Name: Selection of Bibliographic Records shared in NZ
Status: Approved
Last revised: June 2022
Written by: Patrick J Raftery Jr.
Policy:
Bibliographic records contributed to the Alma Network Zone (NZ) must contain specific mandatory elements and meet a full level standard of cataloging. Cataloging should be done in OCLC Connexion, except for brief bibs for ordering, inventory of equipment, and records that are institution specific that will only reside in the Institution Zone (IZ) as stated in a previous policy. For more information on records that are NOT required to meet full level bibliographic standards, please view the Placement of Records in Alma Zones policy.
- Minimum descriptive standards for CUNY are the CONSER Standard Record (CSR) for serials and the BIBCO Standard Record (BSR) for all other bibliographic formats for either RDA or AACR2.
- Members should catalog at the Full level, which surpasses the CUNY policy for brief records for ordering purposes and for items that will only reside in the IZ such as equipment records.
- When creating new bibliographic records, members should use RDA standards and not AACR2. However, if a record in OCLC Connexion is available and in AACR2, there is no requirement to re-catalog it to RDA standards.
- When cataloging using a standard other than RDA or AACR2, records should meet a level of completeness comparable to CSR and BSR standards.
- When cataloging rare books and materials, members should catalog according to Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) best practices of Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (DCRM).