Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 11:30:09 -0400
From: Biserka Mrzljak <bmrzljak@LIB.UWO.CA>
Subject: Re: Serials Title Change Question (Wei Zhang)

Since "the title change" has ocurred beyond five significant words, my
sense would be to treat it as a variant title and not establish another
bibliographic record. Theoretically speaking, it is a title change to a
degree, but it is not pragmatic to have separate records. Think of a
user.
In my serial practice I used to be very "rule oriented", however,
since we subscribe to Conser Cataloging Manual, I very often go by its
"rule", that CCM serves as a guide, and in many instances it is
cataloguer's judgement as to what course of action should be followed.

Biserka Mrzljak
Cataloguing Liaison
Librarian for Serials
University of Western Ontario,
London, Ont.
tel.519 679-2111 x4826
>
> 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
>