Recording Dates in the 260 Field
Below is a summary, in table form, of the former instructions for recording and supplying date information in the 260 field of MARC bibliographic records according to AACR2 and LCRI; this summary is not intended for DCRM cataloging. Publication dates, copyright dates, printing dates, and combinations thereof are all addressed below.
Follow the guidelines on when to create separate records for different printings of the same edition. Occasionally a curator will request exceptions to these guidelines.
See the Recording dates in the 264 fields for instructions on recording or suppling date information in field 264 according to RDA and LC-PCC PS.
| Situation | Publication Date | Copyright Date | Printing Date | Record in 260 |
| Publication date matches copyright date | 1990 | c1990 | ____ | 1990
Record publication date only |
| Publication date matches printing date | 1990 | ____ | 1990 printing | 1990
Record publication date only |
| Publication date later than copyright date | 1990 | c1989 | ____ | if book or serial: 1990
Record publication date only; cf. LCRI 1.4F5 if other format: 1990, c1989 Record both dates; cf. LCRI 1.4F5 |
| Publication date later than printing date | 1990 | ____ | 1989 printing | 1990
Record publication date only; a local decision, as the LCRI is not entirely clear |
| Publication date earlier than copyright date | 1990 | c1991 | ____ | if book or serial: 1990
Record publication date only; cf. LCRI 1.4F5 if other format: 1990, c1991 Record both dates; cf. LCRI 1.4F5 |
| Publication date earlier than printing date | 1990 | ____ | 1991 printing | if first printing: 1990 [i.e. 1991]
Record corrected publication date; cf. LCRI 1.4F2 Separate records if later printing: 1990 (1991 printing) Record both dates, a local decision; ___________________________________ One record if later printing: 1990 Record only publication date; BRBL follows LC practice to revise once first printing is received; cf. LCRI 1.4G4 “LC practice” |
| Situation | Publication Date | Copyright Date | Printing Date | Record or supply in 260 |
| Copyright date only | ____ | c1990 | ____ | c1990
Record copyright date; ignore copyright renewal dates for works first copyrighted before 1978; if the copyright dates vary, give the latest date for works copyrighted after 1977; cf. LCRI 1.4F6 |
| Printing date only | ____ | ____ | 1990 printing | if first printing: [1990]
Record date of printing in brackets as the implied publication date; cf. LCRI 1.4F6 Separate records if later printing: 1990 printing Record printing date, a local decision; One record if later printing, record date of 1st printing Record date of 1st printing; BRBL follows |
| Copyright date matches printing date | ____ | c1990 | 1990 printing | c1990
Record copyright date only; cf. LCRI 1.4F6 |
| Copyright date later than printing date | ____ | c1990 | 1989 printing | c1990
Record copyright date only; a local decision, as the LCRI is not entirely clear |
| Copyright date earlier than printing date | ____ | c1980 | 1991 printing | if first printing: [1991]
Record date of printing in brackets as the implied publication date; a local decision, as the LCRI is not entirely clear Separate records if later printing:c1980 (1991 printing) Record both dates for all printings, a local decision; ________________________________________ One record if later printing:c1980 Record only the copyright date; BRBL follows the LC practices to revise once first printing is received; cf. LCRI 1.4F6 & LCRI 1.4G4 “LC practice” |
| Copyright date or printing date differs significantly from approximate date of publication | ____ | c1949 | _____ | [1982?], c1949
Supply approximate date of publication in square brackets before recordd date; cf. LCRI 1.4F7 |