Date: 07 Sep 1993 16:02:35 -0500 (CDT)
From: Kevin M Randall <KRANDAL@NUACVM.ACNS.NWU.EDU>
Subject: RE: Unusual numbering (Bob Persing)

We encounter the problem of unusual dates most often with our Special
Collections materials, especially things coming from pagan groups.  Two
examples of what we have:

   Title: Of a like mind.
   Description based on: Vol. 3, no. 4 (Hallows/solstice 9986) <i.e. fall/
   winter 1986?>; title from cover.

   Title: Queer Pagans newsletter.
   Description based on: #6 (Suntime 9993) <i.e. summer 1993>; title
   from caption.

I think these are "AACR2-compatible" notes, combining the dates as they are
given with the "more popular" versions in brackets.  (The fixed field should
definitely have the latter.)

ANSI standard Z39.44-1986, section 4.6.2.4, includes the following paragraph:

"For both Level 3 and Level 4 holdings statements, any non-Gregorian dates
required for a holdings statement shall be converted to the equivalent
Gregorian dates at the highest level (usually year) and recorded in that form.
For Level 4 statements, any non-Gregorian dates required for a holdings
statement shall also be recorded in the non-Gregorian form."

An example of a level 4 chronology statement in the standard is:

  min kuo 72 nien:6 yueh 8 jih <1983>

(Throughout this e-mail message, I am using angle brackets instead of square
brackets because of keyboard limitations...)

We haven't yet decided how or whether we'll implement the ANSI standard at
Northwestern, and this is one area that will have to be discussed.  I doubt
we would record the non-Gregorian dates, though.

Kevin M. Randall
Head, Serials Cataloging Section
Northwestern University Library