# Title changes

These instructions are for Titles of objects in the **Visual & Material Culture** collections

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Before acting on a title change, check any images attached to a record are the right ones, a title may appear wrong but only because the wrong digital image is attached to the catalogue record -** see [Dealing with Image Links](https://docs.wellcomecollection.org/collections-information/lQ0fMyP8xr8hWWJiQkfl/enquiries/resources/catalogue-amendments-for-visual-sierra-quick-reference/online-digital-images-with-static-miro-metadata/dealing-with-incorrectly-merged-or-hidden-catalogue-records)
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
When a title change is suggested, consider the existing title - it might be correct or may only require editing. For errors such as typos there is no need to record the the old title in 246.
{% endhint %}

&#x20;Titles can be changed when one of the following issues apply:

* The item has a title which has not been used in the title field
* The title wrongly describes the subject of the item
* The wording used could be considered offensive, outdated, not inclusive
* The title is subjective
* The title does not comply with Wellcome Collection [Visual Cataloguing Framework](https://docs.wellcomecollection.org/visual-material/metadata-framework/metadata-elements/title-brief-description).

### Title change procedure

* Copy the old title to a 246 field, using the following format:

{% hint style="info" %}
**246 1# |i**Previous title, replaced *DATE (Month Year)***|a***Previous title*.**|5**UkLW

e.g. [535948i](https://wellcomecollection.org/works/u4hc2hwe)

**246 1# |i**Previous title, replaced May 2022:**|a**A medical missionary attending to a sick African. Oil painting by Harold Copping, 1916.**|5**UkLW
{% endhint %}

* Edit the existing 245 title field so it contains the new title.
* Check the first and second MARC indicators (numbers following the main field number):
  * If the record contains a 100/110 entry the first indicator should be 1, if there is no 100/110 the first indicator should be 0.
  * If the title starts with an article (the, an, a) then the 2nd indicator needs to indicate how many spaces to skip when indexing: a=2, an=3, the=4\
    e.&#x67;*.* 245 1**2** A spaceman... 245 1**3** An apple... 245 1**4** The world...
* When the title being replaced includes other information about the object (creator, medium/technique, date), then ensure this information is included in the appropriate fields in the record. They do not need to be in the title.
* Add a note to explain the source of the title in a 500 note. A list of phrases to use is [here](https://docs.wellcomecollection.org/visual-and-material-culture-cataloguing/metadata-framework/metadata-elements/title-brief-description#title-source).
* If you are adding a title that has been given by the artist or is taken from text on the object, then add a brief description of the visual content of the image / object in the **520** field.

{% hint style="warning" %}
e.g. [5150i](https://wellcomecollection.org/works/mahrpy8v)

**245 10** Disease is disguised. Don't gamble with VD!

**246 1#** **|i**Previous title, replaced November 2019:**|a**The face of a beautiful woman is revealed as a mask covering her real face, which is hideously disfigured with syphilitic sores. Colour lithograph after Forsyth, ca. 1946(?)**|5**UkLW

**500 ##** The title has been taken from wording on the object.

**520 ##** The face of a woman is revealed as a mask covering her real face, which has visible syphilitic sores.
{% endhint %}

Detailed Sierra instructions on Visual collection titles are [here](https://app.gitbook.com/s/79YakY10O8eOK3OTTrfT/bibliographic-record/2xx#id-245-title-statement)

**Changing titles regularly?**

You can save the 246 1# field format in Sierra as a Macro, which you can use to easily add the text to a record in future:

* In the top menu bar select **Admin>Settings**
* Select the **Macros** tab
* Select a free/empty f key and paste in the following:

{% hint style="info" %}
&#x20;**t2461** **|i**Previous title, replaced \[*August 2022]*:**|a***\[Previous title*].**|5**UkLW
{% endhint %}

Remember / make a note of the function key you allocated, then in future when amending records an empty field can be populated with the skeleton info required for the 246 1\_ field. You’ll just need to:

* add a new field to the record
* populate it with the 246 data by pressing the allocated function key
* amend the date
* paste in the old title

### Viewing live catalogue records as you edit

Edits take time to appear in Works, but appear instantly in the basic **Sierra** [**catalogue**](https://catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org/).

When in the Sierra record:

* from the **menu** option (top left of the record) select **View > Public Display**
* the Sierra catalogue view will open.
