Date: Mon, 05 May 1997 11:50:05 -0500
From: Wei Zhang <wei@MERLE.ACNS.NWU.EDU>
Subject: Serials Title Change Question

We are cataloging a serial title: "Summary of annual statements submitted as
of ... by legal reserve life insurance companies, fraternal benefit
societies, assessment companies, mutual benefit association, burial
societies, non-profit corporations doing business in Illinois". On OCLC
there is a record (OCLC#22887170) with title: "Summary of annual statements
submitted as of December 31, ... by legal reserve life insurance companies,
fraternal benefit societies, assessment legal reserve life companies,
assessment accident and health companies, mutual benefit associations,
burial insurance societies doing business in Illinois", including the above
title as a variant title (i.e. 246). By carefully comparing the pieces of
both the previous title (the title proper in OCLC record #2288710) and the
later title (the title stated in the beginning of the message), we find
evidence of differences in scope and content. Our instinct is to treat it as
a case of title change. However, our common sense questions the
justification of making separate records (a title change situation) while
using a variant title may serve the purpose of providing the information.

Can people in LC or elsewhere help and comment on situations like this? How
far should we strike a balance between following cataloging rules and exercising
catalogers' common sense? Thank you very much in advance.

Wei Zhang (wei5@nwu.edu)
Serials Librarian
Northwestern University
1935 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
(847)491-2941