导言

本标准为文献著录提供了综合性的指导。它将与现有的国家标准一起使用，或作为制定国家标准的基础。

文献著录的目的是为了识别和描述档案材料的背景信息和内容，以促进其利用率。通过准确和适当的描述，并根据预估的模型，组织起来实现的。与著录相关的过程可以在创建纪录时或之前开始，并在生成记录的整个周期中延续。这些步骤使得著录的信息可靠、真实、有意义和高可获取性并且可以建立起长期有效的控制。

如果文献在一方面能被安全地保存和控制,并在另一方面使其适时对所有有权查阅它的读者有极高的可获取性，那文献的特定元素信息会被记录在文献生命周期中的每一个阶段(例如：创建、评估、使用、修复、整理)。从最广泛的意义上说，文献著录涵盖了信息的每一个元素，无论它是在文献生命周期的哪个阶段被标识或建立的。在每一阶段，有关文献的信息都是动态的，可以根据其内容进一步细化，或根据其创作背景而进行修正。尤其是计算机信息系统可根据需要整合或选择信息元素，并对其进行更新或者修改。虽然这些规则的侧重点是在文献被正式入藏之后著录，但也可以在更早的阶段应用这些规则。

本标准包含了文献著录的一般规则，无论文献的形式或媒介如何，均可适用。本标准所函括的规则对特殊材料如印章、录音或地图的著录不给予指导。为这些材料制定著录规则的手册已经存在。本标准应与该手册一起使用，以便对特殊材料进行适当的著录。

这套用于文献著录的通用规则是整套流程的一部分，使得流程可以：

a． 确保创建一致的、适当的和不解自明的著录。

b． 促进关于文献的信息的检索和交流。

c． 促进数据的共享。

d． 将不同机构的著录整合成一个统一的信息系统。

本标准通过标识和定义26个著录元素来实现上述目标，组合这些元素就可以对文献实体进行著录。 每个元素的信息结构和内容应根据适用的国家标准具体进一步制定。 作为通用性规则，这些规则应广泛适用于各种性质和范围的文献著录。但是，本标准未定义在清单、目录、列表等中使用这些元素的输出格式或表达方式。

文献著录标准基于公认的理论原则。 例如，文献著录应遵循从一般性到特殊性的普世原则。如果要构建一个在手动和自动环境中都普遍适用的、不依赖于任何给定存储库的馆藏指南的文献著录标准和系统，就必须遵循上述原则。

在附录A-1中，可以找到全宗及其组成部分等级的层次模型。不同的著录等级有不同程度的细节程度，与每个级别相适配。例如，全宗可以在单条著录中被整体描述，或者按多层级著录拆分，在各子层级中分别著录。全宗构成了最全面的著录级别；这些部分形成了后续的多个层级，多层级著录通常仅在整体著录的语境下才有意义。因此，可能存在全宗级别著录，记录辑级别著录，文件级别著录与单件级别著录。可能也会出现一些中间级，例如子全宗或者子记录辑。上述每个级别都可以根据文献材料所属组织的行政结构和职能的复杂性、及材料的组成进一步细分。在附录A-2中，该模型表示了各个级别中创建者与著录单元之间的复杂关系，如ISAAR(CPF)（《团体机构、个人和家族档案规范记录国际标准》）人名规范档著录条目及它们之间的关系，全宗及其组成部分的著录单元之间的关系。附录B是完整的全宗著录示例。 

每条规则包括：

a. 由规则定义的著录元素的名称；

b. 对于著录中包含元素的目的说明；

c. 适用于该著录元素的一般性规则的说明；

d. 举例说明该规则如何被应用。 

段落已编号，仅供参考。这些数字不适用于指定某个著录元素。

著录规则被分为了七个著录项：

1.      Identity Statement Area识别信息项

（揭示用于识别著录单元的主要信息。）

2.      Context Area脉络项

（揭示有关著录单元的来源和流传历史的信息）

3.      Content and Structure Area内容与结构项

（揭示有关著录单元的主要内容和著录单元信息组织的信息）

4.      Condition of Access and Use Area检索和利用项

（揭示有关著录单元可被利用的条件和范围的信息）

5.      Allied Materials Area相关文献项

（揭示有关于著录单元有重要关系的其他文献的信息）

6.      Note Area备注项

（揭示其他任何著录项都无法容纳的其他重要信息）

7.      Description Control Area著录控制项

（揭示有关文献著录是如何，何时以及由谁编写的信息）。

总则中共计给出了26个著录元素，但在实践中仅需使用其中的一小部分。在国际数据交换中，仅有以下元素被认为是必备的：

1.      Reference code 参考代码

2.      Title 题名

3.      Creator 创建者

4.      Date(s) 日期信息

5.      Extent of the unit of description数量和载体信息

6.      Level of description著录层级

ISAD(G)通篇所给出的所有示例都仅作为示范，并非规范格式。它们用于阐明给定规则的规定，而不是扩展这些规定。请勿认为示例或其格式是规则的一部分。为了说明背景信息，每个示例后均以斜体和括号给出了与之范例的著录层级。 在下一行，还以斜体说明了提供示例文献的机构名称。斜体内容后可能还有其他解释性说明，也会以斜体字出现。注：请勿将范例的著录层级、示例文献来源等附注误认为是示例的一部分。

文献著录可函括的信息基本要素以外的内容的范围界定会根据著录单元的性质而变化。

检索点是基于著录元素而创建的。检索点的价值是通过规范控制而提升的。考虑到检索点对于检索的重要性，一个单独的ICA标准已经被制定，即ISAAR(CPF)（《团体机构、个人和家族档案规范记录国际标准》）。ISAAR(CPF)提供了建立名称控制档的一般规则，如何在文献著录中描述可能被命名为创建者的团体机构、个人和家族。(有关著录记录与规范档之间关系的示意图，见附录 2。)与其他检索点一起使用的词表及惯例应在国家范围内制统一制定，或单独为每种语言制定。以下的ISO标准可用于制定和维护控制词表:ISO 5963 文献——检查文献的方法,确定主题,并选择索引项,ISO 2788 文献——指引建立和发展单语词典，以及ISO 999 信息和文献——指引索引的内容、组织和呈现。

在引用任何著录元素中的一个公开资源时，遵循ISO 690文献的最新版本——参考书目——内容、形式和结构。

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This standard provides general guidance for the preparation of archival descriptions. It is to be used in conjunction with existing national standards or as the basis for the development of national standards.

The purpose of archival description is to identify and explain the context and content of archival material in order to promote its accessibility. This is achieved by creating accurate and appropriate representations and by organizing them in accordance with predetermined models. Description-related processes may begin at or before records creation and continue throughout the life of the records. These processes make it possible to institute the intellectual controls necessary for reliable, authentic, meaningful and accessible descriptive records to be carried forward through time.

Specific elements of information about archival materials are recorded at every phase of their management (e.g., creation, appraisal, accessioning, conservation, arrangement) if the material is to be on the one hand securely preserved and controlled, and on the other hand made accessible at the proper time to all who have a right to consult it. Archival description in the widest sense of the term covers every element of information no matter at what stage of management it is identified or established. At every stage the information about the material remains dynamic and may be subject to amendment in the light of further knowledge of its content or the context of its creation. Computerized information systems in particular may serve to integrate or select elements of information as required, and to update or amend them. While the focus of these rules is the description of archival materials after the point at which they have been selected for preservation, they may also be applied at earlier phases.

This standard contains general rules for archival description that may be applied irrespective of the form or medium of the archival material. The rules contained in this standard do not give guidance on the description of special materials such as seals, sound recordings, or maps. Manuals setting out descriptive rules for such materials already exist. This standard should be used in conjunction with these manuals to enable appropriate description of special materials.

This set of general rules for archival description is part of a process that will 

a. ensure the creation of consistent, appropriate, and self explanatory descriptions; 

b. facilitate the retrieval and exchange of information about archival material; 

c. enable the sharing of authority data; and 

d. make possible the integration of descriptions from different locations into a unified information system.

This set of general rules for archival description is part of a process that will a. ensure the creation of consistent, appropriate, and self explanatory descriptions; b. facilitate the retrieval and exchange of information about archival material; c. enable the sharing of authority data; and d. make possible the integration of descriptions from different locations into a unified information system.

Archival descriptive standards are based on accepted theoretical principles. For example, the principle that archival description proceeds from the general to the specific is the practical consequence of the principle of respect des fonds. 1  This principle must be articulated if a generally applicable structure and system of archival description is to be built which is not dependent on the finding aids of any given repository, whether in a manual or automated environment.

In Appendix A-1 one may find a hierarchical model of the levels of arrangement for the fonds and its constituent parts. There are levels of description, with differing degrees of detail, appropriate to each level of arrangement. For example, a fonds may be described as a whole in a single description or represented as a whole and in its parts at various levels of description. The fonds forms the broadest level of description; the parts form subsequent levels, whose description is often only meaningful when seen in the context of the description of the whole of the fonds. Thus, there may be a fonds-level description, a series-level description, a file-level description and/or an item-level description. Intermediate levels, such as a sub-fonds or sub-series, may be expected. Each of these levels may be further subdivided according to the complexity of the administrative structure and/or functions of the organization which generated the archival material and the organization of the material. In Appendix A-2 the model represents the complex relationships between creator(s) and the units of description, regardless of level, as expressed in the boxes representing authority records according to ISAAR(CPF) and the links between them and the boxes representing the units of description of the fonds and its parts. Appendix B shows full examples of archival descriptions and some of its parts.

Each rule consists of: 

a. the name of the element of description governed by the rule; 

b. a statement of the purpose of incorporating the element in a description; 

c. a statement of the general rule (or rules) applicable to the element; and 

d. where applicable, examples illustrating implementation of the rule(s).

Paragraphs are numbered and are given for citation purposes only. These numbers should not be used to designate elements of description.

The rules are organized into seven areas of descriptive information: 

1. Identity Statement Area (where essential information is conveyed to identify the unit of description) 

2. Context Area (where information is conveyed about the origin and custody of the unit of description) 

3. Content and Structure Area (where information is conveyed about the subject matter and arrangement of the unit of description) 

4. Condition of Access and Use Area (where information is conveyed about the availability of the unit of description) 

5. Allied Materials Area (where information is conveyed about materials having an important relationship to the unit of description)

6. Note Area (where specialized information and information that cannot be accommodated in any of the other areas may be conveyed). 

7. Description Control Area (where information is conveyed on how, when and by whom the archival description was prepared).

All 26 elements covered by these general rules are available for use, but only a subset need be used in any given description. A very few elements are considered essential for international exchange of descriptive information: 

a. reference code; 

b. title; 

c. creator; 

d. date(s);

e. extent of the unit of description; and 

f. level of description. 

Examples throughout the text of ISAD(G) are illustrative and not prescriptive. They illuminate the provisions of the rules to which they are attached, rather than extend those provisions. Do not take the examples, or the form in which they are presented as instructions. To clarify the context, each example is followed by an indication of the level of description to which it pertains in italic and in parentheses. On the next line, the name of the institution that holds the material which the example illustrates and/or supplied the example is indicated, also in italic. Further explanatory note(s) may follow, also in italic, preceded by the word Note:. Do not confuse the indication of the level of description, the source of the example, and any notes with the example itself.

The extent to which a given archival description will incorporate more than the essential elements of information will vary depending on the nature of the unit of description.

Access points are based upon the elements of description. The value of access points is enhanced through authority control. Because of the importance of access points for retrieval, a separate ICA standard, International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families: ISAAR(CPF), has been developed. ISAAR(CPF) gives general rules for the establishment of archival authority records that describe the corporate bodies, persons, and families that may be named as creators in descriptions of archival documents. (See Appendix A-2 for a schematic illustration of the relationship between descriptive and authority records.) Vocabularies and conventions to be used with other access points should be developed nationally, or separately for each language. The following ISO standards are useful when developing and maintaining controlled vocabularies: ISO 5963 Documentation — Methods for examining documents, determining their subject, and selecting indexing terms, ISO 2788 Documentation — Guidelines for the establishment and development of monolingual thesauri and ISO 999 Information and documentation — Guidelines for the content, organization and presentation of indexes.

In citing a published source in any element of description, follow the latest version of ISO 690 Documentation — Bibliographic references — Content, form and structure.