A. WHEN TO USE A SINGLE RECORD (SERIALS)

• Equivalent content.
• The content of the paper and electronic versions are the same but the titles differ
• For serials, the content is equivalent but the presentation differs (e.g., articles are added to an issue by the publisher as soon as they are ready, rather than releasing complete issue)
• The titles of the print and electronic versions of serials change simultaneously and the content remains the same. 

B. WHEN TO USE A SEPARATE RECORD

• Resource exists only in electronic form
• Content of electronic resource differs significantly from print resource
• A resource which is a continuing resource undergoes a change in format, usually from print to electronic
• Resource is a database or web site 
• The original text cannot be definitively identified

C. SPECIFIC APPLICATION

*NOTE: Although the term "print record" is used in this document to refer to the original publication, the publication may have existed in microform rather than print. In these rare cases, the microform record may be annotated with the electronic access data. Do not use a GMD (neither [microform] nor[ computer file]). If the original publication was a CD-ROM instead of paper, electronic information can be added to that version. SCP catalogers will prefer the print record whenever one exists and will not attempt to search for other versions, but local campuses are free to add the electronic information to more than one version.

Separate records:
When cataloging electronic versions separately, include 776 fields linking the print and electronic versions. Such links may be created for other versions, (e.g., microform, CD-ROM), but are not required. SCP catalogers will not attempt to create or maintain links to all versions. 

In a separate record for an electronic version, online related resources should be noted in the appropriate field, e.g., 525 (unnamed supplement) or 580 (linking note), depending on the relationship, and give the URL in field 856 with second indicator 2. 

EQUIVALENT CONTENT

For databases, if the print equivalent is cataloged on the serial format, yet the online equivalent calls for monographic cataloging, separate records will be used.
Campuses are free to add the electronic information locally to more than one version. Omission of commercial advertising, incidental illustrations, time dependent announcements, and other such ephemeral data is not sufficient cause for separate records. However evidence of the omission of articles which would make the electronic version an unsatisfactory substitute for an article cited in an index or footnote requires that separate descriptions be created. For example: 

New York times.
New York times on the Web.

The web version does not correspond to the print version. The online version contains no pagination so finding an article from an index is difficult. Articles are archived for only 365 days and require a premium subscription for access. The online version provides features not in the print, such as real-time stock tickers, weather reports, and searches of Britannica.

For serials, if the electronic version does not contain the full run of the print version, use the single record technique with a coverage note in 856 $3. (See 856 section for details). 

In case of doubt, use the single record technique and add an appropriate caveat, e.g.: 

856 41 $3 Selected articles online . . . 

530    Internet version also available (content may vary from the physical version and/or the content of the electronic version may have been changed by the publishing agency).

TITLE VARIATIONS:

245 00  Physical review B. 
530     Available on the Internet called: Physical review B online, or PRB online. 
740 0   Physical review B online. 
740 0   PRB online. 

Usually the electronic title is given in a 740 field.  Occasionally, such as with organizational directories or annual reports, a 710 $a/$t field is appropriate.  Do not use a 730 fields for electronic titles when using the single record technique.  Note that title variations found on the original print version are recorded in field 246, whereas variations on the electronic version delineated in the 530 field are given in the 7xx field of the print record. 

When an electronic version is described in a separate record, use the 246 for title variations. 

TITLE CHANGES (SERIALS):

If the title of the print and electronic versions changes simultaneously, create successive records using the single record technique. For example: (selected fields only) 

245 00 Midwest journal of political science 
362 0 v. 1-16; May 1957-Nov. 1972. 
530   Scanned images available on JSTOR via the World Wide Web. Access restricted to subscribing institutions. 
785 00 $t American journal of political science 
856 $3 v.1(1957)-v.16(1972) $z Restricted to: UCB, UCI, UCD, UCLA, UCR, UCSB, UCSC $u http://www.jstor.org/journals/00263397.html

245 00 American journal of political science 
362 0  v. 17- Feb. 1973- 
530    Scanned images of back issues available on JSTOR via the World Wide Web. Access restricted to subscribing institutions. 
780 00 $t Midwest journal of political science 
856 $3 v.17(1973)- [Last 3 years not available online] $z Restricted to: UCB, UCI, UCD, UCLA, UCR, UCSB, UCSC $u http://www.jstor.org/journals/00925853.html

If the titles change but all content (both old and new titles) is at a single site, include this information in the 530 note and give the entire run of the serial in the 856 $3. In either case, add 856 fields to all print serial records whose content is available electronically if fewer than 10.  (Selected fields only:) 

 If the title of a database changes and the print version of it is a serial, this will necessitate a new print record for the title change.If the title of a database changes and the print version is a loose-leaf, change the title on the existing print record to reflect the latest title.  For the electronic version (in either case), change the title on the existing electronic record to reflect the latest title.  Also add 246 fields to the records to show the former titles, e.g., 246 1  $iFormer title:$a...  If the publisher changes, retain the latest publisher in subfield "b" of the publications, distribution, etc., area and add a publisher history note in a 500 field to include the earlier publishers. The earliest date of the database, regardless of the changes in title, will be retained in subfield "c" of the publication, distribution, etc., area.

CHANGE IN PHYSICAL FORMAT

A change in format from paper to electronic should be recorded by closing the print record and creating a separate record for the electronic.  The CCA will provide such cataloging for CDL-licensed titles promptly to avoid unnecessary claiming or inquiries from campuses.  In this case, close the print record (fixed fields, 260, 300, 362). Add 776 and 78x linking fields to both records unless the electronic version is a monograph. (The LC policy against linking to/from monographic records is under review). 

ELECTRONIC VERSION EQUIVALENT TO MULTIPLE PRINT RESOURCES Make added entries for the print resources, if fewer than 10.  For example, Web of science includes the content of Science citation index, Social science citation index, and Humanities citation index.  Create a separate record for Web of science and make related work added entries for each of the three print titles.  Note that the following record has 730s and one 740 for the added entries.  The 730s are for the titles of the separate print indexes; the 740 02 was added because the title does not exist in print form but only as a part of the Web of science.

CATALOGERS' JUDGMENT

As in many cataloging situations under AACR2, catalogers will encounter situations not covered by rules or guidelines.  They will need to apply judgment using the spirit of the rules and their experience.  One underlying principle is that if an electronic serial contains the content of the print publication, a single record should be used.  If the electronic resource contains additional material, the cataloger must decide whether the supplementary data is significant enough to merit a separate description. We consider that databases are inherently so different from print versions that the single record approach is never appropriate for them.  Catalogers are free, on a local campus basis, to add links to print versiona of these databases, however.

An advantage of the shared cataloging model is that these decisions only need to be made once, by SCP catalogers, and other campuses can benefit from their solutions.