XI.6. Modern Books

(REVISION IN PROGRESS)

As Houghton collects ever more modern material, cataloging issues and ambiguities related to that material arise more frequently. This section is an attempt to describe local cataloging practice for modern books. Elements of the bibliographic and holdings records are addressed only when they differ from the manual's standard instructions; additional sections cover book club editions, uncorrected proofs, and other special cases.

General procedures

Much of the time, cataloging modern imprints will entail copy cataloging, or adding holdings to existing Harvard records; less frequently, the cataloger will need to create original or derived records. The standard to which these records should be edited, upgraded, or created will vary depending on the nature and context of the project, the rarity of the individual item, and the curator's instructions. The RDA standard is sufficient for most modern books, but catalogers always have license to employ DCRM situationally.

Bibliographic record

260 / 264:  Publication, Distribution, Manufacture, etc.

The place of printing often differs from that of publication in modern books. Adding subfields e and f (place of manufacture and manufacturer) to a 260 to describe place of printing is a useful option, depending on the item. Alternatively, adding an additional 264 field with second indicator 3 (statement of manufacture) can be used to record the place of printing and printer.

490: Series Statement

The series area can be ambiguous for paperbacks in particular, with multiple series statements appearing on the cover, spine, and preliminaries. Feel free to add multiple series statements in 490 fields, with accompanying 830 fields if the series are traced. Check for series numbering on the covers and spine, and lists of titles in the series in the front or back matter. Apparent series statements in the preliminaries can sometimes be publisher's imprints; if in doubt as to whether a statement is actually a series, optionally transcribe it into a 500 note.

505: Contents Note

In general, recording a 505 is not necessary for single-volume literary works. If a contents note would prove particularly useful to readers, use an enhanced, rather than basic 505.

6XX/7XX:

Some publications (e.g., Latin American avant-garde publications) will be necessary to trace according to the curator's directions.

Example:

650_0 $$a Avant-garde (Aesthetics) $$z Latin America

752: Hierarchical Place Name

Modern books frequently list multiple places of publication. In most cases, it is not necessary to record these places in 752 fields beyond the first listed and the city of record. Whether to add further 752 fields will depend on the project.

Holdings record - See section V.3 for details on general guidelines.

562: Copy and Version Identification Note

Use 562 notes to describe the differences between the numerous issues, printings, proofs, and other forms that may be brought under a single bibliographic record. In some cases, a corresponding 500 note in the bibliographic record can be useful to disambiguate these variations and provide more information (a note describing two known states of an edition, for example, or one noting the existence of hardcover and paperback issues). 

563: Binding Information

Provide a brief, accurate description of the binding, including the color, material, illustration/decorations, and presence of a dust jacket. Provide a more detailed description if the item warrants one (to distinguish two issues of the same work, for example). Describe publisher's bindings as "publisher's" rather than "original"; use the latter only when unsure whether the binding is the publisher's (such as when the binder is a separate entity from the publisher). Use "wrappers" to describe paperbacks. Be wary of cloth-patterned paper and other imitative binding techniques.

Example binding descriptions:

Bound in publisher's quarter tan cloth and green paper over boards.
Bound in publisher's illustrated green and white wrappers; in prefab (28 cm.)
Bound in publisher's navy cloth; top edges stained red; with illustrated red dust jacket.
Bound in publisher's printed drab paper covers; in CMI.
Bound in publisher's half vellum and natural cloth; all edges gilt.

Paperbacks, book-club editions, advance reading copies, and limited editions

Standards and practices vary on the subject of when to create a new record, and the decision is often a matter of judgment. Two useful starting points are Differences Between, Changes Within: Guidelines on When to Create a New Record (ALCTS, rev. ed., 2007), and OCLC's Bibliographic Formats "When to Input a New Record".

In general, for expediency's sake, if there are no major changes in the extent or format of a paperback, book-club edition, or advance reading copy from a prior hardback edition, add a general note in the bibliographic record for the hardback edition and add a specific statement describing the book in hand to the holdings record; include number lines and any available printing statements. Add an additional 020 if available.

Examples:

Bibliographic record:

500 $$a Issued in both hardback and paperback.

Holding record:

562 $$a Paperback issue.

Bibliographic record:

500 $$a A Book Club printing was issued from the plates of the hardback, the only distinguishing feature being the statement "Book Club edition" on the inside front flap of the dust jacket.

Holding record:

562 $$a "Book Club edition"---Dust jacket.

562 $$a "Second printing before publication, May 1972"---T.p. verso.

However, if there are significant differences in the number of pages and/or in the date of publication, or if the cataloger is aware of substantive differences in the text, making a separate record for such printings is acceptable. (In some circumstances, a curator may specifically request that a separate record be made.) When creating such a record, use 5XX notes to explain dates and other differences, so as to justify the new record in the bibliographic data.

Limited or special editions, often issued by the publisher of a book's first edition, are a separate case: in general, make a new record for these editions. Note that limited editions will often self-identify as a run or issue of the first edition – they receive a new record nonetheless.

For example:

Bibliographic record:

500 $$a "Of this first edition, 500 numbered copies have been printed on special paper and specially bound."—Colophon.

Holding record:

562 $$a Copy 176 of 500 numbered copies. $$5 hou

Uncorrected proofs, galleys, and publisher's dummies

In most cases, add proofs as a holding to the bibliographic record for the published work. However, if you have reason to believe that the proofs differ substantially from the published work, create a new record for the proofs instead, and add explanatory notes about the differences. If in doubt, err on the side of adding proofs as a holding rather than creating a new record.  Under the Houghton's old/absolete author scheme, proofs were generally classified as a state of the first edition, adding a letter 'a' to the end of the first edition's classification number.

For bound proofs, add the form/genre heading "Page proofs" with a subfield 5 to the bibliographic record. Use "Galley proofs" for loose leaf proofs. Record any differences in size and/or extent in a copy-specific note in the holdings.

655 _7 $$a Page proofs. $$2 rbmscv $$5 hou

562 $$a "Uncorrected proof" (vii, 396 pages) $$5 hou

Create a new record for publisher's dummies. Add the form/genre heading "Dummies," as well as a 500 note describing the item.

500 $$a Publisher's dummy consisting of half title, title page, and 5 leaves of sketches, illustrations, and page layouts, variously paged, backed by a blank volume.

655_7 $$a Dummies. $$2 rbmscv $$5 hou