Chapter 23: Geographic Names

Contents:

• 23 - Introduction
• 23.1 - Military installations
• 23.1A - School districts
• 23.2A - English [or French] form
• 23.2B - Vernacular form
• 23.4 - Change of Name
• 23.4F - Further additions
• 23.4F2 - Identifying Places
• 23.5 - Place names including or requiring a term indicating a type of jurisdiction

Chapter 23 - Introduction

From January 1988 onward all geographic names listed in Canadiana, either as headings for governments, as additions used to distinguish between corporate bodies with the same name, or as additions to other corporate names (e.g. conference names), will be formulated according to Chapter 23 of AACR 2R. When used in new listings, headings established previously under AACR 1 or AACR 2 will be revised, if necessary, to conform with AACR 2R.

For places located in Australia, Great Britain, and the United States, Library and Archives Canada will use the forms established by the National Library of Australia, the British Library, and the Library of Congress, respectively. If, at the time of cataloguing, the heading has not yet been established by the national agency responsible, Library and Archives Canada will establish a provisional heading following the interpretations issued by that agency, revising the heading, if necessary, once it has been officially established. If the name as officially established uses an English form, or contains an English term as an addition, and if a French equivalent exists, Library and Archives Canada will also establish an equivalent French heading according to the RCAA 2R.

23.1 - Military installations

Military installations such as forts, airfields, training areas are treated as local places, (i.e. add as a qualifier the country, province, state, etc., that would have been added to a city or town in the same place).

For the treatment of bases of the Canadian Armed Forces, see rule interpretation 24.24A.

23.1A - School districts

For the treatment of school districts, see rule interpretation 24.4C1.

23.2A - English [or French] form

Interpretation

For places located in Canada, use the form of name approved by the Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographical Names as published in the Gazetteer of Canada (or the Canadian Geographical Names Data Base), the Répertoire toponymique du Québec (or TOPOS sur le Web), the Répertoire des municipalités du Québec and their updates.

If these sources list approved English and French forms of the name, choose the English form to establish the English heading and the French form for the French heading. Exception: Effective December 1, 2003, use only the French form of name for the province of Québec as additions to place names, as additions to distinguish between corporate bodies with the same name, as additions to other corporate names (e.g., conference names), or as additions to uniform titles. This form is equally valid for use in both English and French catalogues. See also the bilingual policy on provincial government headings. Previously established headings not reflecting this policy will be revised on an as encountered basis.

When establishing a name from information presented in roman script, record the letters as they are given, except as follows:

1) Convert earlier forms of letters to their modern form;

2) For items published after 1820, convert "v" to "u", "vv" to "w" and "i" to "j" as necessary to reflect modern usage.

Follow the same guidelines for recording additions to names.

23.2B - Vernacular form

Interpretation

For places in Canada, if the Gazetteer/Répertoire lists no English form, or lists an English form only as a see reference, use the appropriate form in the vernacular as the basis for the English heading. Similarly, if no French form is listed, or if the French form is listed only as a see reference, use the appropriate form in the vernacular as the basis for the French heading.

Names derived from Inuit should be established in the romanized form listed in the Gazetteer/Répertoire.

23.4 - Changes of Name

For changes of name of a jurisdiction used as an addition to a place name, see rule interpretation 23.4F2 .

23.4F - Further additions

Interpretation

Apply rule 23.4F only to resolve conflicts between the names of two or more cities or towns. If there is a conflict between a city and county both located in the same state, province, territory, etc., resolve the conflict by applying rule 23.5B (i.e. add, for example, a term such as "County," or "Regional county municipality," to the one heading as instructed under rule 24.6). If there is a conflict between two or more municipalities located in Quebec, resolve the conflict by adding the name of the regional county municipality.

Library and Archives Canada will correct previously established headings on an as encountered basis.

23.4F2 - Identifying Places

Interpretation

For places that once had the status of independent jurisdictions but have since become part of a larger city, establish one heading only, (provided that there has been no change in the name proper) and add to the name the name of the city in which it is currently located, plus the larger place name appropriate as an addition to the name of the city. Refer from the earlier form.

If, however, the name of the place itself has changed, establish a separate heading for each name, using as an addition to each the name of the larger place appropriate to its status at the time of the change.

In the cases when only the larger jurisdiction used as an addition has changed its name and the name of the place has not, establish one heading only, using the current name of the jurisdiction as the addition. Refer from the earlier name.

Previously established headings will be corrected on an as encountered basis.

23.5 - Place names including or requiring a term indicating a type of jurisdiction

Interpretation

For places located in Canada, refer to the Gazetteer of Canada, the Répertoire toponymique du Québec, and their supplements to determine whether to omit the term indicating type of jurisdiction.

It should be noted that the regular practice in both the Gazetteer and the Répertoire is to omit the term indicating type of jurisdiction from the name proper and to follow the name with a standardized term or abbreviation indicating the type of jurisdiction either in parentheses or in a separate column. Therefore the headings for places in Canada will normally be established using only the name proper and omitting the term indicating the type of jurisdiction.

Numbers apprearing as part of the name of municipalities (even if found in the Gazetteer as such) are omitted in the headings.