I assume you're planning to import the existing record for this title from OCLC and edit it for local use in your catalog.

Since existing serial records in OCLC have been created according to all sorts of previous standards, more or less correctly, I would focus on entering whatever additional information you think will be useful for your catalog users rather than on editing an existing record to correspond to any current cataloging standard.

The CONSER record for this title was created before we used "description based on" and "latest issue consulted" notes in the systematic way we do now. But the 362 field indicates that the cataloger who created this record had records both before and after the issue you have, so it's within the range already covered by this record and you don't need to add a 588 about it.

Serial catalogers are free to add variant titles from any source, without necessarily indicating the source, so if you're aware of spelling variations that definitely or probably exist and think they would be useful for your patrons, you can enter them in the record. The current default practice for serials is to enter 246 fields with indicators 1#. But if you don't want them to display in your catalog and your OPAC suppresses 246s with indicators 3#, go ahead and use that if you want.

Robert Rendall

Principal Serials Cataloger

Original and Special Materials Cataloging, Columbia University Libraries

102 Butler Library, 535 West 114th Street, New York, NY 10027

tel.: 212 851 2449 fax: 212 854 5167

On Mon, Dec 4, 2017 at 4:28 PM, Silvana Notarmaso <loni@mptek.net> wrote:

Hello there,
I'm a long time rare monographs and maps cataloger that also does the odd serial now and then. And every time they confound me! Right now I'm working on a single issue (no. 12, Nov. 30 to Dec. 7, 1647) for Mercurius pragmaticus (London, England : 1647). Question on 588: I learned in a serials cataloging work that the 588 is a required field in serials, but is that for original records, or also for already existing records that cover the whole run? So, do I still include the 588 for my no. 12 issue in hand, even though the record I found is based on the earliest issue?
Also, I know there are variant spellings for the title proper. Do I make 246 entries for these variant titles, even though I don't have the issue that have them? Which indicators would I use? For monographs I would use 246 3# for variant spelling, but not sure what to for serials. And, while on the topic of titles, do I include the subtitle in the 245? Or make a 500 note on it?
I regularly consult other periodical records (as examples) and the rules in several standards (CONSER, RDA, DCRMS) and I tend get more confused as standards and application tend to vary.

Thanks in advance for your advice and patience. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
-Silvana

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