Aggregates

Collection Aggregates

Collection aggregates (compilations) are common among music resources. The treatment of a collection aggregate will vary based on the contents of the aggregate and the time and resources available to the cataloger describing it. The contents of an aggregate may be indicated in the following ways:

• Record a Manifestation: note on manifestation containing a complete or partial contents note listing the titles of the expressions aggregated
• Record values of Expression: authorized access point for expression for some or all of the expressions manifested
• Record both of the above

In most cases, consider a complete contents note to be the baseline for accessibility and discoverability, unless the contents are otherwise indicated in another part of the record. For especially extensive compilations, or certain types of resources such as hymnals, a complete contents note may be impractical or unduly burdensome to record and may be abridged or omitted entirely. If a contents note is omitted, record a general summary of contents unless already indicated elsewhere in the record (e.g., "Contains 537 hymns.")

Augmentation Aggregates

Augmentation aggregates are extremely common as the addition of even the most perfunctory supplementary content (e.g., a one-sentence preface or composer's note) is technically sufficient to turn a manifestation of a single work into an aggregate. However, most such additions do not rise to the level of bibliographic significance and may be acknowledged, if at all, in a contents note or other brief note, and the primary content otherwise described as though it stood alone.

For detailed guidance on specific types of augmenting content, see Manifestation: supplementary content, Manifestation: illustrative content, and the LC-PCC Metadata Guidance Documentation for Aggregates under Augmentation Aggregate. Access to Augmenting Content.

Parallel Aggregates

An extremely common case of parallel aggregates in music is a score issued with a set of parts: the same work expressed in two different formats of notated music and manifested in multiple units. Other than noting the extent and dimensions of the constituent units and Expression: format of notated music for each expression, it is unnecessary to specifically acknowledge the aggregate nature of such manifestations.

Another common case is manifestations of vocal works that include singing translations alongside the original language or, more rarely, a different translation. Follow LC-PCC practice for parallel translations.