Types of Entries according to AACR 2

 

AACR-II (Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 2nd Edition) is a set of cataloging rules widely used in libraries to describe and categorize information resources. It outlines various types of entries for a catalog and the data elements involved in these entries.

Types of Entries According to AACR-II

1. Main Entry

The main entry represents the primary access point for a bibliographic record and is typically based on the creator (author, editor, etc.) or the title of the resource.

Main entry can be either:

Personal Name Entry: When the author or creator is a person.

Corporate Name Entry: When the creator is a corporate entity, such as a company or organization.

Title Entry: When the title of the work serves as the access point, often used when no clear personal or corporate author exists.

2. Added Entry

Added entries are supplementary access points created for individuals or entities that are significant contributors to the work but not the main author or creator.

Examples of added entries include:

Author Added Entry: For additional authors who have contributed to the work.

Title Added Entry: For works with multiple editions or variations.

Subject Added Entry: When the subject matter is critical to accessing the work.

Genre/Form Added Entry: Specific to resources in certain genres or formats (e.g., a film or a play).

3. Cross-Reference Entry

These entries serve as alternative access points to direct users to the correct or most relevant main or added entry.

Examples include:

See: Directs the user to the correct heading (e.g., "Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616" may refer to "Shakespeare, William" as the main entry).

See Also: Suggests a related entry (e.g., referring from "Fiction, American" to "American literature").

Data Elements in Different Types of Entries

Each type of entry in AACR-II contains specific data elements to fully describe the resource. The data elements used depend on the type of entry.

1. Main Entry Data Elements

Personal Name Entry:

Author's name (including full name, titles, etc.)

Role of the author (if applicable, such as editor, compiler, etc.)

Corporate Name Entry:

Name of the corporate entity

Role of the corporate entity (e.g., publisher, creator)

Title Entry:

Title of the work (main title)

Responsibility statement (if no personal or corporate author is identified)

2. Added Entry Data Elements

Author Added Entry:

Author’s name

Role of the author (e.g., illustrator, editor)

Title Added Entry:

Title of the work (sometimes including variant titles)

Subject Added Entry:

Subject headings (such as Library of Congress Subject Headings or other controlled vocabularies)

Genre/Form Added Entry:

Type of resource (e.g., biography, novel, or film)

3. Cross-Reference Data Elements

See:

Original heading and the correct heading

See Also:

Related headings that may provide further information

Summary Table of Types of Entries & Data Elements

This structure helps ensure that cataloging provides consistent access to information, improving the ability of users to search and find resources based on different criteria.