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W.E.B. Du Bois Library Cataloging Manual

IMPRINT DATES



CONTENTS

1. Basic rule (AACR2 1.4F1 as interpreted by LC)
2. Accept dates given in DLC/DLC records
3. Situations in which the publication date is unknown
4. Situations in which to add a second date to stated publication date in imprint area
5. Choice of imprint date: Order of preference
 
 

1. Basic rule (AACR2 1.4F1 as interpreted by LC)
 

Use a single date in the imprint area (260|c field) when that date is the year of publication of the edition, revision, etc. named in the edition area.  If no edition is named in the edition area, use the date of the first publication of the edition (may be unnumbered, or unspecified in the piece) to which the item in hand belongs.
EXAMPLES:
t.p. verso: First published 1991
    Copyright 1990
260|c: 1991
 
t.p. verso:  c1980
    Sixth revised edition 1991
250|c:  6th rev. ed.
260|c:  1991
Supply an edition statement (250 field).  Use language from the book, if possible, to describe the edition.  If desirable, add a note indicating changes or new material added.

EXAMPLE:

t.p. verso:  1st printing 1990
    2nd printing 1991 [new data has been added in 2nd printing]
250 [New ed.]. (AACR2/LCRI 2.2B3)
260|c:  [1991]


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2. DLC/DLC records
 

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3. Situations in which the publication date is unknown
 

A. If only the copyright date is known, use the copyright date preceded by a "c".  (LCRI 1.4F6)
t.p. verso:  Copyright 1991
260|c:  c1991.
B. If only the date of printing is known:
      1. If you can assume it is the same as the date of publication, give the printing date in brackets as an inferred publication date. (LCRI 1.4F6 (4a))
         
        t.p. verso:  First printing 1991
        260|c:  [1991]
2. If you cannot legitimately infer that the date of printing is the date of publication because there may have been an earlier printing of this particular edition, use the printing date and follow it with the word "printing".  (LCRI 1.4F6 (4b)).  Note:  Do this sparingly; it is preferable to infer a date or supply an approximate date of  publication.
t.p. verso:  15th impression 1991
260|c:  1991 printing.
C. If copyright date and printing date are both known but publication date is unknown:
1. If copyright and printing date are the same or if the presence of an earlier or later printing date does not constitute a different edition, use only the copyright date preceded by "c".  Note: you may add the printing date if it is important  (normally, only in rare book cataloging).
EXAMPLES:
t.p. verso:  Printed 1991 // Copyright 1990
260|c:  c1990.

t.p. verso:  Printed 1990 // c1991
260|c:  c1991.

t.p. verso:  First printing 1991 // c1991
260|c:  c1991.

2. If copyright and printing dates differ and the printing date indicates either the first printing of the edition or a new edition:
a. If you can assume that the printing date corresponds to the first printing of the edition, use printing date alone as an inferred publication date in brackets.  For other than first editions, you must also make an edition statement.

EXAMPLES:

t.p. verso: First printing 1991 // c1990
260|c: [1991]

t.p. verso: Copyright 1984
    Sixth printing with corrections 1991
250: 6th printing with corrections
260|c: [1991]

b. If you assume that the printing date does not correspond to the first printing of the new edition, use the copyright date followed in parentheses by the printing date and the word "printing".  You must also make an edition statement.
t.p. verso: Copyright 1978
    15th printing 1991
250: [New ed.]
260|c: c1978 (1991 printing)
[Evidence from the cataloging record for the 1978 edition indicates that the 1991 printing is another edition, but the date of the first publication of this edition is unclear.]
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4. Situations in which to add a second date to stated publication date in imprint area
 

A. If the publication date in the piece is known to be incorrect, add the correct date in brackets.  Assume that the date of publication given in the piece is incorrect if the first date of printing is later than the publication date.  [LCRI 1.4F2]
t.p.: 1986
t.p. verso: First printing 1987
260|c: 1986 [i.e. 1987]
B. If there is a printing date which differs from the publication date, you may add it if it is important (normally, only in rare book cataloging). (AACR2 1.4G4)
t.p. verso: First published 1963
    Fifth printing 1970
260|c: 1963 (1970 printing)
C. Copyright dates that differ from publication dates:
For books and serials, LC does not add a copyright date that differs from the publication date to the imprint area.  Normally we will follow LC practice, with the following exceptions:

1. Neither add or remove copyright dates added to publication dates in DLC/DLC records unless the information transcribed is incorrect.

2. In most cases, retain the copyright date added to the publication date in OCLC records.

3. When it is important to alert users to the timeliness of an item's content, we will allow, on a case by case basis, the addition of a copyright date that differs from the date of publication in the imprint area to OCLC records and to records that will be new to the OCLC database.

D. AACR2 and LC allow a distribution date to be added if it differs from the publication date and is considered to be significant; locally, we usually ignore distribution dates.


5. Choice of imprint date: Summary
 

1. Prefer the publication date over the copyright and/or printing dates.

2. Use the printing date as an inferred publication date when the first printing of the edition in hand is later than the copyright date and you can assume that the copyright date is for the edition in hand.

3. Use the copyright date if it is given as the only date or if it appears in conjunction with a printing date which is the same as the copyright date or earlier.

4. Use the printing date as an inferred publication date when no copyright date is given and you can assume that the work in hand is the first printing.

5. Use the copyright date in conjunction with a printing date when you cannot assume that the work in hand is the first printing and evidence suggests that copyright date given is for an earlier edition.

6. Use the printing date (identified as such) rather than a publication date when no other dates are given and you cannot assume that the work in hand is the first printing of the edition in hand.

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Basic rule
Accept dates
Unknown date
Add 2nd date
Choice of date
 

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