The University of Arizona

Instructions for Serials Cataloging

A serial is defined as a publication in any medium issued under the same title in a succession of discrete parts, usually numbered (or dated) and appearing at regular or irregular intervals with no predetermined conclusion. In AACR2 2002, serials are classified as a type of continuing resource. The distinguishing features of a serial is that each item is issued under the same title and it is usually numbered in some fashion.


A serial title is the name of the publication issued in successive parts, usually printed on the front cover and in the masthead of each issue or on the title page of a monographic serial. In electronic serials, the title appears on the welcome screen. Serial title is uniquely identified by the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN). Title changes are more frequent in serials than in other types of publications. In the ASM Library, periodicals are shelved alphabetically by title.


Importing Serial Bibliographic Records

New bibliographic records for serials are imported following the instructions for Importing A New Bibliographic Record (Copy Cataloging)

Search for serials under their ISSN, not the ISBN.


Adding Holding and Item Records for Currently Received Serials

Holding and item records for currently received serials are added through the Voyager Acquisition module.


Adding Holding and Item Records for Discontinued Serials

To add a holding and item record for a discontinued serial follow the instructions for Create Holding and Item Records Using Library of Congress Call Number.

If the Library does not hold a complete run of the serial, enter the following information in the 590 MARC field subfield $a of the bib record: Library holds incomplete series.

First and second indicators are blank.


590 || $a Library holds incomplete series.


Correct the 852 MARC field in the holding record.

In the Leader field of the holding record, verify that the following values are correct:

Record status = New

Type of record = Y, Serial item holdings

Encoding level = 3: Holdings level 3


In the 008 MARC field of the holding record, verify that the following values are correct:

Receipt Status = 5, Not currently received

Method of acquisition = u, Unknown

General Retention Policy =  8, Permanently retained

Completeness = either 2, Incomplete or 3, Scattered (if non consecutive issues but mostly complete)

Lending Policy = b, Will not lend

Reproducation Policy = a, Will reproduce

Language = eng, English (if the publication is in English, otherwise select the appropriate language from the choices


In the 852 MARC field, verify that the following values are correct:

First indicator = 0. Second indicator = blank.

The location in subfield $b is PERIODICAL


852 0| $b PERIODICAL

Compile all the holding information for the particular publication, i.e. volumes and/or numbers, [which is called enumeration], the year(s) and/or any seasonal information [which is called chronology] and enter either the range of holdings or the missing issues in the 863 MARC field, if there are less missing issues than holdings.

Add the new 863 MARC field to the holding record below the 852 MARC field.

First indicator = blank. Second indicator = blank

Be as consistent as possible in your patterns by following the examples below:

Enumeration data is recorded first; corresponding chronology follows immediately and is enclosed in parentheses. When a field is repeated, enumeration and chronology data are recorded from lowest enumeration data to highest, earliest data to latest.


863 || $a 1963 (Win), 1968 (Aug), 1968 (Oct), 1969 (Nov)

863 || $a v.1, no. 3 (Sum 1967)-v. 2, no. 3 (Mar-Apr 1968), v. 2, no. 5 (Jul-Aug 1968)

863 || $a Missing: V.1, no. 1- v.5, no. 4

After you have added all of your holding information, click on Save to DB to save the holding record.

View your results by searching for the serial title in the online catalog and looking at the holding information. Your holding information should be readily understood by any library user. 


Adding Library of Congress Call Numbers for Serials

The following table shows the main Library of Congress Class numbers for serials in our collection range.

  History. America. General. (comprehensive in scope)
11 Periodicals. Societies. Collections (serial)
  North America (comprehensive in scope)
31 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
  Pre-Columbian America. The Indians

Periodicals. Societies. Collections.  including anthropological records, Archaeological Institute of America


  Indians of North America.
75  Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
76 Congresses
77.8  Periodicals. Societies. Collections. Congresses.
  United States. General
151 Periodicals. Societies. Collections. (including general societies for the preservation of historic or other national interests.  For geographic societies, see G3, for historical periodicals and societies, see E171-172, etc.)
171 History. Periodicals. Yearbooks.
172 Societies. (Including historical depts.  of other organizations, eg. museums, libraries)
F History
  United States.  New England
1 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
16  Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
  New Hampshire
31 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
  ALL STATES LISTED WITH Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
771 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
  New Mexico
791            Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
806 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
821 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
836  Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
856 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
  Latin America. Spanish America.
1201 Periodicals. Societies. (for Mexican geographical societies, see G5)
1202 Congresses
  Latin America. General.
1401 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
  Central America.
1421 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
  British Honduras (Belize)
1441 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
1461 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
  Salvador (El Salvador)
1481 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
1501 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
  ALL COUNTRIES LISTED WITH Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
  South America
2201 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
2251 Periodicals. Societies. Collections.
  ALL COUNTRIES LISTED WITH Periodicals. Societies. Collections.


Anthropology. Periodicals. Serials.

Anthropology. Societies.


46  Physical Anthropology (defined as: man, human, race, evolution, etc.)
49 Periodicals. Societies. Serials.
50 Congresses
301 Ethnology. (Social & cultural anthropology). Periodicals. Societies. Serials
302 Congresses.
397 Applied anthropology. Periodicals. Societies. Serials.

For works on particular societies or groups, including works on specific topics pertaining to those groups, see the society or group in D-F.

For works on prehistoric archaeology including prehistoric remains of particular regions or countries, see GN700.

For works on Indians of North America, see E51+

For works on Indians of Central America, the West Indies, and South America see E65, etc.

700 Prehistoric archaeology. (cultures without writing). Periodicals. Societies. Serials
701 Congresses
GR Folklore
Periodicals. Societies. Serials.
10 Congresses