---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 15:06:00 -0800
From: Steve Shadle <shadle@U.WASHINGTON.EDU>
Subject: Re: Crisis vs. New Crisis (William Rafter)

We have the issues in question.  Even though it appears to be one of
those unintentional title changes that serials catalogers tend to grit
their teeth and create new records for, I think a new record is
justified for a couple reasons:

* Beginning with the July 1997, the chief source presentation (cover) has
changed from "Crisis" to "The New Crisis".  It has stayed consistent for
more than a year now.

* The change is grammatically incorporated into the previous title (If
there was a tiny "New" in front of the word "Crisis" I would be more
inclined to call it a title variant, but gramatically incorporating "New"
into the title makes it appear to be a more conscious decision)

* In the latest issue "The New Crisis" *is* appearing in the indicia
(although "Crisis" is still appearing in the postal statement and as the
running title).  I'm wondering if this will be one of those gradual title
changes that happen over a period of time

* The editorial of the July 1997 indicates this is a new, "reborn"
publication (although here they still refer to it as "The Crisis":

  "The Rebirth of the Crisis
  In 1910 Dr. W.E.B. DuBois founded The Crisis magazine...In the winter of
  1996, during the depths of the NAACP's financial difficulties, The
  Crisis' management suspended publication...Today, in July of 1997, we
  introduce the first edition of a reborn Crisis..."

However, I can understand the confusion since:

* OCLC #39328440 didn't cite cover title source (there is no t.p. on any
1996,1997,1998 issues I saw), therefore it wasn't clear what the cover and
possible t.p. title presentations were

* OCLC #1565450 cites new title as 246 14 which implies that there is also
a t.p. presentation (even thought the July 1997 doesn't have a t.p.).
Since this record is pre-AACR2 there would be no title source recorded.

Unles someone beats me to the punch, I will leave the two records, but
recatalog so that it will (hopefully) be a little clearer to other
catalogers.  Hope this helps.  --Steve

    Steve Shadle           shadle@u.washington.edu  *******
    Serials Cataloger                                *****
    University of Washington Libraries, Box 352900    ***
    Seattle, WA 98195               (206) 685-3983     *