Music Library Association Best Practices for title of manifestation
Prerecording
Prerecording
This element, or one of its narrower or broader elements, is required by the minimum description standards of RDA.Apply instructions for this element to narrower elements if appropriate and no more specific instruction exists.
Option
Generally do not record manifestation statements. Refer to the Best Practices for Guidance: Manifestation statements for details.
Facsimiles and reproductions
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.
LC practice: For archival moving image materials, in most cases do not record a parallel title for the original title.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Cataloger's judgment.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Cataloger's judgment.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Cataloger's judgment.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Cataloger's judgment.
Recording
Recording
In MARC: For specific MARC guidance refer to the narrower elements Manifestation: title proper, Manifestation: parallel title proper, or Manifestation: variant title of manifestation.
See examples in MARC format: title of manifestation . For related examples see also: title proper ; parallel title proper ; variant title of manifestation
Recording an unstructured description
Option
Choose a source of information appropriate to the specific narrower title element recorded. See Guidance: Data provenance for choice of source; for nonmusical materials refer also to LC-PCC PS.
Option
LC/PCC practice: Do not apply the option.
Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.
Option
LC/PCC practice: Do not apply the option.
Titles that contain errors
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: For monographic works and multipart monographs, apply the option. Record a corrected title as a Manifestation: variant title of manifestation.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: For serial works or integrating works, apply the option.
LC practice: For archival moving image resources, apply the option.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: For serial works or integrating works, apply the option or record the title with error as a Manifestation: variant title of manifestation if considered important for access.
LC practice: For archival moving image resources, apply the option.
Abridging long titles of manifestation
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: In most cases, do not apply the option.
Introductory words in titles of manifestation
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option to the Manifestation: title proper.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option as a Manifestation: variant title of manifestation if considered important for information or access.
Titles of manifestation that include names of agents
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option to a name of agent that functions as a title of manifestation.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.
Alternative titles of manifestation
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option to the alternative title(s) as a Manifestation: variant title of manifestation.
Titles of manifestation that include music information
Condition Option
Determine if a title is distinctive or generic according to the instructions at Manifestation: title proper. Titles proper including music information.
Apply the option if the title is distinctive. Also apply the option to record music information as Manifestation: other title information.
Do not apply the option if the title is generic, or in case of doubt; instead record the music information as part of a Manifestation: title proper.
Condition Option
If a number is integral to a distinctive title (e.g., "The priest of the seventh day") or enumerates a sequence of otherwise identically titled works (e.g., "Antiphony II"; "Untitled no. 4"), record the number as a part of a Manifestation: title proper. Otherwise follow LC/PCC practice.
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option unless the title consists only of these elements of information. In case of doubt, consider them to be part of the title proper.
Titles of manifestation that include scale information
Titles of manifestation of parts and iterations
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: For serial works or integrating works, apply the option. For other resources, apply the option if the unit does not have a distinctive title. Record the common title and the title of the unit. If the title of the unit has a numeric or alphabetic designation, record the common title, the designation of the unit, and the title of the unit. Do not record a Manifestation: series statement.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: For serial works or integrating works, do not apply the option. For other resources, apply the option if the unit has a distinctive title. Record the common title as part of a Manifestation: series statement or a Work: issue of.
Titles of manifestations that are issued in parts
Titles of manifestations that are issued in parts
See Guidance: Data provenance. Recording a source of metadata that is a manifestation that is being described for guidance in selecting a source of title.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.
Titles of manifestations of integrating works
Titles of aggregates
Condition Option
For collection aggregates, prefer a source within the manifestation described a that provides a collective title even if another source specified at Guidance: Data provenance. Recording a source of metadata that is a manifestation that is being described would normally have precedence.
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: In most cases, do not apply the option. If the title given is the same as one of the aggregated works, use that title as the title of the manifestation.
LC practice: For archival moving image resources, cataloger's judgment.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option. Also apply the option for parallel or multiple titles on multiple title pages.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.
Devised titles of manifestation
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Do not apply the option.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option. Devise a title in English.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option. Devise a title in English.
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option. Devise a title in English.
Devised titles for manifestations of musical works
Condition Option
LC/PCC practice: Apply the option. Include other characteristics if needed.
Devised titles for manifestations of cartographic works
Devised titles for manifestations of moving image works
Devised titles for archival resources and collections
Condition Option
Apply the option.
Data provenance
Option
LC/PCC practice: Do not apply the option.
Option
Apply the option if the title is not taken from the preferred source of information as defined in Guidance: Data provenance. Recording a source of metadata that is a manifestation that is being described. Record the source of title as a Manifestation: note on title.
Recording a structured description
Recording an identifier
Recording an IRI
Document Date: 2026/06/14
Document: https://access.rdatoolkit.org/en-US_ala-b2c3e75c-650a-39b3-a079-24ae822fb6e9