Abbreviations in RDA

For many decades in the past, catalogers were instructed to abbreviate certain words occurring in elements of bibliographic description other than titles. This requirement was enforced by the lack of space on 3 x 5 in. library cards, when words commonly used in scholarship and publishing could be easily recognized even when abbreviated. For example, “izd-vo” for “izdatel’stvo”, “drzh.” for “drzhaven”, etc.

The switch to an online library environment removes physical restrictions and provides ample storage space for bibliographic data, so use of abbreviations is not strictly required anymore. In AACR2 cataloging, it is still permissible to use abbreviations, but not required.

Under RDA, the situation is different, in that abbreviations are generally not allowed.

See RDA Appendix B.4 Transcribed Elements: For transcribed elements, use only those abbreviations found in the sources of information for the element. If supplying all or part of a transcribed element, generally do not abbreviate words.

Elements of transcription where abbreviations are allowed are:

• • Dimensions

  • Extent of Storage Space

  • Duration

  • Numeric Designation of a Musical Work

  • Numbering of Part

  • Medium of Performance of Musical Content

  • Additional Scale Information

  • Right Ascension

  • Date

  • Other Distinguishing Characteristic of a Legal Work

One should spell out everything in the title and statement of responsibility area; abbreviations may be supplied only when transcribing other areas.

Examples (in MARC format):

245 10 Drevo vozmozhnogo i dr. istorii / ǂc Bernard Verber. [The word “dr.” is abbreviated on the title page and so is transcribed as is.]
245 00 Istoriia Rossii /‡c I.I. Ivanov, otv. red. [The words “otv. red.” are abbreviated on the title page verso and so are transcribed as is.]

Under RDA (6.2.1.9), abbreviations are allowed only in the following transcribed elements in descriptive cataloging:

1) in titles: the abbreviation for Number (or its equivalent in another language) in the title for a part of a work when this word precedes a number used to identify that part

Examples (in MARC format):

245 10 Detstvoto na spomenite : ǂb dilogii︠a︡. ǂn Ch. 1, ǂp Kŭshtata sutrin / ǂc Peti︠a︡ Karakoleva. [Abbreviation of the Bulgarian word “chast” was used.]

830 0 Serii︠a︡ Russkiĭ Afon ; ‡v vyp. 6. [Abbreviation of the Russian word “vypusk” was used.]

2) in the notes area: (abbreviations for Number (same as for titles))

Example (in MARC format):

505 0 knj. 1. Opšti deo -- knj. 2. Posebni deo. [Abbreviation of the Serbian word “knjiga” was used.]

RDA Appendix B8

B.8 Cyrillic alphabet abbreviations

выпуск вып.

год г.

головний гол.

дополненный доп.

заглавие загл.

књига књ.

книга кн.

отделение отд-ниe

рік р.

том т.

часть ч.

Some other abbreviations of interest may be found in B.7 Latin alphabet abbreviations:

broj br.

číslo čís.

kniha kn.

knjiga knj.

kötet köt.

ročník roč.

rocznik rocz.

sešit seš.

številka št.

svazek sv.

szám sz.

zväzok zv.

zvezek zv

Revised: Aug.19, 2015