Guidelines for Recording Holdings: Punctuation

• Colon - Use to separate hierarchical levels of enumeration or chronology, including supplements and accompanying material. There are no spaces on either side of the colon.

  ser.1:v.1:no.1
  
  1995:Nov.1
  
  v.3:suppl.
  
  v.1:no.1:map

• Comma - Use to indicate a gap in the library's holdings. See semicolon for nongap breaks. There are no spaces on either side of the comma.

  v.1,v.3
  
  Bd.1(1980)-Bd.3(1982),
  Bd.5(1984)-Bd.6(1985)

• Equals sign - Use to separate alternative (parallel) numbering schemes. There are no spaces are either side of the equals sign.

  v.1:no.3=no.35
  
  v.3:pt.1=fasc.12

• Forward slash - Use between designations for combined issues/volumes. There are no spaces on either side of the forward slash.

  no.3/4
  
  1989:Jan./Feb.
  
  D/F

• Hyphen - Use to indicate an unbroken range of holdings. There are no spaces on either side of the hyphen.

  no.1-4
  
  v.2:pt.A-B
  
  1992-1995
  
  1st(1981)-12th(1992)

• Parentheses - Use to enclose chronology when it is recorded with enumeration and to enclose the type of index. There are no spaces on either side of the parentheses.

  t.21(1935)
  
  v.1/5(1990/1994) |z (subject)

• Period (followed by 2 blank spaces) - For non-serial items, use to separate volumes with only one level of hierarchy from volumes with a subsequent level of hierarchy.

  v.1-2.  v.2A.  v.3

• Plus sign - For non-serial items, use to separate multiple basic bibliographic units in a kit. The plus sign is preceded and followed by a blank space.

  2 sound cassettes + 1 sound disc + 2 posters
  

• Question mark - Use to replace the fourth digit of the year when uncertain.

  v.1(192?)

• Quotation marks - Use to enclose the name of unit.

  "Supplement"
  
  "Updates" no.1-2

• Semicolon - Use to indicate a nongap break (when an item is not published or when there is a change in the publisher's enumeration or chronology). There are no spaces on either side of the semicolon.

  v.1-4;v.6
  
  v.1(1985)-v.3(1987);v.5(1989)
  
  1st(1991)-3rd(1993);1994-1995

• Square brackets -Use to indicate supplied enumeration or chronology. There are no spaces on either side of the square brackets.

  no.1-[2]
  
  v.1-3,v.6[i.e. 5]

	Comments | LSU Libraries | Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA 70803 Copyright © 2005 LSU Libraries / Cataloging Last Updated: Wednesday, 29-Aug-2007 16:31:21 CDT