When to create a new bibliographic record for music

Music Cataloging at Yale ♪ General music cataloging resources

Note: this page was created with music cataloging in mind.

See also When to input a new record from OCLC and Guidelines for determining proper format for scores and score-like material

The information in this document was extracted from the ALA document: Differences Between, Changes Within: Guidelines on When to Create a New Record, which was derived from AACR2. The information on this page refers to single-part and multipart monographs, but not to integrating resources or serials. For complete instructions and information, see the document.

The decision to create a new record is based on major vs minor changes or differences:

A change: a manifestation has been altered in a manner that requires editing of the bibliographic record describing the manifestation.
     The document does not define "significant change"
A difference: a disparity between two or more resources.

° When there is a MAJOR change or difference, create a new record.
° When there is a MINOR change or difference, do not create a new record;
     ° instead, modify the existing bibliographic record or use the record as is.
° Generally, multiple MINOR changes or differences do not add up to a MAJOR difference.
 

Cataloging rules

° For all formats except continuing resources: If a record created according to either AACR2 or RDA already exists in WorldCat, do NOT create a duplicate record according to the other code.

Source: OCLC policy statement on RDA Cataloging in WorldCat for the U.S. testing period and beyond

Material (or type of publication) specific details area
° Music: Musical presentation statement area. A difference in musical presentation statement reflecting a significant difference in format is MAJOR.
     For example:
          ° Miniature score vs. Playing score vs. Parts
° The presence or absence of such a statement alone does not constitute a MAJOR difference.
     Consider in conjunction with other aspects, particularly with specific material designation.

Title and statement of responsibility
° Title:
° single part monograph: a difference in title proper, parallel titles, and other title information is MAJOR
° multipart monograph:
° a difference in title proper, parallel titles, and other title information for the same part of a multipart monograph is MAJOR
° a difference in title proper, parallel titles, and other title information between the parts of a multipart monograph is MINOR

° Statement of responsibility: A difference indicating that the responsibility has changed is MAJOR.

Edition
MAJOR:
° difference in edition statement (generally)
° a numbered edition statement, with the exception of 1st edition
° statement indicating a difference in content (e.g., corrected, etc.) or in version (e.g., preliminary)
° statement associating a different date with an edition
° see the document for more major differences		 MINOR:
° the presence or absence of "1st ed." or its equivalent in any language

Publication, distribution, etc.
° Place of publication, distribution:
° a place of publication in a different country is MAJOR
° a different place of publication within the same country is MINOR
° a change of place of publication between different parts of a multipart monograph is MINOR
° the order of multiple countries' names is MINOR
° Name of publisher, distributor distribution:
° a different publisher, distributor, etc., or a publisher, distributor, etc., that has changed names is MAJOR
° a change in publishers between different parts of a multipart monograph is MINOR
° slight variation not intended to represent a change in the name of the publisher to be MINOR
° Date of publication, distribution:
° a different date of publication, distribution, etc., including a copyright or printing date used as a substitute for the publication date, and including an inferred date, is MAJOR
° a different copyright date when given in addition to publication date may be MAJOR or MINOR
° a difference in reproduction publication dates does not justify a new record (also applies to on-demand reproductions)

Physical description area
Extent of item:
° Minor variations due to bracketed or estimated information are MINOR.
° Variation or presence vs. absence of preliminary paging is MINOR.
Other physical details:
Music: any significant difference.
     For example:
          ° illustrations vs. no illustrations		 Sound recordings: any significant difference.
     For example:
          ° analog vs. digital
          ° mono. vs. stereo.
          ° 33 1/3 rpm vs. 78 rpm
Dimensions:
Music: any significant difference (more than 2 cm.) Sound recordings: any difference.
     For example:
          ° 4 3/4 in. vs. 12 in.
Accompanying material:
° The presence vs. absence of accompanying material or a difference in accompanying material if it affects use of the main work is MAJOR.

° New policy announced on MOUG-L: Records that represent a resource issued without accompanying material and the same resource issued with substantive accompanying material are no longer considered to be duplicates

Series
° The presence or absence of a series may be a MAJOR difference
° series title:
° a difference in series title proper, parallel titles or series is MAJOR
° a difference in series title proper, parallel titles or other series title information between parts of a multipart monograph is MINOR
° the presence vs absence of series title information is MINOR
° the presence vs absence statement of responsibility relating is MINOR
° ISSN:
° presence vs. absence of the ISSN is MINOR
° a difference in ISSN may represent a MAJOR difference
Numbering:
° a difference in numbering within a series is MAJOR
° a difference in numbering within between parts of a series in a multipart monograph is MINOR
Notes area
Publishers' numbers:
Any differences between resources in this area require a new record.
Music:
A significant difference in publisher or plate number is MAJOR.		 Sound recordings:
A significant difference in a music publisher number (or matrix number when it is the only identifying number) is MAJOR.
Standard number and terms of availability area
° A different ISBN or other standard identifier may indicate a MAJOR difference.