I have been working in libraries professionally for almost 9 years in
different capacities.  I came to my current job as a serials librarian
not knowing much about serials and so I have had a lot to learn.  I have
also had to fix a lot of errors in serials records, such as incorrect or
missing ISSNs.  The missing or incorrect ISSN caused our Article Linker
to not be able to link to the record.  I emailed the serials listserv
for help.  Someone at the National Serials Data Project at the Library
of Congress responded and told me if I had any problems with ISSNs, I
could email them at issn@loc.gov.  They are very helpful in researching
these problems and giving a definitive answer.

Barbara Pope, MALS
Reference/Periodicals Librarian
Axe Library
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg KS  66762
(620) 235-4884
bpope@pittstate.edu
Nancy Chaffin wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> Perhaps I missed something on the discussion lists, but here is my
> question/dilemma:
>
> I am finding records in OCLC for print serials that have long ago
> ceased, but there are ISSNs in the record in a subfield a.
>
> Example: OCLC record # 1480181
> 022 0  1547-6154
> 245 04 The American journal of police science
> 362 0  Vol. 1, no. 1 (Jan.-Feb. 1930)-v. 3, no. 2 (Mar.-Apr. 1932).
>
> Clearly the print issues for this title were never printed with an ISSN.
>
> However, this record includes (secondary) information about the
> electronic version of this title available through JSTOR (to which my
> library subscribes) and HeinOnline (to which we have no access).
>
> It has been my (mistaken?) understand that JSTOR had requested ISSNs
> retrospectively for the titles they were scanning and putting online;
> if so, wouldn't the ISSN be the e-ISSN, not the print ISSN?
>
> The OCLC record for the electronic version of this title (an
> aggregator neutral record reflecting availability through both JSTOR
> and HeinOnline) includes the ISSN above, but in a subfield y. (OCLC
> record # 47949278)
>
> Incidently, both of these are ELvl [blank] records. The one for the
> print is 042 lc $a nsdp and the electronic is 042 lc.
>
> I've checked the ISSN site at loc.gov, but other than stating that
> each format should have its own ISSN (which seems to fly in the face
> of the records above), I couldn't find any information re: what I've
> been seeing. Is there some statement or public policy someone on
> SERIALST can point me to explaining how the ISSNs are assigned to
> these older periodicals?
>
> TIA
>
> Nancy
>
>
>
>
>
>