Thank you all very much for your help with deciding the age of my collection by
making sure all books had copyright days. There were several who asked for a hit
so here it is. Thank you again to all who responded. You really helped me out a
lot.
Geri
I always go with the newest date. Yes, the story is old, but the copy
of the book I have in my "hot little hannies" is newer.
At the U of I, we were taught to always use the copyright date of the book in hand.
Reprints often, but not always, include updated information and
correction of mistakes. I would encourage using the latest copyright
date. Some dictionaries and encyclopedias have original dates that are
quite old, but the reprinted version is the latest corrected and
up-to-date version.
I was taught to use the most recent COPYRIGHT date, which is most likely
somewhat older than the most recent PRINTING date. Unless you have a
very small collection, having a couple of "old" books isn't going to
create much of a problem. If your system is capable of giving you the
information, you might be able to print a report of all titles that are
over a certain age. You can then look at those and see if they ought to
be weeded.
I don't know if this will help, but I think you're supposed to put both the
copyright date and the publication date into the record. Both would go in the same
field in the MARC record, but the copyright date would have a "c" in front of it.
So, in the example you gave, it would be 1981, c1937.
I don't know what kind of implications this would have for the report your trying
to get about the average copyright date... since I don' t know how your computer
program would read that information, and which one it would decide to pull.
You need to find out how your software computes the average age. Remember, you can
have more than one date in the 250c (e.g., 1989, c1937) so if it computes based on
the first number, you are good as it indicates the age of the =binding= more than
the age of the content. However, calculating an overall average age of the
copyright date of the collection is basically a meaningless number. What is the
"date" of Socrates, for example? Is it inappropriately out of date because it is
over 2000 years old? Of course not. Putting 100 BC on the work though would
certainly mess up your average date.
Consider doing a date average only on materials where it matters: reference,
science, geography, current history. Leave the rest alone. The number is
meaningless.
You would use the reprint date as the correct age of the book in hand; however,
there is an area within the MARC record where you can record the original date of
publication, if you want to add that also. (I can't remember that MARC field right
now, but if you need it, I'll check.)
I went through that process too. I had a person cataloging who didn't have any
experience (no classes) and she had our collection dating in the 1940's when in
reality the age was more likely 1980. She used the original copyright of
everything, including Shakespeare's works---which she guestimated! It took a year
to get things "almost" straightened up--but it was a full-time job!
I think it is more important that you average
copyright dates by subject areas. For many areas,
folk and fairy tales, fiction, that is not so
important.
What I learned many years ago is that it is the edition that is
important. Listing screeds of reprints in the imprint is just bragging
that the book is popular. That's what I teach my students.
don't know if this will help, but I think you're supposed to put both the copyright
date and the publication date into the record. Both would go in the same field in
the MARC record, but the copyright date would have a "c" in front of it. So, in
the example you gave, it would be 1981, c1937.
I don't know what kind of implications this would have for the report your trying
to get about the average copyright date... since I don' t know how your computer
program would read that information, and which one it would decide to pull.
I think it is more important that you average
copyright dates by subject areas. For many areas,
folk and fairy tales, fiction, that is not so
important.
Here is what OCLC says about dates and reprints. Scroll down to the 260
tag.
Hope this helps.
http://www.oclc.org/bibformats/en/2xx/260.shtm
you need to use the copyright date. That refers to date of
the information.. which is the important thing
I, for one, am glad that you asked this question. I am not sure either.
I use the new date if the nonfiction book has been revised. My state
has had us "count" the 500s to determine average age in various year
spans for about three years in a row and now we are on to the 600s.
Geri Hough, Librarian
Clinton High School
Clinton, OK 73601
ghough@clinton.k12.ok.us
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