Document: Parallel records in OCLC

Date: August 14, 2006

Effective: Immediately (TSC Aug. 10, 2006)

Issued by: Cataloging Dept. for Technical Services Committee, nvp


Background

OCLC allows parallel records for works that are cataloged by English agencies (e.g. OSUL) and by agencies for which the catalog record is in another language, e.g. Dutch or French. When the record is cataloged by a non-English agency, fields such as physical description and notes often are in another language. English agencies should ignore this record and can derive one to contribute as original English-language record.

An exception is vendor records identified by field 938, e.g. Harrassowitz or Casalini, which we can and do upgrade.

Note that language of the work is not the aspect of concern; it is the language of the content of the catalog record.

Policy

When a bibliographic record is found in OCLC where

1. vendor code IS present (field 938) and language of cataloging is NOT English (field 040 $b) -- or no language code is present in 040 -- then the cataloger should use and/or upgrade the record
   
   See list of participating vendors: http://www.oclc.org/partnerships/material/participants/
   
   
2. vendor code is NOT present (no field 938) and language of cataloging is NOT English (field 040 $b), then the cataloger should create an original record (derive or create new); do not use or upgrade
   
   
3. vendor code is NOT present (no field 938) and language of cataloging is NOT English based on content of fields such as 300 or 500 (field 040 lacks $b), then the cataloger should create an original record (derive or create new); do not use or upgrade

EXAMPLES

Case #1	 OCLC #69675825 	Spanish vendor record, OK to replace

Old 
040	= PL# $b spa $c PL#
504	= Bibliografia: p.71-81.	[diacritic not shown]
938	= Puvill Libros $b PUVL $n 8497401654 $c $24.41

New
040	=PL# $b eng $c PL# $d OSU
504	=Includes bibliographic references (p.71-81) and index.
938	= Puvill Libros $b PUVL $n 8497401654 $c $24.41

Case #2 OCLC 49021348  Bibliotheque et archives national de Quebec, do NOT replace

Old
040=B2Q $b fre $c B2Q $d OCLC
500=Comprend une grille transparente: ”Interpolation reseaux.”
938= none

New
Create new record (derive or key new)

Additional informaton

Information about parallel records appeared in OCLC Technical bulletin 250:
http://www.oclc.org/support/documentation/worldcat/tb/250/

BIBCO-At-Large, 2004 JUNE 27
http://www.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/bibco/bibcoatlarge04a.html

BIBCO FAQ
http://www.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/bibco/faqgen.html#8