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SUL Series Authority Records Handbook

Step-by-step

1. Search NAF thoroughly.
   
   
   1. Search all variations of the series title that you can find.
      
      
   2. If your series title is a common one (e.g., "Saggi," "Studi," "Dossier," "Cahiers," etc.), remember to check all of the series authority records with similar places of publication, and to check for series authority records using the name of the publisher as a qualifier.
      
      
   3. If your series title includes an ampersand ("&"), search the title three ways if you are doing a browse or scan search:
      i. Include the ampersand.
      Example: memory & history
      
      ii. Search the title omitting the ampersand.
      Example: memory history
      
      iii. Search the title replacing the ampersand with the appropriate word.
      Example: memory and history
      
      
   4. ALWAYS SEARCH FOR YOUR HEADING MORE THAN ONE WAY.
      
      
2. Search the bibliographic files thoroughly.
   
   
   1. OCLC searching is required. Searching the Library of Congress online catalog is not required.
      
      
   2. You are looking for bibliographic records for your series (serial and/or monographic/analytic records) AND for potential conflicts with your series heading.
      
      
   3. In OCLC, all formats are automatically searched unless you limit your search. Look at the results for all formats, not just the format of your work in hand.
      
      
   4. Serial record(s) found:
      Consult with the series authority reviser if you find a serial record in the bibliographic file.
      
      
3. Create the series authority record.
   
   
   1. Save your record to the online save file in OCLC.
      
   2. Do not change the Date Cataloged field in your Symphony record until your series authority record has been produced and returned to you.
      
      
4. Make a print-out of your record.
   
   
   1. Write your initials on the print-out.
      
      
   2. Leave print-out in the "Series In Box" for the series authority reviser.
      
      
   3. If there is BFM in Symphony, write down the title control #s and indicate the changes to be made. The series authority reviser will update the Symphony records, or send them to Data Control. It is no longer necessary to report BFM for series on Library of Congress bibliographic records.
      
      
   4. If the series authority record required the creation of a corporate body or geographic name NAR, indicate that the NAR was created by writing the NAF ID on your print-out.
      
      
5. When you get the produced series authority record back, change the Date Cataloged in your Symphony bib record to "TODAY".

Last modified: September 14, 2009