Standards and Guidelines: Item Descriptions

• Only add a description if necessary and keep it short and simple.
• Descriptions are hover over except when being used with an image to create a database asset.
• For books and journal titles only add a description if you need to explain the title. 
• Websites, book chapter and article titles that are self-explanatory do not require a description.
• Customise the description to remove advertising speech, third party voice (eg 'we') and repetitions of title and edition.
• Use sentence case for the description, except when including a title and subtitle which should be in title case. 
• Remove anything in all caps and special signs due to formatting issues.

Additional information

• If useful, add additional bibliographical information such as author (horizontal boxes) and edition statements  to the beginning of the description field e.g. John Bloggs, 15th ed. Very long subtitles may also be added to the description.
• If available, add the duration for eVideos and series.
• Keep the additional information in a consistent order and separate them by using commas.

Example of an original website description

Recycle Mate gives users the ability to photograph an item or do a word search of an extensive item catalogue to find out where to recycle or dispose of that item either in their local council bin system or elsewhere. Utilising modern image recognition technology, the app is continually learning as community use provides feedback about what they want to know is recyclable.

Better description

Use a photograph or word search to find out where to recycle items across Australia. An app is also available.

Supporting mental health in primary and early years : a practice based approach, by Jonathan Glazzard

Early Childhood Education and Care LibGuide

Focuses on mental health needs and culture of inclusion for all students to develop high self-esteem, emotional intelligence, social confidence and resilience, including case studies.

Mental Health LibGuide

Includes key theories, existing context of mental health in schools, identification of students with mental health needs and evidence-based research on interventions to support them.

Example of a description with multiple authors

Example of inclusion of a subtitle, author and edition

Example of a description with various editions available

eVideos

DVDs