Genre and form

Revision as of 13:42, 11 June 2015 by DeborahLeslie (talk | contribs)
Ambox notice.png This article is currently a draft.


Genre/form terms in catalog records describe what an item is (or contains), not what it is about. Genre corresponds roughly to the content of what is being described: for example, almanacs, depositions, plays, and poems. Form corresponds with formats and physical characteristics: for example, embroidered bindings, imposition errors, manicules, and sammelbands. This Hamnet record for two copies of a 1635 edition of Sternhold and Hopkins Whole booke of Psalmes includes the genre term Psalters and the form term Embroidered bindings (Binding). Genre/form terms are controlled by authorized forms.

Brief history of genre/form in library catalog records

  • LCSH
  • Definition of ǂv
  • RBMS and other controlled vocabularies
  • Development of LCGFT

Genre and form use at the Folger

Basic policy

Conventions for maintenance of the table

List of common genre and form terms in Hamnet

Term Scope note Folger practice Link
Judicial records. ǂ2 aat Records of a tribunal established for the administration of justice. Use for Court rolls, Writs AAT
Court rolls use Judicial records
Writs use Judicial records
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example
Example Example Example Example