Visual Materials Cataloging Manual

This manual outlines local decisions of the Beinecke Manuscript Unit for cataloging art, photographs, and other visual materials, as individual items or collections, coded as record type k. This manual is used in conjunction with Yale University Library’s Manuscript Cataloging Guidelines and the Beinecke Manuscript Unit’s Manuscript Cataloging Manual. Consult YUL and Beinecke general guidelines first, and refer to this Visual Materials Cataloging Manual for guidelines specific to visual materials. This manual also conforms to YUL-wide visual materials cataloging manuals for single items and collections, completed by a subgroup of the YUL Manuscript Cataloging Committee in 2014.

An earlier version of this manual, “Orbis Cataloging Manual: Visual Materials Format,” was based on Elizabeth Betz’s Graphic Materials: Rules for Describing Original Items and Historical Collections, which was superseded by Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (Graphics) (DCRM(G) in 2013. A revision completed in 2014 updated the manual in conformance with DCRM(G), integrated new local cataloging decisions, and eliminated information duplicated in the YUL and Beinecke general manuscript cataloging manuals.