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Guidelines for cataloguing images using the Picture Queensland web form

Guidelines also available as Word document [new window Word document363 kb]. 

7. Coverage

Field Labels: DATE OF PHOTOGRAPH and GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION.

Definition: The extent or scope of the content of the resource. Coverage will typically include:
1. A temporal period (a period label, date, or date range);
2. A spatial location (a place name or geographic coordinates).

Purpose: This element allows a search to be restricted to resources about a certain time or place.

Obligation: Required if available

Input guidelines

7.1 Use DATE OF PHOTOGRAPH to indicate the time period or the date of the image.

7.2 Use GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION where the resource is about or of a geographical area, or to put an image in geographical context when the place is not obviously depicted.

Date of photograph

7.3 Refers to the date the photograph was taken. The precise date, if known, should be given. If the approximate date can be estimated from what is known without further research, then give the date in the form ca. 1930, supplying the decade, and if possible, the year.

For example:

  • an image of the 1947 Brisbane Royal National Show would have a DATE OF PHOTOGRAPH of 1947.
  • an image of a sugar cane train taken approximately 1930 would have a DATE OF PHOTOGRAPH of ca. 1930.
  • a studio portrait of an unidentified woman taken approximately 1888-1890 would have a DATE OF PHOTOGRAPH of 1888-1890.

7.4 May be used for events that occur at a particular time, such as conferences or festivals.

7.5 DATE OF PHOTOGRAPH may be expressed in the form of standard period names, however, dates should also be included to assist with resource discovery.

7.6 Use of ISO 8601 in the format YYYY-MM-DD is recommended. However, where this format does not clearly reflect the period, use a more familiar format.

7.7 Use a single date, a date range or a phrase as appropriate.

For example:

  • 1945-11-11
  • 11 November 1945
  • 1929
  • 1885-1895
  • ca. 1889
  • 19th century

7.8 See General Rules for Entering Data, Section 3. Dates at the beginning of these guidelines for further information.

Geographic location

7.9 The geographic location or area that is covered in the resource. Typically, this is used for images that depict cities, towns, parks, suburbs, streets, rivers and other waterways and other geographic areas, or where these areas are a significant part of the image and would be an important access point for users. Generally, large geographic areas such as a state, eg, Queensland, would not be used on their own.

7.10 If a geographic area is relevant to a resource, but is not actually depicted, use GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION to bring out that particular area and to put the image into a geographical context

7.11 Use standard place names from the controlled list (eg, Gazetteer of Australia [new window  http://www.auslig.gov.au/mapping/names/natgaz.htm], State Library of Queensland catalogue or your own catalogue (subject listing)). Names of states should be spelled out in full. Generally, use the form <town/district/geographical feature>, <state>.

For example:

  • an image of a property in Toowoomba would have a GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION of Toowoomba, Queensland.
  • an image of Lake Tinaroo would have a GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION of Lake Tinaroo, Queensland.
  • an image of gold miners taken in the Palmer River area in Far North Queensland in which the location is known but is not explicitly represented would have a GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION of Palmer River, Queensland.
  • an image of a group of builders in front of their camp tent in the Biggenden area (area is not obvious, information taken from description card) would have a GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION of Biggenden, Queensland.
  • an image of a group of Shire Councillors in the Diamantina Shire (which covers the towns of Bedourie and Birdsville) would have a GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION of Diamantina Shire, Queensland.

7.12 In instances where the geographic area covers a region or district, use the term District in conjunction with nearby town.

For example:

  • an image of a sugar cane field in the Mossman area of Queensland would have a GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION of Mossman District, Queensland.

7.13 Use the most current form of name available. If the earlier form of name is known add another entry for that name in the same field. Use [semi colon] [space] as a separator.

For example:

  • an image of Geraldton in North Queensland taken in 1898 would have a GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION field of Geraldton, Queensland; Innisfail, Queensland, as the name was changed in 1910.

7.14 Suburbs: Qualify the name of the suburb by the town and state.

For example:

  • Chelmer, Brisbane, Queensland
  • Aitkenvale, Townsville, Queensland
  • West End, Brisbane, Queensland
  • West End, Townsville, Queensland

7.15 Consider using the APT [new window http://www.picturethesaurus.gov.au/] term suburbs in the SUBJECT field as well as the name of the suburb in the GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION field.

7.16 Streets, Roads, Avenues, etc.: If a street is explicitly depicted in the resource, include the name in the GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION field. If the street is not a significant part of the image, do not include the street name, but use the town/city name instead.

7.17 Street names should indicate the town in which it is located. If the street is part of a particular suburb, qualify by the suburb, town and state. This is important to resolve conflicts between the same street names, or two or more suburbs of the same name in the same state, etc. Use the form <street>,<town>,<state>, or <street>, <suburb>, <town>, <state>. The types of street, eg, street, road, avenue, etc. should be spelled out in full.

For example:

  • Queen Street, Brisbane, Queensland
  • Blomfield Street, Miriam Vale, Queensland
  • Pease Street, Manoora, Cairns, Queensland
  • Ingham Road, West End, Townsville, Queensland
  • Boundary Road, West End, Brisbane, Queensland

7.18 Street corners: For images that depict a street corner and it is necessary to include the names of the streets in the COVERAGE element, use multiple fields.

For example:

  • an image of a building on the corner of Queen and Edward Streets in Brisbane, and where the streets are clearly depicted, would have two COVERAGE elements, Queen Street, Brisbane, Queensland and Edward Street, Brisbane, Queensland.

Do not enter a COVERAGE element of the type Corner of Queen and Edward Streets, Brisbane, Queensland, or Queen Street and Edward Street, Brisbane, Queensland.

7.19 Consider using an APT term such as town streets, suburban streets, etc. in the SUBJECT field as well as the name of the street in the GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION field.

7.20 Omit Queensland from the GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION field if it is not certain it is, in fact, Queensland.

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Last updated: 4th June 2009

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