Date: Tue, 08 Jul 1997 14:41:25 -0600
From: Ian Fairclough <IFairclo@UWYO.EDU>
Subject: Manuscript serial?

July 8, 1997

Dear SERIALST readers,

AACR2R's definition of a serial reads in part:  "A publication in any
medium issued in successive parts bearing numeric or chronological
designations ..."

Does the word "publication" preclude cataloging a manuscript as a
serial, even when it bears a chronological designation?

In hand is a set of microfilms of a manuscript entity  which chronicles
the daily activity of an almshouse in Philadelphia for about 100 years,
beginning 1787.   The several ledgers have some title changes, but there
is considerable consistency in title usage between them, and the dates
lead us to consider it for serial treatment.

The question arose while considering which workform, and which "Type"
code, to use in creating an original record for OCLC.   Under "Choosing
Formats" in OCLC's Bibliographic Formats and Standards, 2nd ed., p. 4,
"Manuscript language material" is listed as a Type code for Books, but
not for Serials.

Can anyone draw our attention to a documented statement that either
specifically allows or specifically forbids cataloging this item as a
serial?   My colleagues and I here at the University of Wyoming would be
most interested to see it.

Thank you for your attention!   Sincerely,

Ian Fairclough, Serials Cataloger, University of Wyoming.
Tel. 307-766-5512; Fax: 307-766-3062; Internet: ifairclo@uwyo.edu