Guidelines for Recording Serial Holdings
1. Definitions
alternative numbering: a secondary numbering scheme used in designating a series of continuously published issues of a publication.
basic bibliographic units: the primary logical segments of the publication sequence of a serial as designated by the publisher excluding supplements, indexes, and accompanying material.
caption: an alphabetic word or phrase attached as a prefix to the enumeration data that describes the type of data (for example, volume, band, heft, part, number, or tome).
chronology: the different types of dates used by the publisher on the work to identify the individual bibliographic unit of a serial (for example, date of coverage, date of publication, date of printing, or date of reprinting).
compress: to condense one or more data elements through consolidation within one or more levels of data to express the same information with fewer characters. Data elements may be compressed only if there is not a gap in the level or levels to be compressed.
enumeration: the nonchronological scheme used by the publisher on the bibliographic unit to identify the individual bibliographic units of a serial and to show the relationship of a bibliographic unit to the serial as a whole.
first-order designator: the characters identifying the main or primary sequential division of the scheme of enumeration or chronology, or both, associated with a serial work, whether or not this main or primary division is further subdivided.
gap: a break or discontinuity in the sequence of enumeration or chronology, or both, of the serial held. The term does not refer to a break or discontinuity in the publication pattern of the serial.
nongap break: a gap between the recorded enumeration and/or chronology units caused by unpublished units or discontinuity in the publisher’s enumeration or chronology.
subsequent-order designator: the characters identifying the second and all subsequent levels of sequential division of the scheme of enumeration or chronology, or both, associated with a serial work; that is, the levels of data required to distinguish between bibliographic units carrying identical first-order designators.
2. The Holdings Record
Holdings are generally recorded in a positive sense, that is, emphasizing that which is held as opposed to that which is not. Gaps can usually be determined by the absence of any bibliographic unit at any level of order designation. In many cases, however, holdings have been recorded in a negative sense, explicitly indicating issues missing.
Holdings records are created when holdings are complete and when holdings are incomplete.
Basic bibliographic units held are recorded in Orbis field 866
Supplementary material held is recorded in Orbis field 867
Indexes held are recorded in Orbis field 868
In general, holdings are recorded in the holdings record in the same manner as they are recorded on the card. When enumeration and chronology have been recorded consistently on the card, enumeration and chronology data are recorded in the holdings record. Enumeration data is recorded first; corresponding chronology is enclosed in parentheses.
v.1:no.1(1976:Jan.)
v.1:no.2(1976:Feb.)
At the first order of designation (usually “volume”), holdings are recorded in a positive sense; gaps are indicated by the absence of a bibliographic unit at the “volume” level; and holdings are compressed whenever possible.
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.1(1900)-v.12(1912),
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.14(1914),
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.18(1918)-v.24(1924)
For subsequent orders of designation, incomplete volumes detailing issues missing or issues held are recorded separately.
If the card records issues lacking/wanting:
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.1(1900)-v.12(1912)
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.13(1913) lacks no. 1,4,6,11
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.14(1914)
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.15(1915) lacks no. 1,6-10
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.16(1916) lacks no. 7,12
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.17(1917) lacks no. 3
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.18(1918)-v.24(1924)
If the card records issues held:
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.1(1900)-v.12(1912)
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.13(1913) have no. 2-3,5,7-10,12
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.14(1914)
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.15(1915) have no. 2-5,11-12
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.16(1916) have no. 1-6,8-11
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.17(1917) have no. 1-2,4-12
866/1:41: ‡8 0 ‡a v.18(1918)-v.24(1924)
3. Compression
Holdings are compressed whenever possible.
Data elements may not be compressed if there is a gap in the level or levels to be compressed (i.e., a break or discontinuity in the sequence of enumeration or chronology, or both, of the serial held).
Data elements may be compressed if there is a nongap break (i.e., a gap between the recorded enumeration and/or chronology units caused by unpublished units or discontinuity in the publisher’s enumeration or chronology).
Examples:
Noncompressed: v.1:no.1(1976:Jan.)-v.1:no.12(1976:Dec.)
Compressed: v.1(1976)
Noncompressed: v.1:no.1(1976:Jan.)-v.1:no.12(1976:Dec.)
v.2:no.1(1977:Jan.)-v.2:no.12(1977:Dec.)
v.3:no.1(1978:Jan.)-v.3:no.12(1978:Dec.)
Compressed: v.1(1976)-v.3(1978)
Noncompressed: v.1:no.1(1976:Jan.)
v.1:no.2(1976:Feb.)
v.1:no.3(1976:Mar.)
v.1:no.4(1976:Apr.)
v.1:no.6(1976:June)
v.1:no.8(1976:Aug.)
v.1:no.9(1976:Sept.)
v.1:no.10(1976:Oct.)
Compressed: v.1:no.1(1976:Jan.)-v.1:no.4(1976:Apr.),
v.1:no.6 (1976:June),
v.1:no.8(1976:Aug.)-v.1:no.10(1976:Oct.)