British and Irish Government Documents (ESTC green rules)

British Sessions of Parliament

British and Irish government documents

For British and Irish government documents, we will substantially follow the practice of the ESTC in formulating uniform titles, which is quite different from AACR2. The purpose in doing so is 1) most or all of the copy for these materials come from the ESTC, and 2) the uniform title formulation allows for very easy search and sorting of acts, proclamations, &c. Below are some basic guidelines; the ESTC documentation will be scanned and posted. Take note of the absence of subfielding between the uniform title and the date.

• For collections of acts of the English and British Parliament and other enacted laws that are complete within a chronological period, use

240 10 Public general acts. 1685-1707

• For collections of acts and other enacted laws corresponding to a particular session of Parliament, use the collective uniform title followed by the ESTC citation, which is formulated by a combination of the calendar year of enactment, the reigning monarch's regnal year.

240 10 Public general acts. 1731. 4 Geo.II

• For selected collections of acts, &c., add the form term |k Selections at the end. (Deviation from ESTC style)

240 10 Public general acts. 1742. |k Selections

• For individual acts, &c., use the uniform title as above, but add the chapter number.

240 10 Public general acts. 1731. 4 Geo.II.c.6

• For Scottish laws and other kinds of documents (e.g., bills, parliamentary papers, bills, proclamations, speeches, treaties), consult the head of cataloging.