SERIES (4XX, 8XX)

• 4XX:    A 4XX field is a "transcription" field, which means that it contains series information exactly as it is found on the item being cataloged.
  
  Whether the series title is indexed or not is a local cataloging policy decision. Our policy is to follow the decisions made by the Library of Congress. LC's decisions are recorded in the 645 field of the series authority record: t for traced (or indexed) and n for not-traced (or not indexed).
  
  
  440          Series is transcribed as it is on the item *and* the library which created the cataloging record wants to index the series title in just this form.
  
  (Please note that the first indicator in 440 is blank; the second indicator is a filing indicator-for example, "The church in the world" needs a second indicator of 4 so that the word "The" is skipped in filing.)
  
  
  490 0       Series is transcribed as is but it was not considered important enough by the library which created the cataloging record for them to want to index it.
  
  (Please note that the first indicator is 0 and the second indicator is blank.)
  
  (Note also our local policy: when LC does not trace a series, they provide no 642 field with an example of the numbering. We however do wish to provide the numbering in subfield v and we will transcribe the numbering as found on the piece.)
  
  
  490 1       Series is transcribed in this field as it is found on the item but then it is indexed in an authorized form in an 8XX field.
  
  
  (Please note that the first indicator is 1 and the second indicator is blank.)
  
  Although 4XX fields are "transcription fields"--meaning as mentioned above that they are recorded in the cataloging record exactly as they are found on the item being cataloged--in subfield v we use standard abbreviations (such as "v." for volume and "no." for number) and we change roman numerals to arabic numerals [except in extremely rare cases in which using arabic numerals would cause confusion].
  
  Furthermore, we always include the ISSN if it is found on the piece--anywhere on the piece, not just right with the series statement itself. (Including the ISSN will not mean that you need to trace the series in an 8XX field whereas otherwise you would not have had to do so.)
  
  Ask for help if you come across a 400, 410, or 411 field. These are no longer used. If you come across something which looks like this:
  
  400 10 Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Plays
  It should be changed to:
  490 1 Shakespear's plays [or whatever the series statement actually says]
  and
  800 1 Shakespeare, William, $d 1564-1616. $t Plays.
  
  

  8XX:    An 8XX field is an "authority controlled" field, which means that it contains the authorized form of the information found in the 4XX field.
  There are four kinds of 8XX fields:
  

  800          Series with a person as author followed by a uniform title
  

  810          Series with a corporate body as author followed by a uniform title
  

  811          Series with a conference body as author followed by a uniform title
  

  830          Uniform series title
  
  Please note that the 800, 810 and 811 will all have subfield t with a uniform title in them.
  
  Note also that the first indicator in the 830 field is blank and the second indicator is a filing indicator, just like in the 440 field. Always make sure filing indicators are correct.
  
  $n and $p - Series statements may contain subseries and internal numbering following the subfield t. Subfield n is used for internal numbering and subfield p is used for the part title.
  
  

  Example: 830 0 Churches of the world. $n Series A, $p Europe ; $v v. 13.
  

  Example: 830 0 Churches of the world. $n Series B, $p Asia ; $v v. 9.
  
  $v Volume or part numbers are entered in subfield v.
  In the 8XX fields, we also follow LC's decisions about the authorized form of subfield v. This information is recorded in the 642 field of the series authority record.
  
  If the 642 field contains only a number, then we do not use a "v." for volume or a "no." for number preceding the series number. Example: $v 43.
  
  If the 642 contains some other abbreviation--for instance "Bd."--we will put that abbreviation in the subfield v. Example: $v Bd. 43.
  
  The fact that publishers are sometimes inconsistent about their numbering practices means that in the 4XX field, we record "v." for volume if the series title page says "volume" or "vol." or "v." and we record just a number if only a number is in the work we are cataloging.
  
  Then we check for LC practice. If LC practice is the same as what we have transcribed, we put the series title in a 440. If LC practice differs from what is on the title page, we must put the transcribed series into a 490 1 and we must record the authorized form in an 8XX field.
  
  Thus, sometimes the only difference between the 490 1 field and the 830 field is the absence or presence of something so trivial as "v." or "no."
  
  Example:
  

  490 1 Kirchen der Welt ; $v 43
  

  830 0 Kirchen der Welt ; $v Bd. 43.
  
  Please note that 4XX fields do not end with a period; 8XX fields do have a final period.