Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials

Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (DCRM) is a set of guidelines and standards used by librarians to describe and catalog rare materials, including books, manuscripts, cartographic materials, graphics, music, and serials. Developed by the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS), DCRM provides detailed instructions for describing the physical characteristics, contents, and provenance of rare materials. The guidelines are based on the Resource Description and Access (RDA) standard and are widely used in libraries to ensure consistency and accuracy in cataloging rare materials.