Procedures for Serial Title Changes

Department: Technical Services

Procedure: Serial Title Changes

17 July 2009

Purpose: The procedure explains what to do when a serial (periodical or jounal) changes titles.

Overview: The basic steps are: 1) Close off the old bibliographic record and holdings statement, 2) Create new bibliographic and holdings records for the new title, and 3) Attach order, checkin or item records to the new record as needed, and 4) Notify Ruth Connell to update Serials Solutions.

Required Knowledge/Skills: OCLC Connexion, Sierra Cataloging, MARC tags for serials.

Equipment/Supplies: PC with access to OCLC Connexion, Sierra and a Web browser for looking up MARC tags.

Procedure

Preliminary Steps

1. Make sure you have a bona fide title change and not just a change in title display. Check the chief source of information. Documentation from the publisher or OCLC records may also be used to verify a title change.

2. Check to see if the old title is in Serials Solutions.

3. Look at the existing catalog record for material type code, call number, subject headings and other bibliographic information that might be useful when cataloging the new title.

Close out the Old Records

Note: this procedure assumes we will retain volumes associated with the old title. If we are going to withdraw all title associated with the old title, delete our bibliographic record and OCLC holdings for the old title. Email the old title and its ISSN to the Electronic Services Librarian and tell her all holdings under the old title have been withdrawn.

1. Determine the final volume and/or issue numbers and dates.

2. You may close out the record in Sierra either by editing the record directly, or editing the record on OCLC and overlaying it on the existing Sierra record. Do the later if the record has been significantly updated since we downloaded it.

3. Close out the publication date range in the 260 |c field, ex: 1970-1996. If editing the OCLC record, add the end year to the fixed fields.

4. Complete the 300 field by adding the total number of chronological volumes in the title, ex: 26 v.

5. Close out the chronology in the 362 field, ex: Vol. 1 (1970)-v. 26 (1996)

6. If downloading from OCLC, delete notes that reference issues we do not have and notes that describe the issue used for cataloging.

7. Close out any other dates in note fields.

8. Add a 785 note with the new title. Add the OCLC number for the record for the new title (if you know it) to the |w field.

9. Close out our holdings in the checkin record. When all the issues are bound, delete the checkin boxes.

Create Records for the New Title

1. Find the OCLC record for the new title.

2. Check the ISSN (020 field) to make sure it matches the ISSN on the piece.

3. Add the call number for the old title to the new record, unless the issue numbering changes. If the numbering changes a new call number may be warranted. Consult with a librarian in this case.

4. Add any subject headings on the old title to the new. Keep any additional subject headings that are on the new record.

5. Delete notes that reference issues we do not have.

6. Modify “description based on” notes to reflect the issue you are using.

7. Delete 530 notes that reference formats we do not have.

8. Make sure the record as 300, 310 and 362 fields. Use formatted 362 fields whenever possible.

9. Add a 780 field for the old title. Include the OCLC record number for the old title in a |w field.

10. Delete all 856 fields.

11. Add our symbol to the OCLC record.

12. Download the record.

Update Sierra Records

1. Transfer any active order record to the new title. If item records were erroneously added to the old title, transfer them as well.

2. Look at the order record to determine the vendor code.

3. Create holdings and checkin records on Sierra as needed.

Final Steps

1. Email the Electronic Services Librarian. Send her the old title and its ISSN and let her know the new title and its ISSN.