A person is considered eligible to be the main entry only when there is no corporate body responsible for issuing the serial and when the person is so closely related to the serial that the serial is unlikely to continue without that person.  Persons given on serials may be authors or they may be editors or compilers.  Introductory words such as "prepared by," "by," "compiled by," etc. are not strictly followed; instead, the type of publication and probable contribution of the person is considered.

In most cases, persons are considered to be editors, regardless of any introductory wording.  Never give an editor or compiler as the main entry of a serial.

Persons who are authors may be considered for main entry if they meet the criteria given in LCRI 21.1A2 .  By restricting use of personal main entry, the LCRI aims to limit the necessity for making multiple records if the person responsible for the serial changes.

According to LCRI 21.1A2, to be chosen as the main entry the person must be solely responsible for the serial.  This usually means that the person is both author and publisher or the publisher is a commercial firm, rather than an issuing body which would have overall responsibility for the serial.

The LCRI also says that the "entire run" is to be considered.  This does not mean that the entire run must be in hand, but that all issues should be considered in the decision process.  Is it unlikely that more than one person will be associated with the serial and is the serial so closely tied to the person that it will probably cease without that person?  Some examples of personal authorship are the weekly sermons of a minister, stock market tips by an analyst, newsletters reflecting the personal views of an individual, and the popular annual career manual What color is your parachute? by Richard Bolles.  In all of these cases, the contents reflect the thoughts or opinions of the author.  Genealogical newsletters may also be issued by one person, but that person is more likely to be a compiler.  Because such newsletters often focus on one or more families, and it is likely that another member of the family might continue the newsletter, genealogical newsletters are usually entered under title.

 

I.F. Stone was both the author and publisher of the I.F. Stone’s Weekly (Fig. 4.21.).  Since this publication contained personal views and comments it is unlikely that it could have been continued by another person, thus, personal main entry is appropriate.

100 1# $a Stone, I. F. $q (Isidor F.), $d 1907-

245 10 $a I.F. Stone's weekly.

260 ## $a Washington, D.C. : $b I.F. Stone, $c [1953-1969]

 

In Figure 4.22., Elizabeth Gundrey is given as the author while Arrow is the publisher.  Because the subtitle indicates that this is her "personal selection," the serial has been entered under Gundrey.

 

100 1# $a Gundrey, Elizabeth.

245 10 $a Staying off the beaten track : $b a personal selection of modestly priced inns, small hotels, farms and country houses in England / $c Elizabeth Gundrey.

260 ## $a London : $b Hamlyn Paperbacks, $c c1982-

500 ## $a Published: Arrow Books, 1985-<1990>

See also:

Module 4.  Main and Added Entries (Fields 100-111 and 700-711)