Contents:

5.285.1 Element information

5.285.1.1 Link to RDA Toolkit

5.285.1.2 Sources of information

5.285.2 RDA definition and scope

5.285.2.1 A note on manifestation that provides information on the distribution of a manifestation.

5.285.3 General rule

5.285.3.1 Make a Note on distribution statement according to the instructions below. In most cases, notes are optional (designated by “if considered important”). Some notes are required (designated by “always”).

5.285.31 Distribution statement notes

5.285.31.1 Sources of information. Always note the source of any element of the Distribution statement when it is taken from a source other than the preferred source of information (see 5.01.1.2).

Example:
Name of distributor: Sold by William Heriot, at his shop in the Parliament-house
Note on distribution statement: Name of distributor from colophon on p. 67

5.285.31.2 Omitted information. Make a Note on distribution statement giving distribution-related information not transcribed in the Distribution statement if considered important (see 5.01.1.3).

5.285.31.3 Transposition. Always make a Note on distribution statement if elements in the Distribution statements are transposed, indicating the original position of the transposed elements (see 5.01.3.2).

Example:
The date of distribution is printed above the distributor’s name on title page

5.285.31.4 Information covered by labels, etc. Always make a Note on distribution statement if any of the original details relating to the Distribution statement are covered by a label, stamp, overprint, or other means showing later information and the original details are visible or otherwise available (see 5.25.31.1).

5.285.32 Place of distribution notes

5.285.32.1 Places of distribution in multipart monographs. If the manifestation is issued in more than one physical part and the place of distribution changes in the course of publication, always record the place named in the later part(s) in a Note on distribution statement (see Place of distribution, 5.26.34.1).

5.285.32.2 Fictitious or incorrect places. Always make a Note on distribution statement if the Place of distribution appearing on the manifestation is known to be fictitious or incorrect (see 5.26.36.1).

5.285.32.3 When supplying the actual Place of distribution in square brackets, always give the basis for the correction or clarification in a Note on distribution statement (see Place of distribution, 5.26.36.2).

Example:
Place of distribution: Se vend a Astracan [that is, Paris]
Note on distribution statement: Actual place of distribution from Weller E.O. Falsche Druckorte

(Comment: The formal citation for Weller’s bibliography is given in a Manifestation described by note (see 9.32.31.1))

5.285.32.4 Supplied name for missing places of distribution. Always make a Note on distribution statement to justify a supplied Place of distribution if the reason is not evident from the rest of the description (see 5.26.37.1).

Example:
Distribution statement: [Paris] : On les vend au Palais en la galerie de la Chancellerie par Felix Guybert
Note on distribution statement: The bookseller Felix Guybert was active in Paris from 1539 to 1563

(Comment: Example formatted with ISBD punctuation for clarity)

5.285.32.5 Place of distribution supplied based on address or sign. Make a Note on distribution statement to justify a supplied Place of distribution based on a sign or address if the reason is not evident from the rest of the description and if considered important (see 5.26.38.1).

Example:
Distribution statement: [London] : To be sold at the first shop in Popes-Head-Alley, next to Cornhill, near the Exchange
Note on distribution statement: Popes Head Alley and the Exchange are located in London

(Comment: Example formatted with ISBD punctuation for clarity)

Example:
Distribution statement: [Madrid] : Se hallarà en la lonja de papel de Andrès de Sotos, mas abaxo de la Porterìa de San Martin
Note on distribution statement: La Porterìa de San Martin is in Madrid

(Comment: Example formatted with ISBD punctuation for clarity)

5.285.32.6 Transposition of place names in more than one language or script. Always make a Note on distribution statement if the Place of distribution appears in more than one language or script to indicate the original position on the source of any transposed statements (see 5.26.39.1 and Parallel place of distribution, 5.265.3.2).

5.285.33 Parallel place of distribution notes

5.285.33.1 Make a Note on distribution statement of a parallel place of distribution found elsewhere in the resource from the Place of distribution if considered important (see Parallel place of distribution, 5.265.3.1 and 5.265.3.4).

5.285.34 Name of distributor notes

5.285.34.1 Names of distributors in multipart monographs. If the manifestation is issued in more than one physical part and the distributor or the distributor’s form of name changes in the course of publication, always record the distributor’s name in the later part(s) in a Note on distribution statement (see Name of distributor, 5.27.32.1).

5.285.34.2 Fictitious or incorrect names of distributor. Always make a Note on distribution statement if the Name of distributor is known to be fictitious or incorrect (see 5.27.34.1).

5.285.34.3 Supplied name for fictitious or incorrect names of distributor. When supplying the actual name after the fictitious or incorrect name, always give the basis for the correction or clarification in a Note on distribution statement (see Name of distributor, 5.27.34.2).

5.285.34.4 Supplied and conjectured names of distributors. Always make a Note on distribution statement if no name, address, or device of a distributor appears on the manifestation or if the responsibility of a distributor for a particular manifestation is conjectured. In any case of a supplied distributor, give supporting evidence in a Note on distribution statement (see Name of distributor, 5.27.35.1).

5.285.34.5 Distributors identified by addresses, signs, or initials. If only the address, sign, or initials of the distributor appear in lieu of the distributor’s name and the name has not been supplied in Name of distributor, give the name in a Note on distribution statement if it is known or can be reasonably surmised (see 5.27.36.1).

Example:
Name of distributor: On les vend au Palais, en la gallerie, par ou on va a la Chancellerie
Note on distribution statement: Distributor identified as Jean Canivet by the Bibliothèque nationale de France

5.285.34.6 Devices. If the distributor’s name has been supplied based on device, always make a Note on distribution statement about the basis for the identification (see Name of distributor, 5.27.36.2).

5.285.34.7 Transposition of names of distributor in more than one language or script. For transposed elements, always make a Note on distribution statement if the Name of the distributor appears in more than one language or script to indicate the original position on the source (see 5.27.39.1 and Parallel name of distributor, 5.275.3.2).

5.285.35 Parallel name of distributor notes

5.285.35.1 Make a Note on distribution statement of parallel distributor names found elsewhere in the resource from the source of Name of the distributor if considered important (see Parallel name of distributor, 5.275.3.1 and 5.275.3.4).

5.285.36 Date of distribution notes

5.285.36.1 Chronograms. Include a transcription of the original chronogram in a Note on distribution statement if considered important (see Date of distribution, 5.28.31.2).

5.285.36.2 Very long dates. Make a Note on distribution statement describing the source and the original form of the Date of distribution if considered important (see 5.28.31.3).

Example:
Date of distribution: [24 March 1545]
Note on distribution statement: Date of distribution expressed in Latin words in colophon

(Source of information reads: vicesima quarta Martij, anno Domini millesimo quingentesimo quadragesimo quinto)

5.285.36.3 Fictitious and incorrect dates. Always make a Note on distribution statement to indicate the source of the information if the reason for supplying the actual date is not apparent from the rest of the description (see Date of distribution, 5.28.31.4).

Example:
Date of distribution: 1689 [that is, 1690]
Note on distribution statement: “Given at our Court at Dublin-Castle the 28th day of March 1690”

Example:
Date of distribution: 87 [that is, 1687]
Note on distribution statement: Corrected date of distribution from Wing

(Comment: The formal citation for Wing’s Short-title catalogue is given in a Manifestation described by note (see 9.32.31.1))

5.285.36.4 Julian/Old Style dates. Always make a Note on distribution statement indicating the basis for the supplied year if the transcribed year of publication is based on the Julian calendar (sometimes called the Old Style calendar) and the manifestation is known to have been distributed in the following year according to the modern European calendar (see Date of distribution, 5.28.31.5).

Example:
Date of distribution: 1674 [that is, 1675]
Note on distribution statement: Date of distribution given according to Lady Day dating

(Comment: The title reads “At the Court at Whitehall February the third, 1674/5”)

5.285.36.5 Multiple adjustments or additions. If the Date of distribution requires more than a single adjustment or addition, always make a Note on distribution statement giving the source of the supplied dates (see 5.28.31.7).

Example:
Date of distribution: MDLII [1552, that is, 1652]
Note on distribution statement: Corrected date of distribution from Jesuit series. In Corpus librorum emblematum

(Comment: The formal citation for the Jesuit series. In Corpus librorum emblematum is given in a Manifestation described by note (see 9.32.31.1))

5.285.36.6 Date of distribution supplied from reference sources. If the Date of distribution does not appear on the manifestation but is known, always give the source of the supplied date and any needed explanation in a Note on distribution statement (see 5.28.32.1).

Example:
Date of distribution: [1717]
Note on distribution statement: Advertised in the Boston news-letter of 27 May, 1717 as “to be sold by Mr. Samuel Gerrish bookseller at his shop in Cornhill next to the Brick Meeting-House, Boston”

5.285.36.7 Conjectural date of distribution. When supplying a conjectural Date of distribution based on any information available, always indicate the basis for the conjecture in a note on distribution statement (see 5.28.33.1).

Example:
Date of distribution: [1708?]
Note on distribution statement: Text contains references to the union with Scotland and to the campaign in Spain; date of distribution based on this internal evidence

5.285.36.75 Patterns for supplying a conjectural date of distribution. When supplying a conjectural date or period of distribution according to one of the patterns shown in 5.28.34.1, always indicate the basis for the conjecture in a note on distribution statement (see Date of distribution, 5.28.34.1).

Example:
Distribution statement: [Boston] : Sold at the Bible & Heart in Boston, [between 1776 and 1797]
Note on distribution statement: Thomas and John Fleet were located at the sign of the Bible & Heart in Boston from 1776 through 1797

(Comment: Example formatted with ISBD punctuation for clarity)

5.285.36.8 Date of distribution in multipart monographs. Record the date of each volume in a note on distribution statement if considered important. Such a note on distribution statement is particularly useful when the order of distribution does not correspond to the order of the volume numeration (see Date of distribution, 5.28.35.2).

5.285.36.9 Date of distribution on part pages. If parts of a manifestation have individual title pages bearing dates that differ from the date pertaining to the whole manifestation, always give these additional dates in a note on distribution statement (see Date of distribution, 5.28.36.1).

5.285.37 Other distribution details

5.285.37.1 Make a Note on distribution statement for any other distribution details that are considered important (see 5.01.1.4).

Example:
Below imprint on title page: “This tract may be had to bind with common prayer books of different sizes”

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