DRAFT OF LCRI 26.3B-C ON SEE ALSO REFERENCES

As part of its mandate to simplify and revise its documentation, the Cataloging Policy and Support Office (CPSO) has drafted a revision of Library of Congress Rule Interpretation (LCRI) 26.3B-C (See-also references and Explanatory references).

The language of the LCRI is revised to eliminate words such as "machine-readable," "automated-authority file," "search also under," etc., and to provide MARC 21 coding and correlations. The revised text also clarifies the current use of the subfield $w and the values appropriate for use in coding for earlier/later headings, and eliminates practices no longer in use. The revised LCRI contains five instructions that catalogers should note. The first three are restatements of current policy:

• Procedures for linking headings for related bodies have been simplified (the need to code "do not make" in see also references has been eliminated).
• The footnote under the section "Procedures" d) Geographic Names has been removed and incorporated into the text of the LCRI. Note that while the current footnote addresses only LC cataloging policy this policy has always been a requirement for PCC catalogers as well, and those instructions will be moved to the Descriptive Cataloging Manual Z1 section on 667 fields.
• The section on Initials and Acronym References (See references) has been relocated to LCRI 26.3A4 (Initials) where it is more appropriate.

The next two instructions are new:

• The instruction to make earlier/later references for conference names has been made flexible and encourages catalogers to use their judgment. This guidance eliminates the need to provide see-also references that file together and provide a cluttered display with little additional access.
• The need to make "one-way" see-also references for heads of states has been eliminated and these see-also references are now bi-directional. This decision will bring in line this practice with other practices and procedures provided by AACR2 and the LCRIs for see also references. This also fulfills recommendation no. 16 of the PCC's Standing Committee on Standards' Response to the Cross Reference Task Group's Final report //www.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/scs/xreftgscsresp.html#LCRIs

The deadline for comment on this draft is May 31, 2005, in order to accommodate the Cataloging Distribution Service's Fall publication schedule. CPSO apologizes for the shortness of this comment period; however, please be reminded that all documentation is subject to correction and improvement after publication. Comments may be sent to CPSO by email at [email protected].

• Cataloging Policy and Support Office Home Page
• Cataloging Directorate Home Page
• Library of Congress Home Page