Once an item is determined to be a serial, the next step is to examine the issues of the serial to evaluate the information that is presented and to choose the sources from which the information for the catalog record will be taken.  There may be only one issue in hand or there may be a run of several issues.  The first issue may be in hand or only later issues.  In some cases, the last issue will also be available.

RDA provides detailed instructions on the sources to be used for preferred source of information in general and preferred sources for each data element.

This module will discuss

How to select the issue upon which to base the description

How to choose the chief source for that issue

What constitutes a title page

How to select sources of information that may be used in addition to the chief source

How to use information given on later issues

When to give notes relating to the sources of information

References

AACR2 / LCRIs

Basis of the description:  12.0B1a), 1.0A2b)ii)

Chief source of a serial:  12.0B2/ LCRI

Prescribed sources of information:  12.0B3, 1.0A4

Sources of information:  1.0A

Items lacking a chief source of information:  1.0A3c), 1.1B7

Multiple chief sources:  1.0A3a)

Source of title proper note:  12.7B3

Item described note:  12.7B23/ LCRI

Definitions:  Appendix D

CCM

Module 6.  Title Statement

Module 8.  Numbering

Module 13.  Notes

Module 16.  Changes that May Require a New Record

Definitions of terms used in this module

Added title page:  A title page preceding or following the title page chosen as the basis for the description of the item.  It may be more general (e.g., a series title page), or equally general (e.g., a title page in another language).  (AACR2)

Analytical title page:  The title page of an individual work in a series.  (CCM)

Body of the entry:  Areas 1-6 of the cataloging record (i.e., the title statement through the series).  (CCM)

Caption title:  A title given at the beginning of the first page of the text.  (AACR2)

Chief source of information:  The source of bibliographic data to be given preference as the source from which a bibliographic description (or portion thereof) is prepared (AACR2).  For printed serials, the chief source is the title page or title page substitute of the first or earliest available issue.

Colophon:  A statement at the end of an item giving information about one or more of the following: the title, author(s), publisher, printer, date of publication or printing.  It may include other information.  (AACR2)

Formal statement:  A statement that appears on its own, or "in isolation," rather than within a block of text.  (CCM)

Half title:  A title of a publication appearing on a leaf preceding the title page.  (AACR2)

Masthead:  A statement of title, ownership, editors, etc., of a newspaper or periodical.  In the case of newspapers it is commonly found on the editorial page or at the top of page one, and, in the case of periodicals, on the contents page.  (AACR2)

Preliminaries:  The title page(s) of an item, the verso of the title page(s), any pages preceding the title page(s), and the cover.  (AACR2)

Prescribed sources of information:  Sources from which data may be recorded in the bibliographic description without the use of brackets.  These are not necessarily the only sources from which information may be recorded.  (CCM)

Prominently stated:  Appearing in a formal statement in one of the prescribed sources of information for areas 1 and 2 (AACR2 0.8).  For printed serials, this includes the title page or title page substitute, other preliminaries, or the colophon (AACR2 12.0B1).  (CCM)

Series title page:  An added title page bearing the series title proper and usually, though not necessarily, other information about the series (e.g., statement of responsibility, numeric designation, data relating to publication, title of the item within the series).  (AACR2)

Title page:  A page at the beginning of an item bearing the title proper and usually, though not necessarily, the statement of responsibility and the data relating to publication.  (AACR2)

Title page substitute:  A source other than a title page that contains the title and is used as the chief source of information in the absence of a title page (e.g., cover, caption, masthead, etc.).  (CCM)

Volume title page:  A page that contains the title and designation for an entire volume, rather than the designation for a specific issue.  Volume title pages are often issued separately once the volume is complete.  (CCM)

See also:

Module 3.  Chief Source and Other Sources of Information