Michael Spencer wrote:

We use the OCLC database to catalog some government documents. I wonder--if
the designation OCLCQ is used in the 040 field, does this generally mean it
is a reliable cataloging record?

Reply:

Symbol OCLCQ in 040 subfield $d only means that the record was modified in
some way by staff in OCLC's quality control area.  It does not mean that the
record was completely reviewed or that any issues of the serial were in
hand.  OCLC staff change several million records each year via manual
corrections and automation.  A change could have been made solely to update
a name or subject heading, to add a note, or to simply adjust spacing and
punctuation.

I suggest looking elsewhere in the record to determine its quality.  I would
look at the encoding level and any CONSER authentication codes in field 042
in particular.

Robert Bremer
Consulting Database Specialist, OCLC
bremerr@oclc.org