LAC practice: Do not attempt to replicate font features such as bold and italics through the use of underlining or other means of indicating such features.

LAC practice: In general, transcribe letters as they appear in the source. However, convert earlier forms of letters and earlier forms of diacritical marks into their modern form, as specified here. If there is any doubt as to the correct conversion of elements to modern forms, transcribe them from the source as exactly as possible.

The following represent a special case: i/j, u/v, uu, or vv/w. When these letters are used in Latin and some other languages without regard to their vocalic or consonantal value, so that "u" is used for a "v," etc., the transcription should be regularized. This means that for the bibliographic description of items published after 1800,

Also regularize u/v, uu, or vv/w for publications of any date when recording elements, e.g., authorized access points, or citations from reference works.

For the transcription of any of these letters in bibliographic description for pre-1801 publications, apply Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (Books) (DCRM(B)). See Policy Statement 6.2.2.8 for the use of these letters in authorized access points for works, to assure that DCRM(B) titles file properly (i.e., together with the titles of post-1800 publications).

LAC practice: Transcription requires as much fidelity to the source as the technical capacity within the cataloguing agency will allow. The main purposes of these instructions are to categorize all the methods to be employed when encountering unusual symbols and characters, and to give specific directions for each in terms of the particular character set phenomenon encountered.

In the context of machine-readable catalogue records note that "facilities available" means the totality of characters that can be represented in machine-readable form and displayed/printed using the "MARC-8 character set"; referred to hereafter as the "character set").  LAC's AMICUS system uses a modified MARC-8 character set.

LAC practice: Create separate records for a main work and a supplementary work if the supplementary work is not issued at the same time as the main work, or if it shows important differences in titles or statements of responsibility from those appearing in the main work.

Also, catalog separately all supplements, etc., to serials except for:

Relate separately cataloged supplements, etc., to the main work following the guidelines in Chapter 25 (Related works) and Appendix J.

LAC practice: Create separate bibliographic records and apply "With" notes (see RDA 28.1) when two or more resources issued independently have been subsequently placed together under one cover or comparable packaging. Create AMICUS equivalent records with fields 791 and 792 to link English and French descriptions of English and French publications issued in tête-bêche format.

LAC practice: If the media type varies within the serial (not a change from one type to another), do not create a new description. Make a note explaining the variation (RDA 3.21.4.3.1).

LAC practice: If the carrier type within the same media type category changes, do not create a new description. Make a note explaining this change (RDA 3.22.6.3.1) If the polarity changes for a microform, do not create a new description.  

LAC practice: Apply the optional addition to add accents as appropriate to words in French even if the letter over which the accent is to be added is transcribed in upper-case form.

Accents over capitalized letters in initialisms and acronyms in French will follow usage encountered.

For accents and other diacritical marks used in access points, see RDA chapters 6, 9, 10, 11.

LAC practice: Some names of persons, families, or corporate bodies may have commonly-used forms with or without diacritics.  Take into consideration the preferred usage of the particular person, family or corporate body when deciding whether to add missing diacritics.

LAC practice: Apply the option to add missing diacritics to conform with standard usage as necessary.

For places in Canada, confirm the “standard usage” of accented characters by verifying the form of name approved by the Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographical Names as published in the Canadian Geographical Names Database (CGND), and the Banque de noms de lieux du Québec.

LAC practice: When necessary for identification or access, do not apply the optional addition and transcribe the characters as they appeared.

LAC practice: The objective in treating signs and symbols not found in the AMICUS character set is to render or convey the intention without undue time and effort and with a minimum of interpolation, using one of the techniques described in this section. Note that a minimum of interpolation is wanted because those searching the machine catalogue cannot very often be expected to "second-guess" the cataloguer in this respect, i.e., users will normally formulate search queries that do not take interpolations into account. As judged appropriate, use notes to explain and use access points to provide additional access. Refer to examples in LC/PCC PS 1.7.5.