ISBDkuvausjärjestys

ISBDkuvausjärjestys is the standard sequence for presenting bibliographic data in an ISBD description, specifying both the order of data elements and the punctuation that separates them to ensure consistent presentation across languages and catalogues.

The typical order of elements includes: Title proper and statements of responsibility, Edition, Material or format, Publication, distribution and production information (place, publisher, date), Physical description, Series statement, Notes, and Standard numbers (such as ISBN or ISSN). Some descriptions may also include data about availability or other access points.

ISBD was developed by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) as part of ISBD(2); there are variants tailored to resource types, such as ISBD(P) for printed resources, ISBD(M) for music, ISBD(S) for serials, ISBD(C) for cartographic materials. The Finnish term ISBDkuvausjärjestys reflects this ordering principle in Finnish libraries and national cataloging practices. In practice, librarians use the ISBD order to construct and display bibliographic descriptions in catalog records, ensuring uniform punctuation and element sequencing across systems.