Some material excerpted from “Summary Notes for Catalog Records”, by OLAC Cataloging Policy Committee Summary/Abstracts Task Force, 2002. The complete document may be found on the OLAC website.
MARC tag 520 (Summary note) is used for a brief description of the scope and content of a work. It is useful for patrons and staff when browsing an online catalog.
Local edits for new records brought into Polaris
- Add a summary note to all new records brought in for fiction works of any format (i.e. books, audiobooks, videos, graphic novels, etc). This includes adult, juvenile, and young adult material
- It’s optional, but highly recommended, to add a summary note to records for non-fiction works, especially if the subject is not easily discernable from the title.
Procedures
- Summary notes should be brief and objective, providing essential details about the contents of the work. Avoid interpretation or evaluation
- If using a description from the item or another source, remove promotional or emotional language
- Keep keyword searching in mind. Include names of people or characters, as well as geographical area and/or time period, if known
- It is not necessary to provide the source of the summary, i.e., Publisher
- If a record contains more than one summary note for the same content, retain the briefest and most objective—edit as needed
- If a description is copied and pasted from a web site, make sure the punctuation marks or special characters display correctly in Polaris
Use this: In World War II Germany, con man David Walker is convinced by OSS chief Wild Bill Donovan to serve his country by posing as German astrologer Peter Kepler. His mission: use his skills in illusion, sleight of hand and deception to gain Heinrich Himmler's trust and persuade him to assassinate Adolph Hitler.
Not: "Summer, 1942: The con man known as David Walker didn't exactly volunteer, but OSS chief Wild Bill Donovan convinced him that serving his country and the cause of freedom by posing as German astrologer Peter Kepler was a better use of his time than going to prison. His mission: use his skills in illusion, sleight of hand and deception to gain Heinrich Himmler's trust and persuade him to assassinate Adolph Hitler. Walker walks a tightrope of deceit, playing on the high command's fascination with the occult to penetrate the highest levels of Nazi power in a daring plan to eliminate the Nazi Fuhrer. The Zodiac Deception is a memorable debut, an unforgettable thrill ride through the dark heart of World War II Germany"-- Provided by publisher.
Rev. 9-2018