Basic concepts of cataloging serials

The rules on this page have been approved in concept by the SCRAP committee, but the exact wording is still being adjusted. Please use these rules. Please send any feedback to SCRAP.

If the rules outlined below do not cover a specific condition or do not treat the matter fully, consult the CONSER Cataloging Manual, available in print or as part of Cataloger's Desktop. An abbreviated older version is available online. For more information about the AACR2 2002 revisions for serials see http://lcweb.loc.gov/acq/conser/aacr2002/A2slides.html.

1. AACR2 and CCS have adopted the policy of successive entry. A new record is created each time there is a major title change (AACR2 21.2A1) or when the corporate body used as main entry changes (see AACR2 21.3B1). A minor title change does not require a new record (AACR2 21.2A2). Each record contains information relevant only to the span of issues covered by that record. The relationship of successive entry records is shown through linking entry fields (tags 760-787). The record for the dead serial is closed off by adding data elements to the record to show that the title is no longer current.
2. The chief source is the title page or title page substitute of the first issue or the first available issue (AACR2 12.0B1 and 12.0B2). Indicate a title page substitute in a 500 field.
3. The description is based on the first or earliest piece. You must indicate the issue upon which the description is based, either in the 362 field or in a note. Use a 362 field for this purpose when you have the first issue in hand. Use field 500 when you are basing the description on anything besides the first issue. This information is not changed until the record is closed off. Changes appearing on later issues, that do not require a new record, are given in notes.
4. Designations are important in serials. They provide the only means for distinguishing the individual issues of the serial. Designations may be numerical (volumes, numbers), chronological (date) or a combination of the two.
5. Most serials are entered under title. Give personal names as added entries if you feel they are responsible or important. Any person must be mentioned in the record to justify the added entry. Never give an editor or compiler main entry with a serial. Restrict use of personal main entry. (Criteria for personal main entry, see LCRI 21.1A2. Serials entered under corporate body, see AACR2 21.1B2 and LCRI 21.1B2)
6. Uniform titles (see AACR2 25.5B and LCRI 25.5B) are used when two serials have the same title. A uniform title is assigned, using the title proper and a qualifier. Prefer place as the qualifier. Use the authorized form of the place name. When using place, base the name on the earliest issue. However, you can also use corporate body, date of publication, frequency, or edition, or a combination of these terms, when the place is not sufficient to distinguish the title. (A change in a corporate body qualifier requires a new record. Changes to other qualifiers such as place of publication, date, frequency, or edition statement do not require a new record.)
7. The cataloging record must represent the entire serial. Information specific to one issue is usually omitted because it does not relate to the serial as a whole. When information relates to certain issues but not all issues, provide a note with dates to indicate the span of issues to which the information pertains. A common form of a note is: Vols. For 2007- by Tom Walsh.
8. Consider the entire serial when assigning subject headings. Subject headings assigned are usually more general. Use headings from the previous title (with a title change) if they are appropriate.
9. National cataloging rules (CONSER Cataloging Manual 17.4 and 17.5) allow supplements and indexes to be either cataloged separately or mentioned in a note on the record for the main work.

• Supplements intended to be used with the main work should generally be cataloged on the entry for the main work.
• Supplements which provide different types of information or focus on a special feature may be cataloged separately.
• Single-serial indexes published by the same publisher as the main work should generally be cataloged on the entry for the main work.
• Indexes published by a different publisher than that of the main work should generally be cataloged separately.