CIDOC Guidelines for Museum Object Information: Reference Information Group

This page is part of the International Guidelines for Museum Object Information: The CIDOC Information Categories: a description of the Information Categories that can be used when developing records about the objects in museum collections. For an outline of the Information Groups and Categories in the Guidelines, turn to the introductory list.

Reference Information Group

Purpose:

This information supports Accountability, Access, and an Historic archive. It may also be significant in proving ownership of the object, for example where reference is made to documents supporting legal title.

Information categories:

Reference
Reference type

Examples:

For a reference to a file held elsewhere:
Reference: 1991.234
Reference type: conservation file

For a reference to another object:
Reference: 1981.234
Reference type: object

For a reference to a publication:
Reference: Smith, K., Studies in Palaeontology, 1978
Reference type: publication

Notes:

• This Information Group may be repeated as many times as required to record multiple references.
• References may also be made to other objects in the collection as well as additional documentation.

Reference

Definition:

A number or code for linking the object documentation to any additional documentation about the object or another object in the collection.

Examples:

1983.34

Notes:

• Use a standard format for describing References according to the institution's agreed practice.

Move to beginning of Reference

Reference type

Definition:

A description of the type of Reference recorded.

Examples:

object
acquisition file
bibliographic

Notes:

• It is recommended that controlled terms are used for this Information Category. Refer to the "Content and terminology control" section in the Introduction for further guidance on sources of controlled terminology.

Move to beginning of Reference

Move to outline of the Information Groups and Categories or the next section of the Guidelines, Reproduction rights

file: guideref.htm; author: CIDOC; updated June 1995