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From: Patrick Bernard, Policy Specialist for Computer Files,
      LC Cataloging Policy and Support Office
To: CONSRLST, SERIALST, INTERCAT, EMEDIA
Re: Subject Subdivisions for Electronic Journals

    The statement below on the assignment of subject subdivisions
to electronic journals has been approved by the LC Cataloging
Policy and Support Office as a new addition to the *Subject
Cataloging Manual*.  In addition to being made available here on
EMEDIA, it will be published in the next issue of *Cataloging
Service Bulletin* and I also plan to post it to INTERCAT, to
SERIALST, and to CONSERLST, and possibly to CONSERline.

     I would like to use this statement as a starting point for a
discussion of the broader issues of subject subdivisions
currently being assigned to other forms of computer files.  I
will issue a follow-up statement shortly detailing the practice
announced below for computer file serials as contrasted with the
practice now reflected in LC's cataloging of monographic computer
files.  The crux of the issue is that with computer file serials,
the subdivision "--Periodicals" alone is assigned, while with
monographic computer files, catalogers assign the appropriate
form subdivision and then add as a further subdivision
"--Databases" to indicate that the particular catalog, directory,
index, pictorial work, etc. is a computer file catalog, a
computer file directory, a computer file index, a computer file
pictorial work, etc.

Patrick Bernard, Policy Specialist for Computer Files
Cataloging Policy and Support Office
Library of Congress
Phone: 202 707-1132   Fax: 202 707-6629   Internet: pber@loc.gov

-----------------------
Here is the text of the new *Subject Cataloging Manual: Subject
Headings,* H1580.5, on ELECTRONIC SERIALS:
-----------------------

BACKGROUND:  An electronic serial is a work issued in successive
designated parts for an indefinite period of time (that is, it
meets the definition of a serial), in a machine-readable format.
It may be a remote access serial, such as those available on the
Internet and accessed via input/output devices connected
electronically to a computer, or it may be a direct access
serial, such as those issued on CD-ROM or floppy disks.  This
instruction sheet describes Library of Congress practice on the
assignment of subject headings to electronic serials.

PROCEDURE:

To an electronic serial, assign the appropriate heading(s)
subdivided by "--Periodicals."  Examples:

            Title:  Electronic journal of differential equations
            [computer file].
                  650-0 $a Differential equations $x Periodicals.

            Title:  TESL-EJ [computer file] : teaching English as
            a second or foreign language : an electronic journal.
                  650-0 $a English language $x Study and teaching
                  $x Foreign speakers $x Periodicals.

      Assign headings of the type "[topic]--Databases--
Periodicals" only to periodicals about databases, whether in
print or electronic form.

      Assign headings of the type "[topic]--Periodicals--
Databases" only to databases about periodicals.