Metadata Input Guidelines: Description
PAGE CONTENTS 29 minute read.
Element Name:
Description
Description Definition
Description of the content attributes of the resource (content description) or physical attributes of the resource (physical description).
How Content Description Works in the Metadata Form
- Parts:
- 1. Description type – drop-down menu
- 2. Description – text field
- Repeatable?
- Yes - clicking ‘Add’ repeats all field parts; there should only be two description fields (one for content and one for physical description)
- Required?
- Yes - a content description is required; a physical description is highly recommended. Also see more information about required fields
Note: Given the significant differences for entering description information, guidance sections are repeated separately for content descriptions and physical descriptions below.
Element Name: Content Description
Where Can the Content Description Information be Found?
Like subjects, the item must be read/examined to find the content description but it may come from:
Item Types | Information Sources |
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For text |
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For images |
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For maps |
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For music scores |
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For videos |
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For sound files |
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For computer files |
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In some cases a content description may come from accompanying or supplementary information.
How Should the Content Description be Filled in?
- Describe the subject matter of the item
- Use complete sentences with proper grammar and punctuation
- Avoid any commentary on or interpretation of the item being described
Guideline | Example |
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Photograph of... Yearbook for Central University... |
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Photograph of a cowboy riding a brown bull in an arena. A rodeo clown stands off to the right. Behind him, people watch from the other side of a red fence. |
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Biography of Alexander Gregg includes background information about his family as well as a sketch of his life and involvement in the church throughout his career until his death in 1893. |
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Letter from James E. Sutherlin to his family describing his plans for saving money to buy a new car once he gets home. |
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Postcard showing tents of the New Hampshire camp at Ft. McIntosh, Laredo, Texas. Postcard of the Custom House building in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. The back of the postcard includes a thank you note addressed to Capt. Elmer C. Croom from L. R. de la Peña. |
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Quarterly publication containing genealogical information about families in East Texas including fifth generation charts, family histories, and lists of records (births, deaths, etc.). This issue focuses on "Dallas Goes to War: Life on the Homefront" |
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This map shows the western hemisphere including North and South America and the surrounding areas. Bodies of water and geographic features are marked pictorially. There are illustrations of ships in various places around the map. This map shows parts of North America including most of New Britain (Canada), the United States, and the northern portion of Mexico. U.S. states and territories are shaded in various colors and labeled. Some major cities, bodies of water, and geographic features are marked (with relief shown by hachures). Scale [ca. 1:19,008,000] |
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"Official publication of the Parks and Wildlife Department, dedicated to protecting and conserving natural resources; to providing and maintaining an excellent park system; and to improving hunting and fishing in Texas" (p. 2). |
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Index starts on page 254. Index starts after page 18. |
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Photograph of the library on the University of North Texas main campus. Description: Postcard of buildings at Ft. McIntosh. Keyword: Fort McIntosh |
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Note: The chautauqua movement was a "popular U.S. movement in adult education that flourished during the late 19th and early 20th centuries....At first entirely religious in nature, the program was gradually broadened to include general education, recreation, and popular entertainment" - from Encyclopedia Britannica |
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Description: Portrait of Dr. Elwin L. Skiles, who was president of Hardin-Simmons University from 1966 to 1977. He is visible from the shoulders up and is wearing a dark-colored suit and a tie with diagonal stripes. Note: Additional biographical description from accompanying information: Ida Loving Turner was a chosen delegate from Texas to represent the Board of Lady Managers at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. She served as Postmistress in Fort Worth; one of the founders of Fort Worth Children's Hospital (now [2018] Cook County Children's Hospital); and thoroughly involved in many other civic endeavors in Fort Worth. The Alma Turner Building in Fort Worth is named after Ida's daughter, Alma. |
Other Content Description Examples
- Directory of the City of Fort Worth 1905-06.
- Content Description: Directory to the city of Fort Worth, Texas includes lists of important institutions and locations as well as address listings for businesses and individuals. Index to Advertisements is on page 5; Table of Contents is on page 8.
- The Texas Spring Palace
- Content Description: This pamphlet includes a guide to the Texas Spring Palace including particular sites and places in Texas. Additionally, the Texas and Southwestern Railway Guide starts on page 59 with printed timetables for the train schedules.
- Digital photograph: [Bull Riding at Cowtown Coliseum]
- Content Description: Photograph of a cowboy, wearing a helmet, riding a brown and white bull in an arena. A cowboy in red stands on the floor, off to the left. People watch from the other side of a red fence.
- Quilt pieces
- Content Description: 39 cotton quilt squares for making pieced quilt; 4 small blocks make up each large one, each small block being composed of 2 triangles and one central arrow-shaped piece.
- The Bronco, Yearbook of Hardin-Simmons University, 2007
- Content Description: Yearbook for Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas includes photos of and information about the university, student body, professors, and organizations. Name index starts on page 156.
- Legacies: A History Journal for Dallas and North Central Texas, Volume 1, Number 1, Spring, 1989
- Content Description: Biannual publication “devoted to the rich history of Dallas and North Central Texas” as a way to “examine the many historical legacies–social, ethnic, cultural, political–which have shaped the modern city of Dallas and the region around it” (p. 3). This issue focuses on “Dallas Then, Dallas Now.”
- Photograph: Cattle
- Content Description: Photograph of cattle on a farm next to a feeder.
- [Map showing the geographical location of Fort Worth, Tex. and Rail Roads]
- Content Description: Map accompanying the book, The capitalist, or, The city of Fort Worth: a parody on the Mikado. The map shows railroad lines all over the U.S.
- Recueil d’opera
- Content Description: Collection of opera excerpts in manuscript (in an unidentified hand).
- Moving image: Forget Not These Children
- Content Description: This film discusses children with mental disabilities and the people and institutions that help them become functioning members of their communities. Schools include: New Lisbon State Colony; Woodbind State Colony; Vinalyn State School; Totowa North Jersey Training School.
- World War II poster: making America strong: competitive companies co-operate to produce important instruments for military aircraft.
- Content Description: Black and white poster features comic-book style drawings of an industrial worker, managers, and buildings, and a large outline map of the U.S. containing additional text.
- Color slide: [Sydney Harbour and Opera House]
- Content Description: Photograph of the Sydney Opera House. In the foreground, the harbor and several ships are visible; the buildings of Sydney, Australia are visible in the background behind the opera house.
Element Name: Physical Description
Where Can the Physical Description Information be Found?
- Physical description comes from physically examining the item
including:
- physical dimensions
- pagination
- printing methods or process (tintype, daguerrotype, woodcut, etc.)
How Should the Physical Description be Filled in?
- Enter physical descriptions including: dimensions, extent, pagination, and related physical and process details
- When dimensions are given, specify the units, e.g., “cm.” for centimeters or “in.” for inches
- When possible, follow AACR2 rules including exact punctuation (extent : physical details ; dimensions + accompanying materials)
- “Extent” should always be included but “Physical details” may be shortened or left out if not apparent and “Dimensions” can be omitted if not available
- Physical description rules are explained by item type:
Books, pamphlets, and printed sheets
Guideline | Example |
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extent (number of pages)
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30 p. iv, 320 p. A-M p. [41] p. 182-536 p. 1 pamphlet (12 p.) |
physical details (illustrations within the text, including photographs
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: ill. : col. ill. : ill. (some col.) : maps, ports. : ill., col. maps : all ill. : chiefly ports. |
dimensions
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; 23 cm.
; 28 x 10 cm. ; 22 x 28 cm., folded to 22 x 10 cm. |
Examples:
[41] p. : ill. ; 18 cm.
680 p. ; 28 cm.
xi, 83 p. : col. ill., maps ; 36 cm.
[3] p. (If the text is not illustrated and the dimensions are unknown, only the number of pages will be in the description.)
1 pamphlet : ill. ; 22 x 28 cm., folded to 22 x 14 cm.
Also see Other Examples.
Photographs and other “graphic” materials
Guideline | Example |
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extent
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1 photograph 2 art prints 1 postcard |
physical details
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: engraving, tinted : sepia : positive, b&w : col. : blue and white : negative, col. |
dimensions
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; 10 x 14 cm. ; 35 mm. ; 10 x 8 in. ; 1648 x 2464 px. ; 13 x 21 cm., on mat 22 x 27 cm. ; 17 x 22 cm., in frame 21 x 26 cm. |
Note: For individual scrapbook pages, use # scrapbook page(s) ; dimensions of whole page in cm.
Examples:
1 postcard : b&w ; 8 x 13 cm.
1 photograph : positive, col. ; 35 mm.
1 art print : lithograph, b&w ; 21 x 26 cm.
1 photograph : b&w ; 13 x 21 cm., on mat 22 x 27 cm.
1 photograph : hand col. ; 25 x 20 cm.
1 photograph : col.
(In some cases, particularly with born-digital
photographs, the dimensions may not be known.)
1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 6 cm., in folder 10 x 14 cm., folded to 10 x 7 cm.
Also see Other Examples.
Maps and other cartographic materials
Guideline | Example |
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extent (number and kinds of items)
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1 globe 5 maps on 1 sheet 1 atlas (57 p.) |
physical details
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: both sides : blueprint 1 atlas (23 p.) : 14 maps : hand col. 1 atlas (25 p.) : 20 col. maps, ink : col., wood 1 globe: col., wood, on brass stand |
dimensions
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; 22 x 41 cm.
; 16 x 22 cm., on sheet 28 x 22 cm. ; 45 cm. |
Examples:
1 map : hand col. ; 44 x 60 cm.
3 maps on 1 sheet ; 47 x 77 cm.
1 atlas (30 p.) : some col. ; 52 cm.
Also see Other Examples.
Manuscripts (maps, musical scores, and other documents that are handwritten)
- Formatting is essentially the same as for books and other texts:
Guideline | Example |
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extent
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vi, 25 p.
[24] leaves, bound 19 leaves (2 columns, 32-56 lines) |
physical details
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: col. ill., maps
: vellum, ill. : parchment, ill., maps |
dimensions
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; 36 cm.
; 31 x 15 cm. ; 42 x 71 cm., folded to 11 x 16 cm. |
Examples:
60 p. ; 26 cm.
[3] p. : parchment ; 29 cm., folded to 12 x 22 cm.
Also see Other Examples.
Music
Guideline | Example |
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extent
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1 score
1 cello part (5 p.) |
physical details
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: parchment, col. ill.
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dimensions
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; 36 cm.
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Examples:
1 score ; 31 cm.
1 vocal part (3 p.) ; 28 cm.
1 score : ill. ; 41 cm.
Also see Other Examples.
Sound recordings
Guideline | Example |
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extent
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1 sound disc (20 min.)
2 sound reels (1 hr., 4 min.) |
physical details
|
: digital
: analog, 33 1/3 rpm |
dimensions
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; 12 in.
; 4 3/4 in. ; 16 mm. |
Examples:
1 sound disc (56 min.) : digital ; 4 3/4 in.
1 recording (1 hr., 3 min., 50 sec.) : digital
(e.g., a born-digital recording)
Also see Other Examples.
Motion pictures and videorecordings
Guideline | Example |
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extent
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1 videodisc (1 hr., 45 min.)
2 film reels (ca. 55 min. each) |
physical details
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: si., b&w
: sd., col. : sd., b&w, 25 fps |
dimensions
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; standard 8 mm.
; 1/2 in. ; 8 in. ; digital |
Examples:
1 film (28 min.) : sd., b&w ; 16 mm.
1 recording (30 min., 9 sec.) : sd., col. ; digital
Also see Other Examples.
Three-dimensional objects
Guideline | Example |
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extent
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1 art original
1 pair shoes 1 game (1 board, 80 cards, 2 dice) 1 saucer |
physical details
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1 pipe: clay
1 model: balsa wood and paper 1 goblet: glass, col. 1 saucer: porcelain, green and white |
dimensions
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; 20 cm. long
; 18 cm. in diam. ; 26 x 30 x 6 cm. ; 16 x 32 x 3 cm., in case 17 x 34 x 6 cm. |
Examples:
1 magnifying glass : gold, glass, and mother-of-pearl ; 6 x 11 cm.
1 plate : blue and white ; 25 cm.
1 figurine : wood
1 pair glasses : glass and metal ; 12 x 3 cm.
2 candlesticks : brass
1 set of blocks ; in case (3 x 15 x 28 cm.)
1 petticoat : silk
ca. 64 marbles : ceramic
Also see Other Examples.
Accompanying material
- Accompanying material only refers to multiple pieces included within the same digital object
- Any time that an item has an additional piece (a book with an audio CD, a score with separate parts, a globe with a teacher’s guide, etc.) the information for the supplementary item can be included at the end of the description for the main item
- Format the description for the supplement according to the rules for the type of item that it is
- Separate the description of the main item and each supplementary item with a ‘+’ and use parentheses for additional information:
1 score (35 p.) ; 33 cm. + 4 parts (12 p. ; 30 cm.)
1 globe : col., wood, on metal stand ; 37 cm. in diam. + 1 teacher’s guide (14 p. : ill. ; 20 cm.)
1 score (47 p.) : ill. ; 32 cm. + 2 parts (30 p. each ; 32 cm.)
Other Physical Description Examples
- Directory of the City of Fort Worth 1905-06.
- Physical Description: 550, vi, 5-38 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
- The Texas Spring Palace
- Physical Description: [128] p. : ill. ; 23 cm.
- Digital photograph: [Bull Riding at Cowtown Coliseum]
- Physical Description: 1 photograph : digital, col. ; 1648 x 2464 px.
- Quilt pieces
- Physical Description: 1 quilt block : cotton ; 21 x 23 cm.
- The Bronco, Yearbook of Hardin-Simmons University, 2007
- Physical Description: 160 p. : ill. ; 29 cm.
- Legacies: A History Journal for Dallas and North Central Texas, Volume 1, Number 1, Spring, 1989
- Physical Description: 40 p. ; 26 cm.
- Photograph: Cattle
- Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 7 in.
- [Map showing the geographical location of Fort Worth, Tex. and Rail Roads]
- Physical Description: 1 map : col. ; 26 x 36 cm.
- Recueil d’opera
- Physical Description: 1 ms. vocal score ([318] p.) : ill. ; 38 cm.
- Forget Not These Children
- Physical Description: 1 film (18 min.) : col. ; 16 mm.
- World War II poster: making America strong: competitive companies co-operate to produce important instruments for military aircraft.
- Physical Description: 1 poster : b&w ; 28 x 36 cm.
- Color slide: [Sydney Harbour and Opera House]
- Physical Description: 1 photograph : positive, col. ; 35 mm.
- Scrapbook pages (depending on content)
- Physical Description: 1 scrapbook page ; 33 x 26 cm.
- Physical Description: 4 photographs : b&w ; 14 x 8 cm., or smaller, on page 35 x 24 cm.
- Physical Description: 1 clipping : ill. ; 19 x 10 cm., on sheet 28 x 22 cm.
- Newsletter with continuous pagination
- Physical Description: 137-181, iii p. ; 28 cm.
- [Funeral Program for Wilbert Charles Sheffield, February 11, 2014]
- Physical Description: 1 pamphlet (12 p.) : col. ill. ; 28 cm. + 1 card (col. ill. ; 22 x 14 cm.)
- Digital video
- Physical Description: 1 recording (4 min., 16 sec.) : sd., col. ; digital (Apple iPhone 6 Plus)
- Brochure: Coleto Creek Park and Reservoir
- Physical Description: 1 pamphlet : col. ill. ; 23 x 41 cm., folded to 23 x 10 cm.
Comments
- For format (text, image, etc.), use the Format element.
- Since the physical description element corresponds to the [300] field in the MARC records used by many library catalogs, it is recommended to follow AACR2 rules, when possible/applicable.
- For our purposes, standard photograph sizes refer to the following:
Prints | Negatives |
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4 x 6 in. | 35 mm. |
5 x 7 in. | 1.375 x 1.625 in. (also known as "sixteenth plate") |
8 x 10 in. | 6 x 4.5 cm. |
11 x 14 in. | 2 x 2.5 in. (also known as "ninth plate") |
16 x 20 in. | 6 x 6 cm. |
20 x 24 in. | 6 x 7 cm. |
24 x 36 in. | 2.75 x 3.25 in. (also known as "sixth plate") |
6 x 9 cm. | |
3.25 x 4.25 in. (also known as "quarter plate") | |
4 x 5 in. | |
4.25 x 6.5 in. (also known as "half plate") | |
5 x 7 in. | |
6.5 x 8.5 in. (also known as "whole plate" or "full plate") | |
8 x 10 in. |
(Back to photograph physical description rules.)
Resources
More Guidelines: