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
- 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]
