It is important that we write consistent titles for each Omeka item. Because users have access to our titles, we will use a narrative format. Use upper-case letters for the first letter of all words that are not prepositions or articles. In the title, you should use the publisher’s name exactly as listed on the book’s title page. When describing flyleaves and other blank pages, you will need to indicate whether it is the recto or the verso of a another item.
The standard formula for titles:
[Item Type] of [volume # if there is one] the [year] [publisher’s name] [series info or edition name if there is one] Reprint, [Version Number if there is one]
If the year is in brackets on the main bibliography because the year is not on the book’s title page, then put brackets around the year in the title. Do not put the brackets in the date field. Example:
Title Page to the [1853] Clarke, Beeton & Co. Reprint
This is the standard formula for adding titles for illustrated items: Illustration on [page #] of [volume # if there is one] the [year] [publisher’s name] [series info or edition name if there is one] Reprint, Depicting [subject of the illustration]
If the title of the collection includes a version number, such as Version 2, include it in the title of the item at the end, with a comma separating it from the rest of the title. For example:
First Page of Text in Volume 1 of the 1851 George P. Putnam First Edition, Version 3
Example Titles for Binding Items
Use the preposition “of” when indicating from which book a binding item was derived. In some cases there may be additional front or back matter on a pastedown or endpaper. That item is still a part of the binding, but you should reflect the additional content in your title.
Full Cover of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Front Cover of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Back Cover of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Spine of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Head of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Tail of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Fore Edge of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Front Pastedown of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Back Pastedown of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Recto of Front Flyleaf of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Verso of Front Flyleaf of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Recto of Back Flyleaf of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Verso of Back Flyleaf of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Advertisement on Verso of Front Endpaper in Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Example Chapter Break of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Example Titles for Front and Back Matter
Depending on the item type, you will use different prepositions to indicate from which book the front and back matter is derived. Use “of” with flyleaves. Use “to” with frontispieces, title pages, copyright pages, and prefaces. Use “for” with tables of contents and colophons. Use “in” with advertisements. Use the form “First,” “Second,” etc. to describe pages in the front and back matter that do not have page numbers in the book. If an inscription is on the page, include “with Inscription.”
Recto of First Front Flyleaf with Inscription of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Verso of First Front Flyleaf of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Frontispiece to Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint, Depicting Mr. Van Brunt Tending His Flock
Title Page Vignette to Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint, Depicting Tourists Viewing the Skyline in Edinburgh
Half-Title Page to Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Title Page to Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Copyright Page to Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Page xi of the Preface to Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
First Page of the Table of Contents for Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Colophon for Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
First Page of Front Advertisements in Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Back Advertisement in Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Example Titles for In-Text Items
For in-text pages without page numbers, give the item a sub-page number, based on its placement in the book (e.g. 246a). Use the preposition “of” to indicate from which book the item is derived.
Fleur de Lis Decoration on Page 250 of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
First Page of Text in Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Illustration on Page 246a of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint, Depicting Ellen and the Brownie
Recto of Illustration on Page 246a of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Verso of Illustration on Page 246a of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Recto of Page Preceding Illustration on Page 246a of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Verso of Page Preceding Illustration on Page 246a of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Verso of Tissue Preceding Illustration on Page 246a of Volume 1 of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint
Bookmark Between Pages 136 and 137 of the [1896] Walter Scott, Ltd. “Complete Ed.” Reprint
Example Titles for Full, TEI-Edited Texts
In addition to adding some individual items, we will also need to add our TEI-encoded texts to Omeka. These should be titled using the following example:
Digital Edition of the 1853 James Nisbet “Author’s Edition” Reprint of The Wide, Wide World.
Example Titles for Letters
In the example below “Mary Barnes” is the sender, “Susan Warner” is the recipient, “Collycraft Clifton Ashbourne, Derbyshire” is the location from which the letter is sent, and n.d. specifies that the letter is not dated. When a date is provided, use the following form: “March 24,1853.” The ISO date string, used in the date field will provide us with a more searchable date format, but the title is primarily for the readability of our users, so a user-friendly format is allowable.
“Mary Barnes to Susan Warner, Collycroft Clifton Ashbourne, Derbyshire, n.d.”
Example Titles for Reviews and Magazine Advertisements
Reviews will be encoded using TEI encoding standards and added to Omeka as a TEI document.
Example Review Title:
Review of The Wide, Wide World titled “A Religious Novel” originally published in Blackwood’s Magazine, Volume 1, Issue 56, May 1856.
Example Advertisement Title:
Advertisement titled “A Wide-World Circulation!!!” originally published in Harper’s Weekly, Volume 56, Issue 5, May 21, 1860