----------1
From: RGildem550@aol.com
Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2002 20:30:14 EDT
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Determining the title of a piece

The CONSER Cataloging Manual specifies that the title page is generally the
chief source of information for a serial.  If there is no title page, the
following order of preference obtains:  Cover, caption, masthead, editorial
pages, colophon, other pages.  The main exception is a case in which there is
no cover, but one source consistently uses a "stable title" (e.g. title on
cover varies but caption title remains stable. In this sort of case,
disregard order of preference and use caption title.

This is a a condensing and paraphrasing of CCM Module 3.  26 p.

Rick Gildemeister
RGildem550@aol.com

----------2
Date: Sat, 13 Jul 2002 13:14:46 -0400
From: Steve Murden <stevemurden@mindspring.com>
Subject: determining the title

Catalogers, in particular, please take note of this.

Teresa Arnold first posed this question and Thomas McCaffrey's
was the first response I've seen.  It's quite a coincidence,
because I was planning to post something about this.

I'm in the middle of a volunteer project at an art museum's
library.  I'm in the process of updating the information about
their serials in their online catalog.  Currently, I'm searching
First Search to determine whether or not their titles are linked
to OCLC and if they are using the most accurate bib. record.

Caveat:  While I studied cataloging quite extensively in library
school (way back in the mid-80s), I've never actually done it as
part of my job.  I do still remember the rule-of-thumb about
determining a serial title, as spelled out in AACR2, 12.0B1 &
5.0B1.

In essence, the title page is the primary source of the title of
a serial.  What I am finding, however, is that the cover title
is what most people are really using to determine the title,
especially as it relates to title changes.  For my project, in
deciding which OCLC record is the best choice, I tend to
prefer the one selected by the largest number of libraries.

In a situation where I have noted that a title changed on the
cover, but not on the title page (or the masthead, editorial
pages, or colophon), the cover title seems to be winning out.
(If I find 3 OCLC bib. records that match a title, with holdings
for 500, 5, and 2 libraries, respectively, I generally give the
one owned by 500 libraries more credibility.)

I do not have a specific example to note, but will be glad to
seek one out if there's enough interest in this discussion.

Have the rules changed, so that the cover title is preferred
as the primary source for the correct title of a serial title?
Is this an example of sloppy cataloging practices, where
people are just following the lead of someone who did it
incorrectly in the first place?  Is this another example of
a cataloging rule that just doesn't coincide with what the
average user thinks?

I'd really like some expert guidance here.  TIA.

Steve Murden

>Date:    Fri, 12 Jul 2002 15:57:34 -0400
>From:    "McCaffrey, Thomas" <McCaffrey@CHAMPLAIN.EDU>
>Subject: Re: Determining the title of a piece
>
>If there seems to be a question, where the masthead, front cover, etc. carry
>different title-looking information, I look for a paragraph, often at the
>bottom of the contents page, but sometimes buried near the bottom of another
>early page, that begins, for example:  FORTUNE, ISSN (number) is published
>biweekly, etc. etc. by Time, Inc.  and goes on to list the publisher &
>officers, subscription information, etc.
>         Sorry I can't think of the official term for it, but THAT title is
>the one that counts.  As far as I know.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Arnold, Teresa [mailto:ArnoldT@EXCEN.LIBRARY.PHILA.GOV]
>Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 2:49 PM
>To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
>Subject: Determining the title of a piece
>
>
>Hello all,
>
>Can anyone tell me if there is one spot in a serial that carries the most
>weight when determining the actual title?  With monographs, I know the title
>page is the most significant place in the piece to determine what the title
>actually is--regardless of what is printed on the cover, the spine, etc.  I
>am less familiar with the rules for serials, and generally, I have been
>looking at everything--the cover, table of contents, the masthead, how the
>editor or publisher refers to the title in their notes, etc.
>
>I'm not a cataloger, and am not responsible for making the changes in our
>bib records, but this info would be helpful to me when processing our
>endless stream of title changes.
>Thanks,
>
>Teresa
>
>Teresa Arnold
>Serials Librarian
>
>The Free Library of Philadelphia
>Serials Section
>arnoldt@library.phila.gov
>2000 Hamilton Street - LL                              phone:  215-686-5391
>Philadelphia, PA 19130                                   fax:  215-686-5419