Ed. note:  Please return answers/comments by December 8 directly to:
Regina Reynolds <rrey@loc.gov>, not to SERIALST.   -- bml

-------------------Original message---------------------
Abstracting and Indexing Information in Serial Bibliographic Records

The CONSER Task Force on A&I/ISSN Issues is seeking input from librarians
in all kinds of libraries regarding their use of information contained in
the MARC 510 field. This field, the Citation/References Note, is used to
specify publications in which a serial has been indexed and/or abstracted.
The dates of coverage are also included, if these are known.

During the 1980s, the CONSER Abstracting and Indexing Coverage Project
added abstracting and indexing coverage notes to CONSER serial records in
OCLC for [Regina or Jean -- do you know how many?] selected I & A
services.  Although coverage information for certain A&I services has been
regularly maintained and routinely updated, coverage information for many
of these services has not.

This task force is looking at issues surrounding maintenance and use of
the 510 fields, including the fact that with numerous 510 fields, many
serial records are reaching the maximum number of allowable characters per
record.  Thus in order to add new information, such as URLs, to serial
records, CONSER catalogers must often delete information from the existing
record.  To help us with these difficult decisions, members of the task
force would be grateful for your replies to the following questions.

1. Does your institution retain the MARC 510 field in serial records when
loading them into your online catalog?  Y_____  N_____

        1a.  If yes, does your institution edit existing information
(add/update/delete) in the MARC 510 field?  Y_____  N_____

2. Do you make use of the index/abstract information in MARC fields in
CONSER serial records?  Y____   N_____

        2a.  If yes, then who uses it?  Check all that apply:

        _____collection development staff

        _____reference staff

        _____acquisitions staff

        _____patrons

        _____other:____________________________

3. What tools do you prefer to use to locate information concerning
index/abstract coverage of serial
publications?_________________________________________

4.  Has the presence of outdated or incorrect information in 510 fields
been a problem for your institution?  Y_____  N_____

5.  If 510 information presently on CONSER records cannot be maintained,
would you prefer:
        _____510s be removed from the records

        _____510s remain in records even though the information may be
incorrect

6.  Size limits are an increasing problem in CONSER serial records as new
fields are added to record information about online versions.  In light of
this problem, would you prefer that CONSER:

        _____add 510s only for those services which cover a title
completely

        _____continue also to add 510s for services which only partially
cover a title

7.  For what kind of library are you reporting?

        _____Academic research

        _____Academic

        _____Public

        _____Government

        _____Community/Junior College

        _____Corporate

        _____Medical

        _____Law

        _____Theological

        _____School

        _____Library Schools

        _____Other, please
indicate:_______________________________________

8.  If you wish to amplify or clarify any of your answers or add
additional comments, please do so
here:______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

Please return answers/comments by December 8 directly to:
Regina Reynolds
National Serials Data Program
Library of Congress
rrey@loc.gov

Thank you.

CONSER Task Force on A&I/ISSN Issues
Cindy Hepfer, Chair, SUNY Buffalo
Cecelia Botero, Florida
Mike Esman, National Agricultural Library
Jennifer Hechtman, EBSCO
Kevin McShane, National Library of Medicine
Glenn Patton, OCLC
Regina Reynolds, NSDP
Jean Hirons, CONSER, ex officio