Serial Records - Guidelines on Matching/Creating New (Updated Jan. 2015)
Preferred sources of information (in order of preference): if the resource lacks a title page, title sheet, or title card, use as the preferred source of information the first of the following sources that bears a title: a cover, a caption, a masthead, a colophon, another source within the resource containing the title (e.g. a monographic or analytic title page), another source in the issue. (5)
For materials published every 3 years or more frequently, member libraries will use a serial record with the following exceptions: encyclopedias, anthologies, single issue of a magazine or periodical title.
Member libraries must use the most current bibliographic record for any periodical holdings. If a periodical requires a new bibliographic record, any member should close the old record and bring in the new bibliographic record.
Member libraries are responsible for closing their serial holding record when a subscription is cancelled or a periodical changes title or ceases publication.
Any multi-volume works not under serial control must have the call number formatted according to the appropriate procedures.
Major differences which require a new record
i. Addition, deletion, change or reordering of any of the first five words of the title. (Not including initial articles) Unless it belongs to one of the categories listed in the II.A.3.b.i-ix (Minor differences which do not require a new record parts i-ix).
ii. Addition, deletion, or change of any word after the first five (excluding initial articles) that changes the meaning of the title or indicates a different subject matter.
iii. If the corporate body listed in the title proper has changed and is now an entirely different corporate body. See also II.A.3.b.iii.
iv. Change in the edition statement if it indicates a change in subject matter, physical medium, or scope.
v. Change in a corporate body used as the main entry or as the qualifier in a uniform title main entry.
Minor differences which do not require a new record
i. Difference in the representation of a word or words. (Spelling or abbreviation vs. symbol vs. spelled out, Arabic numerals vs. Roman numerals, etc.)
ii. Addition, deletion, or change of articles, prepositions, or conjunctions.
iii. Difference involving the name of the same corporate body and elements of its hierarchy or their grammatical connection anywhere in the title.
iv. Addition, deletion, or change of punctuation, including initialisms.
v. A different order when the title is given in more than one language on the chief source of information, as long as the title used in the record is still listed.
vi. Addition, deletion, or change of words that link the title to the numbering.
vii. Two or more titles proper used on different issues of serial according to a regular pattern.
viii. Addition to, deletion from, or change in the order of words in a list anywhere in the title, provided that there is no significant change in the subject matter.
ix. Addition, deletion, or rearrangement in the title of words that indicate the type of resource.
x. Change in the publisher or the place of publication unless the publisher is also the main entry or is a qualifier in the uniform title main entry.
Member libraries agree to follow dates and enumeration formatted as the first library to enter it into RS has done it. Members agree to discuss differences via the list serv to get everyone on the same page going forward.