# IDENTITY ### RefNo ISAD(G) 3.1.1 {% hint style="info" %} Mandatory at **all** levels {% endhint %} To provide a unique reference for internal use to stack the data in a tree structure. The collection reference is assigned at the point of acquisition and so will have already been assigned at the point of cataloguing. #### Rules * The `RefNo` should duplicate the `PublicRef`, with the exception of the first slash, [which should be omitted](#user-content-fn-1)[^1]. This ensures the collection level record will be at the top of the hierarchical tree constructed by CALM, rather than treating it as though it were part of the larger collection e.g. PPCOO is not part of a larger PP collection. * For levels beneath the collection, use letters for the section levels and numbers for the levels below that. The letters I and O should not be used for sections, as they are easily confused with the numbers 1 and 0. * Use a forward slash to indicate different levels within the hierarchy. * Manuscripts have been treated differently in the past which can often create complex structures and references that don’t always appear sequential, particularly for those catalogued following archival practice. Although collections or groupings of manuscript material are now always given hierarchical references, it will be necessary, for data conversion purposes or when adding material to existing collections, to understand previous practice: Refer to each level by the first manuscript number in the collection, do not use “MSS.” Always use the singular. {% hint style="success" %} **Examples**\ \ PPCOO (collection); * PPCOO/A/1 (item); ARTAFH (collection) SAEUG (collection) GC104 (collection) MS1162 (collection); * MS1162/1162 (item) * MS1162/5996 (section); * MS1162/5996/5996 (item) {% endhint %} *** ### PublicRef ISAD(G) 3.1.1 {% hint style="info" %} Mandatory at **all** levels {% endhint %} To provide a publicly visible and unique reference number to users and to facilitate requesting and retrievals. #### Rules * The `PublicRef` should mirror the `RefNo` with the exception of an additional slash within the first two parts of the reference. * For levels beneath the collection, use letters for the section levels and numbers for the levels below that. The letters I and O should not be used for sections, as they are easily confused with the numbers 1 and 0. * Use a forward slash to indicate different levels within the hierarchy. * Manuscript PublicRefs can refer to the plural MSS and use dots to replace the first slash. {% hint style="success" %} **Examples** PP/COO (collection); * PP/COO/A/1 (item); ART/AFH (collection) SA/EUG (collection) GC/104 (collection) MS.1162-1163, 5996-6005 (collection); * MS.1162 (item); * MS.5996-6005 (section); * MS.5996 (item) {% endhint %} *** ### MiroID To record the identifier used by MIRO, the cataloguing system previously used by Wellcome Images. This field is only required for: records in the Wellcome Image series in the Wellcome Trust Corporate Archive OR records for archive material that was previously photographed by Wellcome Images. Consists of a letter prefix followed by seven digits, including several leading zeros. {% hint style="success" %} **Examples** M0000244 V0013803 L0016711 {% endhint %} *** ### Previous\_Wellcome\_Collection\_Reference To record superseded reference numbers given by Wellcome Collection to an item for collections management purposes. #### Rules * Use for references previously given in the PublicRef field in CALM or RefNo 001 field in Sierra that have been superseded. * Use to record inventory numbers for items that are now catalogued. * DO NOT USE for accession numbers. These go in the [AccNo](https://docs.wellcomecollection.org/collections-information/lQ0fMyP8xr8hWWJiQkfl/archive-cataloguing/context#accno) field * Each number should be contained in its own field. * All other former numbers and references not given by Wellcome Collection should be entered in the [other\_number ](#other_number)field. * If the reference was previously made public, an explanation for why the number has changed should be recorded in the [description](https://docs.wellcomecollection.org/collections-information/lQ0fMyP8xr8hWWJiQkfl/archive-cataloguing/content#description) field at the highest appropriate level i.e. Material was recatalogued in October 2023. {% hint style="success" %} **Examples** SA/POP/A/1 (from previous CALM public reference) 918764i (from previous SIERRA reference) {% endhint %} *** ### Title ISAD(G) 3.2.1 {% hint style="info" %} Mandatory at **all** levels {% endhint %} To name or briefly describe the unit of description. **Rules** * Keep this succinct; more detailed description will go into the description field. * Where possible, use original titles where they exist (e.g. the title written on a hanging file) and put them in quotation marks to distinguish from titles created by the cataloguer. If the original title does not reflect the material, devise a succinct meaningful title and record the original title in the Alternative\_Title field. * Abridge a long title only if it can be done without loss of essential information and include a mark of omission (…). * Use square brackets after the title to add any helpful information, such as to provide correct spelling or expand abbreviations. * Where no original title exists, provide a descriptive title that specifies the type of content, for instance correspondence or reports. * Repeat information found in parent records if it is crucial for context. * Avoid using identical titles that are differentiated by metadata in other fields (e.g. the date field). * For **born-digital** material, do not include file extensions within the title. {% hint style="success" %} **Examples** Maintaining information from the parent level for context: Correspondence Files (series); * Correspondence Files: "Technology of Birth" (item) Research Files (series); * Research Files: “Active Birth, Birth Education” (subseries); * “Active Birth, Birth Education” Research Files: “Birth Rights” (item) Signed Investment Committee meeting minutes, 2004 (item) Signed Investment Committee meeting minutes, 2005 (item) Where the original title isn't meaningful: Correspondence – digital files (Title) “Letters” (Alternative\_Title) **Born-digital** example: “Working together for parents” resource pack (item) **Visual and Material Culture** examples (in preference order: Given Title: Go away, go away, go away. Inscribed Title: No smoking no hate. Descriptive title: Chessmen in the form of Saracens and Crusaders. {% endhint %} *** ### Date ISAD(G) 3.1.3 {% hint style="info" %} Mandatory at **all** levels {% endhint %} To identify and record the date(s) of creation of the material in the unit of description. **Rules** **General** * Provide a single date or a range of dates as appropriate. * Specific days can be provided alongside the month and year if felt appropriate, but in general the year(s) or month and year(s) will suffice. * Do not use individual dates separated by commas. If, for instance, a file contains two items, one from 1930 and one from 1970, enter the date as a range, “1930-1970”, and provide an explanation in the Description field, for instance “the two letters in this file date from 1930 and 1970”. * Never use “undated”, “n.d.” (no date) or “u.d.”. Always provide an estimated date, even if only a century, and note that it is estimated in the description field. **Estimated** * When estimating dates, do so to the best of your ability. If you cannot specify down to a decade(s) then use century but do not leave the field blank or use n.d. * When estimating a date to the decade or century, there is no need to add dates (i.e. 20th century (1900-1999)) because CALM has a built-in functionality in user search that will infer dates. See [CALM documentation - Format for Period Fields](http://www.dswebhosting.info/documents/Manuals/ALM/V10/MANUAL/main_menu/basics/period_field_format.htm) to see how CALM interprets estimated dates. Keep in mind the following when cataloguing estimated dates: * When using c. in date estimates, CALM will search 10 years after and 10 years before e.g. c.1960 will include the year 1950 up to 1970 * When using a ‘s’ in a decade i.e. 1970s, this implies the years 1970-1979 * Where an estimated date has been added at item level, including when using ‘circa’, add to the Description field, “Date estimated by cataloguer.” * At higher levels where there is a specific date range for the bulk of items below with a minority more broadly estimated, put the specific date range in the date field. Add a note to the description field to state that there is also an item that may not fit within the specified date range. Add the following standard text: * *“Some items in this \[add appropriate level e.g. series] have an estimated date by the cataloguer \[insert date range e.g. 20th century] that falls outside the specified date range.”* * For situations where a series contains one specific date and the rest are circa or estimated then use the format shown in appendix 1. **Copies** * When dating copies of originals, put the date of the original in the date field and then note in the description field that it is a copy (along with the date of the copy if that is available). Examples: * *“Original \[what the record is, e.g. minutes] created in 1980 but digitised in 2004”* * *“This is a copy created in 2007. Original planning document was created in 1998.”* * It is not expected that you provide this information for files with lots of different material in them, e.g. a file which has original letters and photocopies. * When dating an item that is a representation of another item, where the representation is the unit of description (such as a glass plate photograph of a document), record the date that the representation was created in the date field, and include a note in the description explaining this. Include the date of the original or subject of the representation in the description. Example: * *“Date refers to the creation of the glass plate, the original document was created in 1998.”* * Where possible, a consistent approach to dating copies or representations should be established at the outset of cataloguing. **Born-digital**\ For born-digital material provide a date range based on the earliest creation date ([excluding 1 January 1970](#user-content-fn-2)[^2]) and latest last modified date of the digital files within the item. If the dates are not straightforward (for instance if files were modified years after creation because they were checked by the depositor immediately prior to deposit), retain the dates but include an explanation in the description field and, if possible, an indication of a more accurate date/date range. Base the date range only on the dates of digital files and ignore folder dates. {% hint style="success" %} **Examples** \ See [Appendix 1](https://docs.wellcomecollection.org/collections-information/lQ0fMyP8xr8hWWJiQkfl/archive-cataloguing/appendices/appendix-1-acceptable-date-formats) for a full list of acceptable date formats {% endhint %} *** ### Level ISAD(G) 3.1.4 {% hint style="info" %} Mandatory at **all** levels {% endhint %} To identify the level of the unit of description within the collection’s hierarchical arrangement. **Rules** * Select the appropriate level from the picklist. * Within this spectrum, Collection (fonds in ISAD(G)) represents the top level. Item (file in ISAD(G)) represents the *producible unit*: the thing that a researcher can order and consult, such as a file or volume. * Other levels are more flexible and should be used as appropriate. It is not necessary to fill every rung on the ladder: it is acceptable to jump from collection to item level. * We no longer catalogue below item level and so “Group of pieces” and “Pieces” will no longer generally be used. {% hint style="success" %} **Examples** Collection: SA/NCT * Section: SA/NCT/E * Sub Section: SA/NCT/E/3 * Series: SA/NCT/E/3/2 * Sub series: SA/NCT/E/3/2/2 * Item: SA/NCT/E/3/2/2/1 {% endhint %} *** ### Extent ISAD(G) 3.1.5 {% hint style="info" %} Mandatory at **all** levels {% endhint %} To note the quantity of material being described for security purposes, as well as to indicate the size for the researcher’s benefit. Provide as much detail as necessary to meet these two objectives. **Rules** * At collection level, give the quantity as an amalgamated total in number of boxes, outsize items and digital items. * At collection level, append a second extent field for uncatalogued as an amalgamated total in number of boxes, outsize items and digital items. Use the prefix ‘Uncatalogued:’ * At section/series level, give the quantity in whichever unit is most helpful: 30 boxes make more sense than 1150 files, whilst 5 files makes more sense than 1/3 box. If stating the number of boxes, round up or down to give a whole number (e.g. 5 boxes rather than 4.75 boxes). * At item level, indicate the form of the unit that will be produced (1 file, 1 volume, etc.). * If an item is split across folders for repackaging reasons, be explicit and describe it as “1 file (in 3 parts)”. Note if any part is a volume e.g. “1 file (in 3 parts, 1 is a volume)”. {% hint style="success" %} **Examples** See [Appendix 2](https://docs.wellcomecollection.org/collections-information/lQ0fMyP8xr8hWWJiQkfl/archive-cataloguing/appendices/appendix-2-acceptable-extent-formats) for a full list of acceptable extent formats {% endhint %} *** ### Extent/2 {% hint style="info" %} Mandatory at **all** levels for **born-digital** material {% endhint %} In addition to the `Extent` field, born-digital records should also have data in the `Extent/2` field. **Rules** * At Collection and Parent levels, `Extent` should record the number of digital items and `Extent/2` should record the total size of the items. * At item level, `Extent` should record the number of digital files, broken down into broad types. `Extent/2` should record the size of the item in both bytes and larger byte units. {% hint style="success" %} **Examples** Collection/Parent level: Extent: 35 volumes, 1 file, 138 digital items Extent/2: 487 MB (510815613 bytes) \ Item level: Extent: 4 document files, 5 images files Extent/2: 12.3 MB (12948182 bytes) \ Uncatalogued example: \ Extent: 5 transfer boxes Extent/2: 12.3 MB (12948182 bytes) {% endhint %} *** ### Country\_Code "GB" is autogenerated. No action required by the cataloguer. *** ### Repository\_Code "0120" is autogenerated. No action required by the cataloguer. *** ### StorageSite {% hint style="info" %} Mandatory at **all** levels {% endhint %} To note whether the material is held onsite or offsite. **Rules** * "215 Euston Road" is autogenerated. If material is onsite, no further action is required by the cataloguer. * Use "DeepStore" if the material is offsite. *** ### Location {% hint style="info" %} Mandatory at **Item** level Mandatory at **Collection** level for uncatalogued material {% endhint %} To record the stacks location assigned to a specific item. **Rules** * Use the approved taxonomy for all onsite location * If offsite, specify the storage location (i.e. DeepStore for archives) * Use /wellcomecollection-storage/born-digital for born-digital items * Use /wellcomecollection-storage/digitised for digitised AV material * Location is no longer mandatory at Collection level for catalogued material. * For CD-ROMs and DVDs, we are retaining the physical disk as the access copy. Thus there needs to be 2 instances of the location field: put the location of the born-digital box housing the physical disk in the **first instance** of the location field (so that it harvests to Sierra) and the digital file-path in the second instance. Put the born-digital box number in the BoxNumber field (e.g. BDBox\_036) {% hint style="success" %} **Example** 215;B11;MR;47;8;3 DeepStore /wellcomecollection-storage/born-digital CD-ROMs and DVD: Location: 215;S11;MR;59;7;3 Location/2: /wellcomecollection-storage/born-digital {% endhint %} *** ### Former\_Location Used to store legacy data previously in `Location`. **This field should not be used for new metadata**. *** ### OrderingCodes See [3.1.4 CALM fields](https://app.gitbook.com/s/eX8hTEpM6WWjXnqLnC35/managing-access/undertaking-sensitivity-review/calm-fields#orderingcodes) in the Sensitivity and Access Procedures for instructions on this field. *** ### BoxNumber {% hint style="info" %} Mandatory at **Item** level, **except** for born-digital material or audio-visual material stored outside of an archive box {% endhint %} To provide a number for the box or storage unit housing the physical item to aid locating material. Used for standard and outsize material. **Rules** * Only use this field for Item level records. It is only needed when the record relates to an orderable item. * Boxes are numbered sequentially. * Items too large to fit in a standard box (box types A and B) are given an outsize box (box type C) number. These numbers form a separate sequence, starting at 1 again e.g. O/S 1 * Large, flat items (e.g. posters) should be housed in an outsize folder and put in the basement stores plan chests. These also have an O/S number, following on in the same sequence as the C boxes. * Items too large to fit in a box, e.g. visual material will not have a box number. Please leave this field empty. * **Items cannot exist in multiple locations.** If an item is held in multiple folders, all the folders must be in the same box. If an item comprises a standard folder and an outsize folder, they should be catalogued as two items and cross-referenced in the Description field. * Items with a microfilm surrogate will have the original item in the box number field. Items with a microfilm copy will also have the original item in the box number field. The copies field should be used for microfilm surrogate and copy references. * AV material housed in a box will be in a sequence that looks like: AV\_000 {% hint style="success" %} **Examples** Standard box: 1 Outsize box: O/S 1 AV box: AV\_017 {% endhint %} *** ### Other\_Number To record any numbers previously associated with the item that we wish to make public to improve transparency, ability to trace provenance or could be used to provide an alternative original arrangement. **Rules** * Include alpha-numerical references physically written on housing or taken from supporting documentation given to the object by previous creators and/or owners. * Do not include current accession numbers or previous public reference numbers given by Wellcome Collection. Previous public reference numbers should be recorded in the [Previous\_Wellcome\_Collection\_Reference](#previous_numbers) field. * Each number should be contained in its own field. * This field should be used in conjunction with the Other\_Number\_Type field. {% hint style="success" %} **Examples** No. MR131 6/27 LA 43 BPS/1/3/6/4 {% endhint %} *** ### Other\_Number\_Type To record the general type or source of any numbers previously associated with the item that are not part of the current PublicRef, or given by Wellcome Collection. **Rules** * Choose a number type from the picklist * This field should be used in conjunction with the Other\_Number field. * Where additional explanations are available as to how the reference was used, or specific symbolism of an alpha-numerical sequence, this information should be recorded in the arrangement field at the highest appropriate level. {% hint style="success" %} **Examples** Reference inscribed on work Reference inscribed on original container Reference given in supporting documentation Reference given in Wellcome paper catalogue Wellcome Historical Medical Museum Number Catalogue number used by previous owner {% endhint %} [^1]: Two exceptions to this are the Wellcome Trust Corporate Archive (WT) and the Wellcome Foundation archive (WF). [^2]: This date is system generated when the date cannot be identified.