Dear SERIALST readers,

Provision is made in the MARC format for recording when a serial has
changed from a previous title (A) into the title described in the record (B)
and then changed back into the previous one again.
The preceding and succeeding serial is identified by tag 785,
second indicator 8.  In the record for title B, then -- no problem!

No provision is made for the reciprocal situation: the other bibliographic
record (title A) which changed into title B and then back into title A.
What fields does one put in the record for title A?  "Succeeded by B"
and "Preceded by B"?

Did I miss something while
perusing the "CONSER Cataloging Manual", OCLC's "Bibliographic Formats
& Standards, and the "USMARC Format for Bibliographic Data"?

Is definition of a new MARC indicator called for?  Has this situation already
been addressed on SERIALST?  Does your library have a local policy
on how to handle this?

Thanks for your help -- Ian

Ian Fairclough
Head of Cataloging
LSU in Shreveport
BITNET     shfair@lsuvm
INTERNET   shfair@lsuvm.sncc.lsu.edu
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