ISBD(NBM) - IFLA

APPENDIX A: MULTI-LEVEL DESCRIPTION
Multi-level description is one of a number of choices for the bibliographic description of parts. Solely as an
illustration of the various choices resulting in descriptions on a single level, see the following examples:
A. certain descriptions showing as the title proper the title common to the parts, with the titles of
individual parts given in a contents note (cf. 7.7);
B. certain descriptions showing as the title proper the title of each individual part, with the title
common to the parts given in the series area (cf. 6.1.5);
C. certain descriptions showing as the title proper a combination of (a) the title common to the
parts and (b) the title of each individual part (cf. 1.1.2.8);
D. certain descriptions showing component part analysis (cf. the IFLA Guidelines for the
Application of the ISBDs to the Description of Component Parts).
Multi-level description is based on the division of descriptive information into two or more levels. The first
level contains information common to the whole or main item. The second and subsequent levels contain
information relating to the individual separable unit. The process is carried out for as many levels as are
required to describe fully the item and its units.
At each level the elements of the description are given in the same order and with the same punctuation
as for unitary items. Some elements may be recorded at more than one level. When the title of a unit of an
item is preceded by a number or unit designation, the two statements are separated by a colon, space (: ).
In ISBD(NBM) the applications of multi-level description are:
A. The description of physically separate units of a multi-part item.
e.g. Footnotes to jazz [Sound recording] / edited and with notes by Frederic Ramsey, Jr. –
New York : Folkways Records, 1951- . – sound discs : 33 1/3 rpm., mono ; 25 cm. –
(Jazz history series). – Folkways FP 30-
Vol. 2: Jazz rehearsal / with the Art Tatum Trio. – 1952. – 1 sound disc (24 min.) :
33 1/3 rpm, mono ; 25 cm + Descriptive notes (4 p.). – Recorded in 1944. – Folkways
FJ 2293 : $3.25
Typewriting [Videorecording] / teacher, Guy Richards. – Chicago : TV College, WTTW-TV ;
Lincoln (Neb.) : distributed by Great Plains National Instructional Television Library
Unit 2: Skill development
Program 1: Skill drills : vertical and horizontal centering, typing all capitals. – 1973 . – 1
videocassette [Philips VCR 1500] (30 min.) : b&w, sd. + Study guide
B. The description of (physically) separate items supplementary to, or accompanying, another item (see
5.4.5 and 7.7).
e.g. The record of singing [Sound recording] : volume two : 1914-1925. – England : EMI, 1979.
– 13 sound discs : 33 1/3 rpm., stereo ; 30 cm. – His master's voice RLS 743 (box),
HLM 7181-7192
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