOUT OBJECT NAMEING – Discussion – Title Type
[iii] CCO
Part One: General Guidelines, p. 2.
[iv] 1.2.2.2.3
VARIOUS TYPES OF WORKS – Descriptive Titles
[v] Ibid.
[vi] 1.2.2.2.2
CONSTRUCTED TITLE
[vii] 1.2.2.2.5
UNKNOWN TITLES AND UNTITLED WORKS
[viii] 1.1.1
ABOUT OBJECT NAMEING
[ix] 1.2.2.2.2
CONSTRUCTED TITLE
[x] 1.2.2.2.3
VARIOUS TYPES OF WORKS – Descriptive Titles
[xi] 1.2.2.2.3
VARIOUS TYPES OF WORKS – Descriptive Titles
[xii] 1.1
ABOUT OBJECT NAMEING – Discussion – Title Type
[xiii] 1.2.2.1
Brief Rules for Title – Capitalization and Abbreviation
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