5.2.1.1  Sequence Numbers

            We don't intend to address specific questions of field content in this venue; you can read the Data Dictionary –early and frequently– for that.  But the sequence numbers are worth pointing out now because they have procedural value.  They inform the computer of the reading order that the human imposes on each descendant of a Manuscript.  At the top or Manuscript level, there is obviously no sequence number; if anything, the shelfmark itself will ultimately arrange all the manuscripts in an alpha-numeric order.  But what if the Manuscript has several descendant Parts? and what if some of the Parts died in the course of the inputting, or if other Parts were suddenly added to the family months and months after the original set came into existence?  What if we realized well after the first inputting that we had erroneously declared the parent of one Text to be a certain Part, and only later realized our mistake? In inputting, deleting, changing any descendant record, the inputter will hand-insert the correct sequence number for each record at each level.  The sequence number directs the order of display, whether online or in hard copy (via the Print Full MS button).  Because of the importance of display order, the sequence numbers are required.  Please read instructions in the Data Dictionary   LINK  on assigning sequence numbers.