Technews Bulletin
March 2000
ISSUE #6
DATES * DATES * DATES * DATES
* DATES * DATES
"Why does ATLAS say 2000 and
the book says 1999?"
"Why are there two dates in the record, but only one in the
book?"
"I don't see a date at all in the book. Why is there one in
ATLAS?"
Do these sound familiar? They are
just some of the questions we've been asked regarding
copyright/publishing dates.
Dates are found on the back of the
title page (or verso in cataloger-ese). CIP is usually found on the
same page. Many of you are aware that the Library of Congress
"pre-catalogs" books with its Cataloging-in-Publication
Data program (CIP). This information is taken from pre-published
works, many times with just a title and/or table of contents
information to go by, and with a date that the publisher hopes the work will hit the press. Many books get published a year or more
later with the CIP information not changed in the book and this may
give us a false date. This is one reason that the bibliographic
record in ATLAS might disagree with a book.
We don't use date information from
the CIP since it predates book publication. When we catalog, we use
the actual copyright and/or publication dates, indicating that the
book has been published. These dates might look like this in ATLAS: c2000 or 1999. Sometimes when we know that a newly revised book has
had a previous life but only has the date of the older edition
listed, we add the current date: [2000], c1992. In fact, when
there is no date, we add a date based on when we believe the book
was published. This is usually the current year: [2000].
And, then there are those McNaughtons.
We add bibliographic records to ATLAS from the catalog cards that
each location faxes to us. There are occasions when the information
in the book does not match that on the catalog card. Until we
purchase a permanent copy of a rental title, we don't see the
"actual" book, only the bibliographic information supplied
by the branches. When there is a discrepancy, please feel free to
call, or make a notation on the fax. We are available to answer any
questions you may have.
This newsletter editor would appreciate your suggestions for
future issues.
Please send them to Sue Bermann, Technical Services (or e-mail bermanns@pbclibrary.org)
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