Our Authority Librarian, Karen, provided me with this extremely useful and detailed history of the way series entries are handled in both bibliographic records and authority records.<\/p>\n
Series description has changed and evolved over time along with other descriptive cataloging practices.\u00a0 Most changes have been realized in LC policies and standards as more libraries chose to follow LC practices.<\/p>\n
Prior to Sept 1, 1989, the Library of Congress policy was to trace only some series.\u00a0 They would create series authority records (SARs) for all series cataloged and record the tracing decisions on the SARs.<\/p>\n
In the 1960\u2019s LC developed the MARC format for the computerized storage and exchange of bibliographic information.\u00a0 As series policies have changed, the MARC format fields dealing with series have also changed.<\/p>\n
Up to 1978 when AACR2 was published (see below), MARC had the following fields defined for the input of series information:\u00a0 (All definitions are from Its Marc http:\/\/itsmarc.com\/crs\/Bib1468.htm<\/a>)<\/p>\n 400 \u2013\u00a0\u00a0 This field contains an author\/title series statement in which the author portion is a personal name or a possessive pronoun that refers back to the name in the 100 main entry field in the record. Field 400 is both a series statement and a series added entry. When a 400 field is present, a corresponding 800 field is not used, since it would duplicate the 400 field<\/p>\n 410 \u2013\u00a0\u00a0 This field contains an author\/title series statement in which the author portion is a corporate name or a pronoun representing it that refers back to a 110 field . Field 410 is both a series statement and a series added entry. When a 410 field is present, a corresponding 810 field is not used, since it would duplicate the 410 field.<\/p>\n 411 –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This field contained an author\/title series statement in which the author portion is a conference\/meeting name or a pronoun representing it that refers back to a 111 field . Field 411 is both a series statement and a series added entry. When a 411 field is present, a corresponding 811 field is not used, since it would duplicate the 411 field.<\/p>\n The descriptions of the indicator values, subfields and input conventions associated with the 400, 410, 411 fields corresponded to those for the 100, 110, and 111 fields respectively, with the addition of subfields specifically for series:<\/p>\n $x \u2013 ISSN #<\/p>\n $v \u2013 Volume designation<\/p>\n 440 \u2013\u00a0\u00a0 This field contains a series statement consisting of a series title alone.\u00a0 Used when the series statement and the controlled added entry form of the series title are the same. Field 440 is both a series statement and a series added entry.<\/p>\n 490 \u2013\u00a0\u00a0 This field contains a series statement for which no series added entry is to be made, or for which the series added entry is in a controlled form different from that which appears in the series statement. Field 490 does not serve as a series added entry. When field 490 is used and a series added entry is desired, both the series statement (field 490) and a corresponding series added entry (800-830 fields) are separately recorded in the bibliographic record.<\/p>\n 800 \u2013\u00a0\u00a0 This field contains an author\/title series added entry in which the author portion is a personal name. It is used when the added entry form of a series is different from that in the corresponding series statement. An 800 field is usually justified by a series statement (field 490<\/a> ) or a general note (field 500<\/a> ) relating to the series.<\/p>\n 810 \u2013\u00a0\u00a0 This field contains an author\/title series added entry in which the author portion is a corporate name. It is used when the added entry form of a series is different from that in the corresponding series statement. An 810 field is usually justified by a series statement (field 490<\/a> ) or a general note (field 500<\/a> ) relating to the series.<\/p>\n 811 \u2013\u00a0\u00a0 This field contains an author\/title series added entry in which the author portion is a meeting or conference name. It is used when the added entry form of a series is different from that in the corresponding series statement. An 811 field is usually justified by a series statement (field 490<\/a> ) or a general note (field 500<\/a> ) relating to the series.<\/p>\n 830 \u2013\u00a0\u00a0 This field contains a title series added entry in which the entry of the series is a conventional title.\u00a0 It is used when the added entry form of a series title is different from that in the corresponding series statement.<\/p>\n 840 \u2013\u00a0\u00a0 This field contains a title series added entry in which the entry of the series is under uniform title<\/a> . It is used when the added entry form of a series title is different from that in the corresponding series statement.<\/p>\n All of the 8XX fields are justified by a series statement (field 490<\/a>) or a general note (field 500<\/a> ) relating to the series.\u00a0 No 8XX series added entry field was used in conjunction with a series statement in the 400-440 fields because each of these fields functions both as part of the bibliographic description and as a series added entry.\u00a0 The indicator and subfield definitions for 8xx fields are the same as the corresponding 1xx fields, except for the addition of the $x (ISSN) and $v (numbering designation) subfields<\/p>\n In 1978 the second edition of the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules was published. Changes in the rules with the largest impact on series were the rules to formulate entries for personal, corporate, and meeting names, which made a separate distinction between the descriptive transcription and the form of entry.\u00a0 So the new rules did not really provide for name\/title series statements as part of the transcription.\u00a0 Under these rules, the authorized form of the series (established in the authority file in Series Authority Record) did not always match the form found on the item.\u00a0 So if the series were traced, it would need to be traced differently.<\/p>\n Library of Congress implemented AACR2 in January of 1981.\u00a0 Eventually the MARC tags changed to accommodate the new cataloging rules.<\/p>\n The 440 and 490 fields were revised and used for the transcription of the series statement from the item.\u00a0\u00a0 Fields 400, 410, and 411 were no longer to be used for the transcription of the series from any type of material.<\/p>\n 440 –\u00a0\u00a0 This field contains a series title statement when the series statement and the controlled added entry form of the series title are the same. Field 440 is both a series statement and a series added entry (title is traced). When a 440 field is present, a corresponding 830 field<\/a> is not used since it would duplicate the 440 field.<\/p>\n 490 \u2013\u00a0\u00a0 This field contains a series statement for which no series added entry is to be made, or for which the series added entry is in a controlled form different from that which appears in the series statement. Field 490 does not serve as a series added entry. When field 490 is used and a series added entry is desired, both the series statement (field 490) and a corresponding series added entry (800-830 fields<\/a> ) are separately recorded in the bibliographic record.<\/p>\n The 8XX fields were also revised to better accommodate the new rules.\u00a0 The 800, 810, and 811 fields contain a name\/title added entry used as a series added entry in which the entry of the series in under personal name, corporate name, or meeting name respectively, when the series statement is contained in field 490 (Series Statement)<\/a> or field 500 (General Note)<\/a> and a series added entry is required for the bibliographic record.\u00a0 No 8XX series added entry field is used in conjunction with a series statement in the 400-440 fields because each field functions both as part of the bibliographic description and as a series added entry.\u00a0 The indicator and subfield definitions for 8xx fields are the same as the corresponding 1xx fields, except for the addition of the $x (ISSN) and $v (numbering designation) subfields:<\/p>\n In 1988 fields 400, 410 and 411 were officially made obsolete in the CAN\/MARC format.\u00a0 They can still be used as local fields.\u00a0 This left only the 440 and 490 as transcription fields.\u00a0 Their definitions as well as the 8xx\u2019s remained much the same.\u00a0 Instructions are given to convert to 4xx\/8xx as follows<\/p>\n MARC 21 conversion to current fields:<\/p>\n If indicator 2 is 0 in the 400, 410 or 411:<\/p>\n If indicator 2 is 1 in the 400, 410 or 411:<\/p>\n On Sept. 1, 1989, Library of Congress implemented a policy to trace all series.\u00a0 New series authority records showed the decision to trace.\u00a0 When they needed to update a series, they would not go back and re-catalog the previous items.\u00a0 The change in tracing decision would be recorded on the SAR using multiple 645 fields.<\/p>\n On June 1, 2006, the Library of Congress implemented its decision not to create\/update series authority records and not to provide controlled series access points in its bibliographic records for resources in series.\u00a0 This meant that in newly created bibliographic records for LC original cataloging (040 $a is solely “DLC”), the series statement will be given in a 490 0# field and LC will stop using 8xx fields.\u00a0 This decision from LC was not well received by the cataloging community and even sparked a protest from LC catalogers<\/p>\n The Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) will not follow this policy.\u00a0 Members will continue to provide controlled series access on records and create and maintain series authority records through their BIBCO, NACO, and CONSER programs.\u00a0 More details can be found under the PCC programs NACO, BIBCO, and CONSER, and in the PCC Series Statement http:\/\/www.loc.gov\/catdir\/pcc\/seriesPCC.html.<\/p>\n LC will continue to support the PCC by deleting duplicate series records reported, answering questions if no research is needed, and coordinating and conducting series training.\u00a0 In newly created CIP-partnered cataloging, in PCC member copy used for cataloging, and in non-PCC copy cataloging, existing series statements\/access points will be accepted as is and “passed through.”\u00a0 This will help prevent LC-issued records without series access points from overlaying records that have them in OCLC.<\/p>\n On June 6, 2008, MARBI (Machine-Readable Bibliographic Information) the interdivisional committee of the American Library Association that deals with MARC standards, approved the proposal to make field 440 (Series Statement\/Added Entry-Title) obsolete in the MARC 21 Bibliographic Format.\u00a0 This was done after much debate in the library community.\u00a0 This decision leaves the 490 as the only field to record the transcription of the series statement from the item. The intention of the change is to resolve the long-standing problem of field 440 being both a descriptive field and a controlled access point.\u00a0 The assumption is that separating the two functions will result in a more reliable description and easier maintenance through automated authority control over time.<\/p>\n This led to another change approved by MARBI:<\/p>\n In the 490 tag, the first indicator value \u20181\u2019 has been redefined to:<\/p>\n 1 – Series traced in 8XX field<\/p>\n When value “1” is used, the appropriate field 800-830 is included in the bibliographic record to provide the series added entry using the authorized form even if that form matches the transcribed form in the 490 field.\u00a0 It was felt that since there are now few space limitations in online systems, the duplication of the data in 490 and 8xx should not be a problem.\u00a0 An 8XX field can still be justified by a both a series statement in the 490 field or a general note in a 500 note field.<\/p>\n At this same time a second MARC proposal was made and approved.\u00a0 This proposal made two changes:<\/p>\n Added $x subfield (ISSN) to 8XX fields.<\/p>\n Added $3 (Materials specified) added to field 490 and 8xx fields<\/p>\n The Library of Congress approved these proposals on October 2, 2008.\u00a0 They will continue to accept the 440 field in records, and will not be retrospectively changing any records to conform to these changes.<\/p>\n The library community has been somewhat divided on whether to implement these changes, some have, and some have not, or are still deciding.\u00a0 Libraries always have the option to formulate policies to fit their own circumstances.<\/p>\n This is where series description stands as of July 2009.<\/p>\n ———————————<\/p>\n References:<\/p>\n Website \u201cIts MARC\u201d The Library Corporation:\u00a0 http:\/\/itsmarc.com\/crs\/Bib1468.htm<\/a><\/p>\n MARC21 Format for Bibliographic Data 1999 ed.\u00a0 Library of Congress Network Development and Marc Standards Office:\u00a0\u00a0 http:\/\/www.loc.gov\/marc\/bibliographic\/ecbdhome.html<\/a><\/p>\n MARC21 Format for Authority Data 1999 ed.\u00a0 Library of Congress Network Development and Marc Standards Office:\u00a0\u00a0 http:\/\/www.loc.gov\/marc\/authority\/ecadhome.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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