Special Instructions for Cataloging Rand's "MG" Publications with LC Copy
NOTE: This procedure applies only to yellow-flagged Rand publications that have codes like “MG-154-OSD” on their back covers. If an item does not have such a code beginning with “MG,” it is not covered by this procedure. ( Rand previously published very similar items with numbers beginning with “MR,” but they appear to have discontinued this sequence. These items were handled almost exactly the same way as the “MG” items, except that they got the slightly different classed-together call number AS36 .R25. Some other types of Rand publications are handled somewhat similarly to the MG's and MR's, but not exactly.)
1. LC classes these items separately, but we class them together. The issue numbering for the call number is taken from the numerical part of the “MG” code, without the “MG” or the letters following the numerical part. For example, if the code is “MG-154-OSD,” the call number will be:
AS36 .R248 no.154
Do not change the call number in LC's 050 field to this number. If you add it to the bib record (which you don't have to do), add it in an 090.
2. Instead of a 4xx/8xx combination, we use a 500/830 combination on these records. The 500 is a quoted note reproducing the code on the back cover exactly, and showing its location. (LC usually includes this 500, but sometimes they don't give the letters at the end of the code, and sometimes they don't give the location in which the code appears on the piece. Edit their 500 if necessary.) The 830 is an ordinary series uniform title tracing. This is how they should look:
500: : “MG-154-OSD”—P. [4] of cover .
830: 0: MG (Rand Corporation) ;|v154 .
3. Remember that these publications are always flagged DO NOT BIND.
The above are the major things to remember. Here are some things that I do in order to make the records as complete and consistent as possible:
4. The 260 can vary slightly—sometimes LC will include a subdivision of Rand in the subfield b, based on what is on the title page. However, the items themselves state publication information in a very consistent fashion on the t.p. verso. If necessary, I usually edit the 260 to look like this:
260: : Santa Monica , CA : Rand Corp., 2005.
5. Many of these items have little blurbs on the title page regarding the relationships of several organizations (including subdivisions of Rand ) to the item. Sometimes the blurbs just give the name of the organization. I usually make quoted notes out of these and trace the organizations in 710s, even though LC often does not—they are inconsistent about this. You should probably do this also. If you can't find an authorized name heading for one of the organizations, and LC has not made a tracing for it, just skip the tracing, but do make the quoted note. Also, I always make a 710 for Rand itself. Here are examples of 500s and 710s for MG-154-OSD:
500: : “Prepared for the Office of the Secretary of Defense.”
500: : “Rand National Defense Research Institute and Rand Health.”
710:1 : United States . $b Dept. of Defense. $b Office of the Secretary of Defense.
710:2 : National Defense Research Institute ( U.S. )
710:2 : Rand Health.
710:2 : Rand Corporation.
“Prepared for the Office of the Secretary of Defense” pops up quite often. You might think this is just referring to the Dept. of Defense, but it isn't. It's a specific part of the Dept. with its own heading.
Sometimes LC catalogers will handle a blurb like these by making a 246:1 : with an “i” subfield, saying something like “At head of title: Project Air Force.” This makes “Project Air Force” searchable by title, which seems silly to me; I don't think any users would ever see that as a title. I think it's best to remove these 246's and just make a quoted note as shown above.
In other respects, I think the cataloging of these items should be just like regular yellow-flag cataloging. Bring any questions to me, please. Good luck!
-- Pete Wilson, 3/12/2003 (updated 1/10/2006)