There were only a few
        > replies to her question on SERLIST and it doesn't seem as though
the
> question was really answered.

Thanks should go to those folks who replied with information about the rules
for determining the title of a serial.  I found the replies interesting and
informative.  The title that prompted me to write was the latest incarnation
of Heating/Piping/Air Conditioning Engineering, ISSN 1527-4055.  Publisher
has chosen to use the acronym "HPAC" in several places on the journal, but
not everywhere.  Referring to the replies I received, it was easier for me
to understand how it had been cataloged.

That said, I also would like to hear more on this subject.  I also have
difficulty determining the title page (I didn't know serials had one!).
Thanks in advance to any of our experts who would like to chime in (or chime
in, again).

Teresa

Teresa Arnold
Serials Librarian

The Free Library of Philadelphia
Serials Section
arnoldt@library.phila.gov
2000 Hamilton Street - LL                              phone:  215-686-5391
Philadelphia, PA 19130                                   fax:  215-686-5419

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bradley, Sara [SMTP:sbradley@BIOSIS.ORG]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2002 8:52 AM
> To:   SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
> Subject:      Re: Determining the title of a piece
>
> > On July 12, Teresa Arnold posted a question about determining the most
> > significant place to look for a serial title.  There were only a few
> > replies to her question on SERLIST and it doesn't seem as though the
> > question was really answered.  I am very interested in hearing more.
> >
> > We follow the CONSER guidelines in combination with the ISSN guidelines
> > since the ISSN is an important element in our database.  We have been
> > considering "the title page" any of the first pages in the serial,
> > excluding the table of contents page, giving more weight to the page if
> it
> > includes the publisher or editorial information as well.  I have found
> the
> > cover to be unreliable especially in cases where an acronym or logo
> > appears; or when hyphenation is used (especially on German language
> > titles); or when the serial is a government report.
> >
> > Of late, title changes have become more of a challenge because the
> > publishers seem to be changing the look or cover of the serial
> (presumably
> > for marketing purposes) frequently using an acronym on the cover.
> > Sometimes an acronym is used throughout the serial, on other serials the
> > acronym appears only on the cover, and still on others the acronym and
> the
> > expanded title appear on the "title page".  This is difficult enough to
> > deal with but sometimes the same serial that carried only the acronym
> may
> > start carrying both the acronym and the expanded title and yet the ISSN
> on
> > the serial remains the same.  And it is not just acronyms that are
> causing
> > a dilemma.  I have noticed similar problems with so called "subtitles".
> >
> > I would appreciate hearing more on "determining the title of a piece".
> >
> > Sara Alice Bradley
> > Editor
> > BIOSIS Serial Sources
> > Two Commerce Square
> > 2001 Market Street, Suite 700
> > Philadelphia, PA 19103-7095
> > USA
> >
> > sabradley@mail.biosis.org
> > Phone: 215-231-7505
> > Fax: 215-587-4958
> >
> >