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Quick Guide to Serial Records for Copy Cataloging and Record Identification

Quick Guide to Serial Records for Copy Cataloging and Record Identification

By Heather Baker
Oct 04, 2022

Scope:

Contact: Jacquie Samples

Unit: Metadata & Discovery Strategy

Date last reviewed: 2018

Date of next review:

 Below are the fields that should be in a “good” bibliographic record for serials.  Those fields in brackets ([]) are valid if applicable and accurate. 

  • [130] – Uniform title  

  • 245 – Title 

  • 260 or 264 

  • 300 – Physical Description 

  • [310] – Frequency 

  • 362 – Dates of publication 

  • [5XX] – Various types of notes fields.  Be sure to look for locally specific notes that apply to other Institutions – these are deleted from Aleph after record import. 

  • [65X] – All types of Subject Headings.  These are nice to have, but are regularly missing from newspaper records. 

  • [780] – Earlier title. 

  • [785] – Later title. 

  • [787] – Related title 

  • [856 42] – URL.  Any URL in the record needs to be verified (clicked on) to ensure that it functions for Duke and leads to full text.  Delete if broken or asks for password.   The 2nd indicator should be a 2 (other form of resource) because resources are in print.  If the second indicator is not 2, but works, bring it to the cataloger’s attention. 

 

Things to bounce for cataloger review 

  • Differences in enumeration or chronology (holdings don’t match exactly), but otherwise the record seems to be good. Holdings could be wrong or bib record could be wrong 

  • URL issues as above 

  • When our holdings or other info can be used to enhance the bib record in OCLC (we have first or last issue, but record does not indicate date range, place of publication, publisher, enough issues to figure out frequency) 

 

Don’t bring in record, but note for cataloger review  

  • Record available for non-print format (microfilm or online, etc.) 

  • All records are too poor 

  • Record where it indicates Duke already holds the title (include OCLC number in note) 


Tips 

  • You may find that our holdings are spread across multiple bib records when you search OCLC.  Bring in any records where have at least one issue, the itemization and holdings records fwill be split up appropriately. 

  • If you find a record for a non-print resource, check to see if it has a 776 for the print.  If so, there will be an OCLC number which you can search on, usually. 

  • Don’t import non-English bib records where language of catalog information is not English. (MARC 040 |b)  It is OK to bring in records for non-English titles. 

  • When itemizing, double check the bib record to make sure it matches the item in hand. 

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