BACKGROUND: In subject cataloging practice the term periodical is defined as a publication other than a newspaper that is actually or purportedly issued according to a regular schedule (monthly, quarterly, biennially, etc.) in successive parts, each of which bears a numerical or chronological designation, and that is intended to be continued indefinitely. This definition is broader than the traditional definition, which states that a periodical is generally published more frequently than annually and normally contains separate articles. The term serial is frequently used in a broader sense to refer to any title cataloged as a serial, including periodicals, newspapers, monographic series, etc. The subdivision –Periodicals is used under headings assigned to serials that conform to the subject cataloging definition of periodicals. Furthermore, by long-standing practice, –Periodicals is not used as a further form subdivision under those form subdivisions listed in sec. 2 of this instruction sheet.
For provisions relating to catalogs of periodicals, see H 1361. For provisions relating to electronic serials, see H 1580.5. For provisions relating to indexes to periodicals, see H 1670. For provisions relating to newspapers on special topics and newspapers of ethnic groups in the United States, see H 1920. For
classification of periodicals, see F 210 and F 220.
1. General rule. Use –Periodicals as a form subdivision under all headings assigned to works that conform to the definition of periodicals given above, including annual reports. Use this subdivision under topical headings, personal name headings, corporate body headings, geographic headings, etc., without restriction.
Regularity of publication. In the event that the serials cataloger has not been able to determine with certainty the frequency of publication, use judgment to decide whether or not to use the subdivision –Periodicals. Base this judgment on whether or not the periodical appears to be issued regularly. In case of doubt, assume that it is issued regularly and assign the subdivision –Periodicals. If a publication is known to be issued irregularly but contains articles, etc., and in all other ways appears to be a periodical as defined above, use the subdivision –Periodicals.
Juvenile periodicals. When using this subdivision in conjunction with –Juvenile literature, construct the heading as follows: [topic]–Periodicals–Juvenile literature.
Serials that are not periodicals. Do not use the subdivision under headings assigned to publications that are revised and reissued in full on a regular basis, and are therefore cataloged as serials for convenience, but are not periodicals as defined above. For example, Library of Congress subject headings is published annually and is cataloged as a serial, but the subdivision –Periodicals is inappropriate for this work.
Monograhic series. Do not use the subdivision under headings assigned to monographic series.
2. –Periodicals under form headings and other form subdivisions. Use –Periodicals as a further subdivision under most form headings and form subdivisions, for example, American poetry–Periodicals; Tuberculosis–Statistics–Periodicals.
Exception: Do not use –Periodicals as a further subdivision under the following form subdivisions:
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–Amateurs' manuals |
–Maps, Comparative |
3. Works about periodicals. Use –Periodicals also as a topical subdivision for general works that discuss periodicals on a specific subject. Do not further subdivide by –History and criticism. For works on the history of periodicals on a specific subject, the subdivision –History may be used. For bibliographies, catalogs, indexes, union lists, etc., of periodicals further subdivide –Periodicals by the appropriate form subdivision.
4. Bibliographies of periodicals. Assign the heading [topic]–Periodicals–Bibliography
to a list of periodicals about the topic. However, for a bibliography of
periodical articles on a topic, assign [topic]–Bibliography
without interposing the subdivision –Periodicals.
Subject Cataloging Manual: Subject Headings
Copyright (c)2004 by the Library of Congress except within the USA.