Guidelines for Series Checking and Verification Procedures for Non-DLC Copy Cataloguing


The following guidelines cover the streamlined series authority work procedures for copy cataloguing other than DLC cataloguing.  These procedures apply to member-input LC, (D)LC-other, and OCLC-member copy (including UKM).


Document sections

A.General procedures
B.Special situations and problems
C.Authority records


A.    General procedures (no problems found):

  1. Check the series statement (4xx field) of the bib record against the information in the piece.

    Please note:  Treat 500 quoted notes present in the record as any other 500 field -- unless you suspect a problem.  Do not do any series authority searching; simply check against the piece and accept.

    If you find a series (or series-like) statement in your piece that is missing from your record, follow these verification procedures.

  2. Search the online authority files:

    • First, search the Voyager authority file.  Use, as appropriate, the "Staff Title Headings Search" and/or "Staff Name/Title Headings Search."

      If you find nothing there:

    • Search the LC/NACO file in OCLC.

    In searching either authority file:  Search all variants, including 4xx and 8xx forms as well as other forms in the piece.  Watch for potential conflicts such as the presence or absence and choice of qualifier.

    If you find an authority record:  Accept or edit the 4xx or 8xx field of your bib record, as applicable, based on the information in the authority record regarding:

    • Indexing practise (indexed/traced or unindexed/untraced)
    • The 1xx form of an indexed series
    • Series numbering caption, if any
    • Call number, if any.

    Watch for errors in tagging or filing indicators.

    Please note:

    • You may accept a 4xx field in your bib record that contains a qualifier in parentheses, but add any qualifier in an 8xx field.

    • If an 050 call number field in an authority record lacks volume caption information, check for the volume caption in the Voyager bib file, our shelflist, the LC online catalog, or the OCLC bib file.

  3. If you do not find a record in any of the above sources:  Accept the form (indexed or unindexed) in your bib record, unless you suspect a problem.

If the series does not yet appear in your bib record:  See below, section B.6, "No series statement in your record."


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B.    Special situations and problems:

If you suspect a problem -- or if you need to add the series statement to your bib record -- you should search further, in the Voyager and OCLC bib files as indicated below.  In Voyager, use, as appropriate, the "Staff Title Headings Search" and/or "Staff Name/Title Headings Search."  In some cases (for example, checking numbering patterns or searching for a possible multivolume monograph or serial), it may also be helpful to use the "Title<" search.

Watch for conflicts in both catalogued and uncatalogued records.

Consult with your trainer or Jeannette if you have any questions or if you think that a 1xx series heading form needs to be changed.

Types of problems
1.Personal author series
2.Serial records
3.Conflicting forms of series title in your piece
4.Possible qualifier conflicts
5.Bib record with new series classed together (all in one call number)
6.No series statement in your record

Examples of potential problems:

  1. Personal author series:

    If a work includes a personal author series, whether indexed or unindexed (e.g., Works of Mark Twain):  Search the Voyager bib file to verify whether we in fact treat that item as part of an analyzed series -- using multiple bibliographic records -- or as a volume of a monographic set -- using a single, multivolume bibliographic record.  Be sure to search all variants of the title in the piece as well as any variant 8xx $t subfield.  If you find a bibliographic record for a monographic set, consult with Olga or your trainer.

  2. Serial records:

    If, in searching the Voyager bib file, you find a serial record for the title you are searching, consult with Olga or your trainer before proceeding further.

    If you have not found a series in either of the authority files, you may encounter one or more of the following types of problems:

  3. Conflicting forms of series title in your piece:

    If you find more than one form of series title in your piece:  Search the Voyager bib file for possible conflicts before accepting the form in your bib record.

  4. Possible conflict between presence and absence of qualifier or between different qualifiers:

    If your series may or may not be qualified, or if it could be qualified in more than one way (e.g., by place or by publisher):  Search the Voyager bib file for possible conflicts before accepting the form in your bib record.

  5. Bib record with new series classed together (all in one call number):

    If the library inputting the bib record has treated the series as a classed-together (all-in-one-call-number) series:  Search the Voyager bib file under both title and call number for possible conflicts before deciding whether to accept the call number in your bib record.

  6. No series statement in your record:

    If you need to add a series statement (or quoted note) to your record, you need to do full AACR2 authority work.  Search both the Voyager bib file and the OCLC bib file, noting variant forms.  Consult with Rebecca or Jeannette if you have any questions about the form of series to establish.


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C.    Authority records:

General policy:

Series authority records need to be downloaded into Voyager or edited in Voyager only to provide useful cross-references or call numbers or to clarify problems that have been resolved.  Downloading other series authority records into Voyager is optional.

General procedures:

If you:

  1. If a Voyager authority record exists for the series:  Search the LC/NACO file for any updated information.

  2. If only an LC/NACO authority record exists for the series:

    For further information on downloading authority records, see "Authority Record Importing from OCLC."

  3. If no online authority record exists for the series or series-like phrase:

    For further information on creating authority records, see "Authority Record Creation in Voyager."


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19 February 1993;  Rev. 22 July 1997, 8 April 2003, 25 April 2007

HTML document last reviewed:  15 January 2008