The CERL Working Group on Retrospective National Bibliographies feels the lack of a uniform description model for describing Retrospective National Bibliographies: who is responsible, where does the data come from, what is included and what is excluded, what is the state of completeness, and so on. The Working Group is now working on a model for a data sheet that would capture this information in a uniform way.

The aims for the datasheets are to:

  • Provide comprehensive information on a dataset (supporting comparisons, different access needs and further networking)
  • Indicate the size: e.g. number of bibliographic records, number of copies (etc.)
  • Structure the information
  • Standardise the information (with particular reference to the use of the same vocabulary)
  • Free text options should be available for every question.

The Working Group is using this webpage to work with the community to decide which pieces of information are relevant, and which elements should be made mandatory.

The model for the datasheet, below, is structured in 4 parts:

  1. Basic/General information about the database
  2. Contents of the bibliography
  3. Detailed structural information about the database
  4. Networking issues for the database

This is a work in progress. Eventually, this is to be translated into an Excel spreadsheet or Google document for each bibliography.

Datasheet DRAFT model

Part 1 – Basic/General information about the database

This section includes the name of the bibliography, the link to the master database, details of the organisation that is responsible for the bibliography, the history and the current status of the bibliography, and the method for compiling the bibliography.

  • Official name to be used for quoting
  • Original language
  • English translation
  • Other languages

  • ISIL of masterdatabase

  • Standalone accessible database
  • Part of union catalogue/network
  • Other

  • With ISIL code(s)
  • Contact names and contact details

  • In progress (give number of records, describe: e.g. percentage of coverage, annual growth, missing parts)
  • Project completed, but updates possible
  • Closed project (Number of records)

  • Starting date
  • Major changes (indicate bibliography?)

  • Book in hand cataloguing
  • Individual uploads, Bulk uploads
  • Conversion of printed bibliographies (which) and status of editors (employed, collegial, voluntary)

  • yes/no

Part 2 – Contents of the bibliography

This section contains a brief description of the database, including the date range and geographical area that are covered. It also includes details about which languages are covered, which authors, which subjects and what formats. The description includes details on how digital information and copy-specific information are treated in the bibliography.

Max. 100 words

  • From (1st year) – until (last year)
  • Are incunabula included? With ISTC number? With GW number? (all yes/no)

  • Name of many country – preferably with ISO Code
  • What other country/countries (with ISO Codes)? In full? Partly? (e.g. the VDs cover Germany, Austria, part of Switzerland)
  • Today’s borders? Historical regions? If the latter, please specify

  • All languages in the main and other country/ies (identify the predominant languages)
  • Only national languages, please specify
  • Other languages, related to other selection criteria (e.g. include translations, include imprint by a national but printed abroad)
  • Are any languages specifically excluded, please specify
  • Please specify

  • Indigenous authors publishing abroad (yes/no)
  • Translations of national texts, published abroad / translated in other than indigenous languages

  • Imprints from more than main and other countries because of thematic information about the (main/other) country (yes/no)

  • Outline how format is coded: free text
  • Includes printed books monographs: (yes/no)
  • Includes multivolume works: 1 record for the whole set, 1 record for each volume, 1 record for the set with single records per volume
  • Includes periodical (from 17th century onwards) as distinct category: (yes / no), 1 record for the whole set, 1 record for each volume, 1 record for the set with single records per volume or 1 record per volume
  • Includes newspapers (since 17th century) as distinct category: (yes/no)
  • Includes Broadsheets/Broadsides: (yes/no)
  • Includes Cartographic Material only with letterpress text (= movable type): (yes/no)
  • Includes Atlasses/Maps (without letterpress text): (yes/no)
  • Includes Musical scores: (yes/no)
  • Includes Printed music with letterpress text (Songbooks): (yes/no)
  • Includes Other printed materials / ephemera: please specify
  • Includes Individual Articles (especially in thematic context): (yes/no)
  • Includes Manuscripts / archival resources: please specify how these are distinguished

  • Digitized originals (surrogates) as separate records (year of publication = year of digitization)? With link? inside the database? Downloadable? (all yes/no)
  • Digitized surrogates listed (as holdings) on the bibliographic record for the original? With link? inside the database? Downloadable? (all yes/no)
  • Full text? Downloadable? (yes/no)
  • Single images, please describe criteria for inclusion and source

  • Strictly no copy-specific information
  • Information on the copy integrated into the bibliographic record (one-record)
  • Usually information on only one copy (the one used for creating the record)
  • Information for several copies in a separate file
  • Includes information on Holding libraries? With Standardized names? With ISO coding? (all yes/no).
  • What is the number of holding libraries?
  • Recording of all relevant holdings : Always, Partially, National, International
  • Includes Shelfmarks? Current shelfmarks? Historical shelfmarks? Systematically? Sporadically

Part 3 – Detailed structural information about the database

This section contains details on the editing interface, the data format, the description model, and export formats. Details about download options, the use of standard identifiers, authority files , thesauri and other standardised information are also described in this section.

  • Is there only one editing environment
  • Or may RNB records be edited in several environments?

  • MARC21
  • PICA
  • ALEPH
  • Own format
  • Other

  • RDA
  • ISBD-A
  • AACR
  • Own rules (provide a link to the rules, if possible)

  • MARC21
  • RDF (linked open data)
  • SRU
  • OAI-PMH
  • Z 39.50
  • Other (please specify)

  • Of records: Record per record, Bulk download, download available upon request
  • Of digital images: yes, partially (data owners only, for example), no
  • Of full original text : yes, partially (data owners only, for example), no

  • For bibliographic records yes, please specify / no
  • For copies / item records (yes / no)
  • Rules for quoting standard Identifiers (Explain structure and syntax rules and give examples)
  • Form and permanence of the identifiers: UUID, PID, Established and centrally maintained number
  • Did permalinks change? When? How?

If your RNB uses authority files, for each instance below, specify which ID-numbers, whether they are standardized within the database, standardized beyond the database.

  • Persons
  • Corporate bodies
  • Places
  • Printers / Publishers
  • Subject terms
  • Works
  • Others

  • Countries, please give ISO codes and indicate whether it relates to historical / current countries
  • Language, please provide the ISO code
  • Illustrations. Do you make use of an internal Thesaurus? Standardized vocabulary, please specify?
  • Format. For bibliographical or physical formats? Both?
  • Layout information. Internal Thesaurus? Standardized vocabulary, please specify?
  • Printer’s marks (Devices, head- and tail-pieces, borders). Standardized vocabulary, please specify? Images?
  • Kind of material. Which codes ?
  • Provenance. Internal Thesaurus? Standardized vocabulary, please specify? In which cases?
  • Former owners. Internal Thesaurus? Standardized vocabulary, please specify?
  • Provenance marks. Which? Consistent? URLs to other databases?
  • Bindings. Internal Thesaurus? Standardized vocabulary, please specify?
  • Fingerprint. Which method is used? Is it applied consistently?
  • Any others? Please specify

Part 4 – Networking issues for the database

This section describes to which databases the bibliography has contributed records, whether the same copies are described (perhaps with different records) in other database, and which ones. Finally, the sections describes which bibliographies are consistently/occasionally quoted in the bibliographic records, and whether URLs have been added to the bibliography.

The records of this database have been contributed to the following databases:

  • CERL’s HPB
  • USTC
  • WorldCat
  • Karlsruher Virtueller Katalog
  • Europeana
  • Others, please specify
  • Local databases, please specify

For each specify whether the whole data set or a partial dataset has been shared with the databases listed above. And for each database indicate whether URLs have been added to your records.

The same copies are described (perhaps with different records) in the following databases:

  • ISTC
  • GW
  • MEI
  • USTC
  • WorldCat
  • Union Catalogue, please specify
  • Local catalogue, please specify

For each specify whether all relevant records are covered by these databases, or whether this is work in progess.

The following bibliographies are consistently/occasionally quoted in the bibliographic records, indicate way of standardization and field:

  • ISTC
  • GW
  • RISM
  • Other, please specify

For each bibliography indicate whether URLs have been added to your records.