AACR stands for “Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules.” It is a set of guidelines and rules for cataloging library materials, specifically for describing and providing access to bibliographic resources. It was first published in 1967 and it has undergone several revisions since then. The most recent version is the AACR2R (2002 revision). The purpose of AACR is to provide a standardized method for describing and providing access to bibliographic resources, in order to make it easier for users to find and use these resources.
AACR provides guidelines for creating bibliographic records for a wide range of materials, including books, serials, maps, manuscripts, sound recordings, and visual materials. It covers everything from the physical description of the item to the creation of headings and subjects that allow users to find the item in a catalog. It also provides guidelines for the creation of added entries, cross-references, and notes.
Some of the key features of AACR2R include:
- The use of standardized headings and access points to describe the item and make it findable in the catalog
- The use of standardized forms for the title and statement of responsibility
- Guidelines for the creation of subject headings and classification numbers
- The use of standardized rules for the physical description of the item
- Guidelines for the creation of added entries, cross-references, and notes
AACR is widely used in libraries worldwide, particularly in English-speaking countries, and it is considered to be one of the most widely used cataloguing rules for libraries. It is important to note that AACR is being replaced by RDA (Resource Description and Access) which is a new set of cataloguing rules that are more flexible and adaptable to the digital age.
Background
AACR, or Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, is a set of guidelines and rules for cataloging library materials. It has a long history of development, with several revisions over the years.
- AACR1: The first edition of AACR was published in 1967 and was called “Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 1967.” It was developed jointly by the American Library Association (ALA), the Library Association (UK), and the Canadian Library Association. It provided a standardized method for describing and providing access to bibliographic resources and it was widely adopted in libraries in the English-speaking world.
- AACR2: The second edition of AACR, called “Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, Second Edition” was published in 1978 and it was a revision of the first edition. It introduced several new rules and changes, particularly in the area of subject cataloging and the use of standardized headings. It also provided new rules for cataloging non-book materials, such as maps, manuscripts, sound recordings, and visual materials.
- AACR2R: The third edition of AACR, called “Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, Second Edition, Revision” was published in 1988, which was an update of the second edition and it clarified and modified some of the rules, and added new rules for cataloging new types of materials, such as computer files and electronic resources.
- AACR2R 2002: The fourth and most recent edition of AACR, “Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, Second Edition, 2002 Revision” was published in 2002, it updates the 1988 revision and it includes new rules for electronic resources, digital materials, and other new technologies.
AACR has been widely used in libraries for many years, particularly in English-speaking countries. It is considered to be one of the most widely used cataloguing rules for libraries. However, it is now being phased out in favour of RDA (Resource Description and Access) which is a new set of cataloguing rules that are more flexible and adaptable to the digital age.
the different versions of AACR have been organized into different sections or parts that cover different aspects of cataloging.
The AACR2R 2002, the most recent version of AACR, is divided into four main parts:
- Part I: Introduction – which includes an overview of the principles and practices of cataloging, and a brief history of cataloging rules.
- Part II: Descriptive cataloging – which includes rules for describing the physical characteristics of a bibliographic item, as well as rules for creating headings and access points.
- Part III: Choice of access points – which includes guidelines for creating headings and access points for authors, titles, and subjects.
- Part IV: References and Relationships – which includes guidelines for creating added entries, cross-references, and notes.
Each part of AACR2R 2002 is further divided into chapters and sections that cover specific aspects of cataloging, such as rules for creating headings, rules for describing the physical characteristics of an item, and guidelines for creating added entries and cross-references.
It’s important to note that, AACR is being phased out in favor of RDA (Resource Description and Access) which is a new set of cataloguing rules that are more flexible and adaptable to the digital age.