This loose-leaf manual provides the detailed rules, guidelines, and examples to be used by the components of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) Network in acquiring and selecting documents and in processing them (i.e., cataloging, indexing, abstracting) for input to the ERIC computer system and subsequent announcement in "Resources in Education" and "Current Index to Journals in Education." It also covers the procedures to be followed in maintaining the indexing vocabularies (the "Thesaurus of ERIC Descriptors" and the "Identifier Authority List"). The major sections of the manual are entitled: Acquisitions, Selection, Handling and Shipping, Cataloging, Abstracting/Annotating, Indexing, Vocabulary Development and Maintenance (Part 1- Descriptors, Part 2- Identifiers), Database Changes (Post Publication). There are two appendixes: ERIC Clearinghouse Scope of Interest Guide; Glossary of Terms. This manual will be of interest to all organizations that use the ERIC database. A detailed index facilitates its use. (TB)