Applicability:

Restrict the use of the uniform title ‘Laws, etc. . . . to collections of general laws of a given jurisdiction (e.g., material commonly referred to in U.S. law as "general codes" and "session laws"). Do not use this uniform title for collections limited to a subject or to a type ( FN 1) of law.

When using "Laws, etc.," make further additions t the uniform title according to the guidelines listed below. Make these additions in all cases. (Revised existing records that are not in accord with these guidelines.)

Collections Other Than Those of U.S. States:

For a collection of general laws from a jurisdiction other than a state of the United States, add to "Laws, etc." an appropriate designation to identify the particular collection, enclosed in parentheses. This will usually be the title proper of the collection or a brief title. If, however, the collection has become well known by a designation other than its title or brief title (e.g., name of editor, publisher), use that designation instead.

If a further qualification is desirable or is needed to distinguish the collection from other editions bearing the same uniform title, add the edition statement or a meaningful date or dates, such as the date of enactment, reenactment, or updating or dates of coverage (but not the date(s) of publication or copyright). Enclose the title and addition within one set of parentheses and separate the addition from the title with a space-colon-space. If the collection is a translation or is an edition in another official language of the jurisdiction, add the language as the final element outside the parentheses, preceded by a period-space.

Example A

Session Laws ( FN 2) of the U.S. States:

Do not make successive entries for changes in titles of session laws. ( FN 3) Generally, make title added entries from the varying forms of the title.

For a collection of session laws from a state of the United States, add to "Laws, etc." the phrase "Session laws" followed by the date(s) covered. Enclose temporary date(s) in angle brackets. If the public laws and private laws or general laws and special laws are regularly published as separate editions, add "Public laws" and "Private laws" or "General laws" and "Special laws," as appropriate, after the date(s). Enclose the qualifiers within a single set of parentheses and separate each qualifier with a space-colon-space. If the collection is a translation, add the language as the final element outside the parentheses, preceded by a period-space.

Example B

Exception: When considered desirable, create separate records for individual issues of session laws either instead of or in addition to the collective record for the session laws. If a separate record is created in addition to the collective record, link the individual records to the collective record through notes. This will allow careful bibliographic description of single issues of rare items, particularly those for which extant issues are sparse (cf. Cataloging Service Bulletin, no. 26 (Fall 1984), p. 21-25).

Example C

Codes of the U.S. States

For the collection of codified legislation from a state of the United States, add to "Laws, etc." the phrase "Compiled statutes" followed by the date of codification, reenactment, revision, etc. If a collection that is not identified by a date of codification, reenactment, revision, etc., is updated by pocket supplements and replacement volumes, use the date (year) of currency of content of the earliest volume in the form of an open date (or inclusive dates if publication has ceased). If a further qualification is needed, add it after the date. Enclose the qualifiers within a single set of parentheses and separate each qualifier with a space-colon-space. If the collection is a translation, add the language as the final element outside the parentheses preceded by a period-space.

Example D

Exception: For California, Louisiana, and Texas, i.e., states that do not have a single collective code but instead publish a series of separate special codes that in to comprise the comprehensive collection of the law of the state, qualify the uniform title by the title page title of the brief title only.

Example E

Component Parts and Related Work Added Entries:

1. Component part added entries. If a comprehensive entry for which the uniform title "Laws, etc." is appropriate includes a part or parts ( FN 4) either in the title and statement of responsibility area or in the note area (for which no separate record is made), am added entry for the part(s) may be made. Generally, such an added entry is made only if the component part is of the type that is not normally associated with the comprehensive entry or if the component part has a numbering system separate from that of the comprehensive entry. If four or more different component parts are mentioned, usually no added entry is made for any of them.

The added entry of the component part reflects the manner in which the component part would be entered, i.e., a name/title combination if entered under a main entry heading, a title heading if entered under title. If the former, the added entry consists of the main entry heading for the part followed by the uniform title for the part; of the latter, the added entry consists of the uniform title heading for the title. If desired, make an additional title added entry from the title proper of the component part.

Example F

2. Related work added entries. If a separate entry is prepared for a component part of a comprehensive entry for which the uniform title "Laws, etc." is appropriate, make a note on the comprehensive entry concerning the component part. On the entry for the component part, make a note showing the relationship to the comprehensive entry; in addition, make an added entry for the comprehensive work.

Example G

Follow the above practice also when a single publication is related to several successive editions of the comprehensive collection (e.g., an annotation service updating several successive biennial codes). Note that in this case an edition of the comprehensive work is not specifically identified.

Example H

Subject Collections Without a Collective Title:

If a subject compilation lacks both a citation title and a collective title, use the uniform title of the first law in the collection (even if the title page title is identical with this uniform title).

See also:

25.15A. Modern laws, etc.