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Cataloging and Metadata Services

Documentation Repository

Punctuation in Bibliographic Records

Cataloging and Metadata Services follows ISBD punctuation and relevant instructions in OCLC Bibliographic Formats and Standards. However, terminal periods are now omitted from designated fields. Per PCC policy (effective April 8, 2019):

  • For original cataloging, omit terminal periods in fields that do not contain access points, except when the field ends with an abbreviation, initial, etc.
  • For copy cataloging, follow the punctuation pattern established in the record.

Examples:

245 (omit period)

245 10 How to play chess / $c Kevin Wicker ; with a foreword by David Pritchard ; illustrated by Karel Feuerstein

700 (retain period)

700 1  McAllister, Abby, $e author.

See below for the PCC policy and a field-by-field guide on terminal periods.

CB 2019-04