Appendix A - Society of American Archivists

I am submitting a document of compiled comments on the DACS draft from themembers of the DCRM (Manuscripts) editorial team. Thank you for giving us theopportunity to give feedback.Warm regards,Jenny NelsonComments on DACS, “2 nd edition” draft by Alison E. Bridger, editor for DCRM(MSS) and CatalogingArchivist, Wisconsin Historical SocietyGeneral Questions: Why is the glossary being removed? Why are all of the EAD and MARC examples being removed, first at the end of each element andthen Appendix D?p. 4: Comment: I like the addition of the final paragraph on this page as it give institutions a little moreflexibility, especially when several different standards are used to describe materials.p. 7: “Most finding aids combine a variety of levels of description.” Comment: I’m not sure thisstatement is stated in such a way that it would be understood. What I take it to mean is that in acollection one series could have material described at just 1 level; whereas another series could be moregranular and go down to 5 levels. Not all series need to have the same number of levels of description.p.9: Single-level Minimum: Name of Creator(s) Element -- Comment: A caveat/note needs to be addedhere “if known” like it is in the rules for the element. Does not need the whole note that was originallyhere, but does at least need “if known”p. 10: Single-level Optimum: Scope and Content Element-- Comment: If the notes are being removed forboth of these levels for Scope and Content then there is no need to list this again.p. 11: Multilevel Minimum: See comment for Single-level Minimum for Name of Creator(s) Element, p.9.General Comment: Thank you for adding “(Required)” at the rule level for each of the elements for theMinimum description.2.3 Title ElementDevised title:Comment: glad to see that this is being switched from “supplied title”; may want to add afootnote explaining that they used to be called “supplied title.”Suggested edits: There were a few places where “supplied title” still appears in the rulesp. 19 “[Supplied] titles generally have two parts:”p. 20, Foot note 21: 2 instances of suppliedp. 24: 2.3.21 “Optionally, if one or two specific …” also see 2 nd example under this rule on thenext pagep. 37: 2.6.3: 4 instances of supplied (1 of them is as “supplying” change to “devising”?)p. 38: 2.6.4p. 39: 2.6.7 and 2.6.8Index [I know this will be revised but thought I would point out anyway]: abstract of contents vs.devised title; also index supplied title with a “see devised title” note.“2.3.3: When devising title information, composes a brief title that uniquely identifies the material,normally consisting of a name segment, a term indicating the nature of the unit being described, andoptionally a topical segment as instructed in the following rules. Do not enclose supplied devised titles insquare brackets”Action: DACS Revision Page 118 of 158 0113-II-A-DACS