Recording Dates in 264 Fields
Below is a summary, in table form, of the instructions for recording and supplying dates 264 fields of MARC bibliographic records according to RDA and LC-PCC PS; 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 Recording dates in the 260 field for instructions on recording dates in the 260 field according to AACR2 and LCRI.
| Situation | Publication date | Copyright date | Printing date | Record in 264 |
| Publication date matches copyright date | 1990 | ©1990 | ____ | Record publication date only 264 _1 ‡c 1990 Optionally, record copyright date in addition to publication date |
| Publication date matches printing date | 1990 | ____ | 1990 printing | Record publication date only 264 _1 ‡c 1990 Optionally, record printing date in addition to publication date, especially when giving other elements in the statement of manufacture |
| Publication date later than copyright date | 1990 | ©1989 | ____ | Record publication date only 264 _1 ‡c 1990 Optionally, record copyright date in addition to publication date |
| Publication date later than printing date | 1990 | ____ | 1989 printing | Record publication date only 264 _1 ‡c 1990 Optionally, record printing date in addition to publication date, especially when giving other elements in the statement of manufacture |
| Publication date earlier than copyright date | 1990 | ©1991 | ____ | Record publication date only 264 _1 ‡c 1990 Optionally, record copyright date in addition to publication date |
| Publication date earlier than printing date | 1990 | ____ | 1991 printing | Record publication date only 264 _1 ‡c 1990 Optionally, record printing date in addition to publication date, especially when giving other elements in the statement of manufacture |
| Situation | Publication Date | Copyright Date | Printing Date | Supply in 264 |
| Copyright date only | ____ | ©1990 | ____ | Supply the copyright date as the publication date in square brackets 264 _1 ‡c [1990] Optionally, record copyright date in addition to publication date |
| Printing date only | ____ | ____ | 1990 printing | If it is reasonable that the printing date and the date of publication are the same, supply the printing date as the publication date in square brackets 264 _1 ‡c [1990] If it is unlikely that the date of printing is the same as the date of publication, supply a date of publication based on the information given Optionally, record printing date in addition to publication date |
| Copyright date matches printing date | ____ | ©1990 | 1990 printing |
Supply the copyright/printing date as the publication date in square brackets Optionally, record printing and/or copyright date in addition to publication date |
| Copyright date later than printing date | ____ | ©1990 | 1989 printing |
Supply the copyright date as the publication date in square brackets Optionally, record copyright date and/or the printing date in addition to publication date |
| Copyright date earlier than printing date | ____ | ©1980 | 1991 printing |
If it is reasonable that the copyright date and the date of publication are the same, supply the copyright date as the publication date in square brackets If it is unlikely that the copyright date is the same as the date of publication, supply a date of publication based on the printing date Optionally, record printing date in addition to publication date |
| Copyright date or printing date differs significantly from approximate date of publication | ____ | ©1949 | _____ |
Supply the approximate date of publication in square brackets Optionally, record copyright date in addition to publication date |