247  Former Title (R)

Definition

A former title proper when one bibliographic record represents several titles associated with a resource.

For information on punctuation, see the Punctuation section below.

Guidelines

Field 247 is commonly found in records for continuing resources (serials or integrating resources). In AACR2 and RDA continuing resource records, the field may be found in the following circumstances:

• If an electronic serial is reformatted so that all evidence of the earlier title is removed, an added entry for the earlier title proper is recorded in field 247

• In an integrating resource, former titles are noted in field 247. Former titles proper are sometimes also recorded in field 547. Field 547 is most often used when multiple former titles are described in a single note.

Arrange data so that dates or volume designations follow the title. Do not enter identifying phrases (e.g., Title varies). Do not enter a period at the end of the field unless the field ends with an abbreviation. Enter each former title or title variation in a separate 247 field.

Since 1981, all current cataloging for serials affected by major changes in title or preferred access point must be successive entry cataloging, where separate bibliographic records are created for each title or preferred access point. Do not use field 247 when separate records are made for each title or preferred access point change. Instead use the linking entry fields 780 and 785 to show the preceding and succeeding entries. For minor title changes in serials, see field 246.

Use the following guidelines to determine when to use successive versus latest entry cataloging for existing records:

• If you find only a latest entry record, you may use that record or enter a separate successive entry record for each title held by your institution. Treat these successive entry records as current original cataloging.

• If you find successive entry records for some but not all of the titles that your institution holds, enter separate successive entry records for the titles not already represented.

• If you have a printed latest entry record, and you find successive entry records for all of the titles represented, do not enter the latest entry record. Use the successive records for your institution's holdings.

• If you are transcribing printed cataloging copy that has a latest entry record, and you do not find successive entry records for all the titles represented, you may follow CONSER practice and create a latest entry record.

Early serial bibliographic records in the WorldCat database may have followed former cataloging practices where the serial was cataloged under the latest title, with former titles being recorded in field 247 on the same record.

Use field 247 to record an earlier devised title for an archival resource when an institution considers it important to provide the earlier title. A devised title may change due to additions to the resource being described, changes in cataloging instructions, an institution's decision to change the title due to offensive terms, etc.

When an intelligible note cannot be system generated from the data in field 247 due to a complex relationship between varying titles, use 2nd indicator value 1 and enter the note in field 547. For example, use field 547 for a title varies note if the note has titles in more than one language or describes a title variation for a parallel title.

1st Indicator

Title added entry. A value that specifies whether a title added access point is made.

2nd Indicator

Note controller. A value that specifies whether or not a note is made from data in this field. Whenever an intelligible note cannot be made from data in this field, a textual note is recorded in field 547 and this indicator is set to value 1.

Subfields

Punctuation

For records containing ISBD punctuation, follow these instructions:

• Precede subfield ǂb beginning with other title information by a space-colon-space
• Precede subfield ǂb beginning with a parallel title by a space-equals-space
• Enclose the text in subfield ǂg in parentheses
  
• Precede subfield ǂn by a period-space unless the preceding subfield ends with an ellipsis, exclamation point, hyphen, period (following an abbreviation or initial), or question mark
• Precede subfield ǂp following subfield ǂn by a comma-space
• Precede subfield ǂp not following subfield ǂn by a period-space unless the preceding subfield ends with an ellipsis, exclamation point, hyphen, period (following an abbreviation or initial), or question mark
  
• Precede any parallel statement within a subfield by a space-equals-space
• Precede any unit of other title information within a subfield by a space-colon-space
• Include incidental punctuation needed within any subfields, e.g., commas, periods (following abbreviations or initials), etc.
• Omit punctuation preceding subfields ǂf, ǂg, and ǂx unless the preceding subfield ends with an ellipsis, exclamation point, hyphen, period (following an abbreviation or initial), question mark, closing bracket, or closing parenthesis
• Omit the terminal period at the end of the field unless the last word is an abbreviation or initial

For records containing non-ISBD punctuation, see the cataloging instructions used to create the record.

For records containing minimal or no punctuation, include brackets and punctuation needed within any subfields. Otherwise, omit the punctuation outlined in the ISBD punctuation section above

For more information on punctuation, including OCLC policy, see section 2.8, Punctuation.

Indexing

For indexing and searching information, see Searching WorldCat Indexes, field 247.

MARC 21

For more information, including content designator history, see MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data, field 247.