Like serials in print, electronic serials are issued in language,  geographic, or special interest editions.  Treat such editions like all other serial editions (see CCM Module 9).  A common edition statement recorded in the 250 field on a record for an e-serial is "Web edition" that distinguishes the print and online editions.

250 ## $a Web ed.

Sometimes it is not clear whether one record or multiple records should be used for language and other types of editions appearing on a Web site.  Are the editions separately numbered and presented as separate publications within the Web site?  The structure of the Web site may help determine if they are separate resources or if they are intended to be used together as one resource.  Separate Web pages devoted to each edition at separate URLs provide separate sources of information that could be used as the basis of multiple records.  If the content is only available from one Web page and URL, one record for the site may be more appropriate.  It is sometimes useful to consult records for print versions of the editions to determine if these were issued as separate publications.

Using a single record is helpful where text in different languages is available either from a single Web site or chief source or even if there is not a common page with links to both languages, as long as there are links from one language version to the other.  In this case, the availability of the text in different languages is given in a 546 note.

546 ## $a Text available in English, French, and German.

In the example below, separate records were created because the larger Web site contained discrete URLs for the editions, displayed separate edition statements, and provided separate chief sources of information for the editions:

130 0# $a Time for kids online (World report ed.)

250 ## $a World report ed.

130 0# $a Time for kids online (News scoop ed.)

250 ## $a News scoop ed.

Do not consider different document formats (e.g. PDF, HTML, etc.) to constitute editions; one record is used to represent all online formats.  Also, do not consider a version statement that reflects an upgrade of an existing file to be an edition statement.

See also:

Module 31.  Remote Access Electronic Serials (Online Serials)