Continuing Resources

This chapter provides guidance for assigning SuDocs classification numbers to continuing resources, including serials and integrating resources. Apply additional rules from Monographic Series, Cutter Numbers, and Congressional and Legislative Branch Publications chapters when relevant.

Identifying a Continuing Resource

Continuing resources are publications issued without a predetermined end. They typically include numbering, dates, or both. Some continuing resources may cease unexpectedly due to agency priorities or administrative changes.

This chapter focuses on:

• Serials
• Integrating resources

Serials

A serial is a continuing resource issued in successive parts with a consistent title and a means of uniquely identifying each issue (e.g., volume number, issue number, or coverage date). Minor title variations may occur, and occasional issues may carry distinctive titles.

Serials may be issued regularly (e.g., weekly, monthly, annually) or irregularly.

Titles containing terms such as annual report, progress report, or accomplishments for, followed by dates or designations such as fiscal year, often indicate seriality. Look for wording that indicates the title will be published regularly. If the title alone does not convey seriality, consult the introductory pages or agency statements to determine whether the intent is to issue the publication regularly.

Integrating Resources

Integrating resources are updated by incorporating new content into the whole rather than issuing discrete parts. Each instance of an integrating resource, whether first published, released, or subsequently updated, is referred to as an iteration. Publishers may identify iterations with terms such as version, edition, update [number], or similar wording.

Loose-leaf binders were historically the most common tangible integrating resources. Increasingly, integrating resources appear as non-static digital resources such as databases and websites.

For specific guidance on classifying integrating resources that are part of the FDLP Web Archive, see 074/086 - Item Number/Government Document Classification Number.

Series vs. Serials

Individual volumes of a series always have both a common title and an individual title. Individual issues of a serial may occasionally carry a thematic title in addition to the serial title. When titles are ambiguous, consult the agency’s website or contact the agency to confirm whether the publication is a serial or part of a series. See Monographic Series for additional guidance.

Monograph vs. Serial Determination

Determine whether to treat the resource as a monograph or a serial. Treat editions as serials when they appear more frequently than every five years. Editions issued less frequently generally receive monograph treatment. See Cataloging Decision: Monograph vs. Serial and Frequency of Issuance for additional guidance.

Frequently Revised Monographs Cataloged as Serials

Some frequently revised monographs may be treated as serials-of-convenience when their revision patterns support serial treatment. If a monograph record already exists and the title is being treated as a serial-of-convenience, use the class from the monograph bibliographic record as the basis for the serial class and add a slash after the Cutter. For related guidance see:

• Cataloging Guidelines: Bibliographic Cataloging: Continuing Resources: Serials 086 – SuDoc Number
• Cataloging Guidelines: Bibliographic Cataloging: Continuing Resources: Serials Replacement of Monograph Records with a Serial Record

If the title meets the criteria for serials-of-convenience treatment and is being cataloged for the first time, assign a new Cuttered class stem. See Assigning SuDocs Classes to New Continuing Resources below for complete guidance.

Assigning SuDocs Class Stems to New Continuing Resources

Assign new serials and integrating resources a Cutter number under one of the following:

• An agency category class stem
• A related publication-type class stem
• A series class stem

For continuing resources that are Cuttered, add a forward slash (/) after the Cutter to indicate ongoing issuance.

The class stem, together with the Cutter and ending forward slash, serves as the continuing resource class stem and is sometimes referred to as a Cuttered class stem.

Exception: Do not assign a Cuttered class stem to new or actively published monographic series. Establish SuDocs class stems for series in accordance with the Monographic Series guidance.

Note: Continuing resources using a Cuttered class stem do not appear in the List of Classes

Foreign-language editions are generally assigned the same class as the English-language publication, with a language designation added to the end of the class stem. See Foreign-language Publications for complete guidance.

For a continuing resource, the MARC 086 field contains only the continuing resource class stem. See . When the resource is Cuttered, the 086 will end with the Cutter and a forward slash. Do not record an issue date, volume number, or other serial designation in the bibliographic record’s 086.

The serial designation for a particular issue of a tangible serial is recorded in that issue’s item record. See Serial Designations in Tangible Item Records below.

Cuttering Under Category Class Stems

When a work fits within an established category class, assign a Cutter under that class. For example, manuals are Cuttered under the Handbooks, Manuals, Guides category class.

Cuttering Under Class Stems for Publication Types

In some agencies, publication-type class stems group resources that are not series but share a common purpose, structure, or function. When a continuing resource clearly belongs to one of these defined publication types, assign a Cutter under the corresponding publication-type stem.

Examples of publication types that have dedicated stems include information circulars and environmental impact statements.

Cuttering Serials within a Series

When a serial is issued within a series, assign a Cutter under the series stem to collocate the serial within the series.

Foreign Labor Trends series (ceased in 2006) is an example where each serial was assigned a Cutter by the geographic area named in the title. See Cuttering: Geographic Topics for additional guidance.

Serials with a Constant Series Number

When a serial belonging to a numbered series is uniquely identified by a series number that remains constant across issues, a new class does not need to be established. Use the constant series number in the classification number after the colon.

Related Works Classed Separately from the Main Serial

When related works, such as special issues, supplements, or indexes, are cataloged separately from the main serial, assign a separate Cuttered class stem.

In some instances, instead of a Cutter, use one or more important words from the title of the related work in the serial class stem to distinguish it from the main serial’s class stem.

When related works of a serial are cataloged with the main serial, follow the serial designation instructions in Related Works Classed with the Main Serial.

New Classes to Reflect Changes for Existing Serials

Assign a new Cuttered class when:

• Two or more serials merge.
• One serial splits into multiple new publications.
• The issuing agency changes (as reflected in the class stem).

Do not assign a new class when only the title changes.

Serial Designations in Tangible Item Records

An item record represents each issue of a tangible serial. The class number recorded in the item record consists of a class stem, serial designation, and, in some instances, an addition to the serial designation.

A serial designation may consist of numeric designations (e.g., volume number, issue number), chronological designations (e.g., a year; year and month), or both. See Related Works Classed with the Main Serial and Additions to Book Numbers for more guidance on making additions to the serial designation.

Record the serial designation, and any applicable addition, after the colon or slash in the class number in the item record.

There was previously a seven-character limit on abbreviations and words in the class number due to technical limitations. This limit no longer applies. Unless it is a standard abbreviation, use a complete word.

Numeric Designations

When both numeric and chronological designations are present on an issue, prefer the numeric designations.

Volume and Number

When a serial issue is identified by a volume number and an issue or part number, represent the designation as the volume number, a slash, and the issue or part number. Do not include captions (e.g., v., vol., no.) in the serial designations.

Consecutively Numbered Annual Publications

If numbering continues consecutively from year to year, numbering alone is sufficient.

Chronological Designations

Use a chronological designation when an issue is identified by a date rather than a numeric designation.

• Use the four-digit year after the colon for issues published in the 21^st century and later.
• Use a three-digit year for issues published in the 20^th century and prior (e.g., 992 for 1992).

Release Date vs. Coverage Date

Some serial publications include both a release or publication date and a coverage date. The coverage date reflects the coverage of internal content such as data within a reporting period, while the release date reflects the publication date. An annual report may list only a release date on the title page, but further examination indicates that the volume covers the prior year.

Decide which date to use when the class is first established. Apply that decision consistently thereafter. For example, in a monthly publication, the statistics may cover January 2016, but the more visible date is a February 2016 release. Do not decide immediately that the class should be 2016/2 for the February issue. Prefer the coverage date: 2016/1.

When possible, review earlier issues to determine which type of date the publisher has used. Exercise caution at the beginning of the calendar or fiscal year.

In general, prefer a publication's coverage date over its release date. If the coverage date is not readily discernible, use the release date instead.

Example:

L 2.120/2-18:2024  Work experience of the population in ...

In this example, the release date is January 22, 2026, and the coverage date is shown in the title as “2024.” The serial designation for a tangible issue of this volume would be “2024.”

First Issue Each Year Numbered 1

If the first issue of each year begins with the number 1, place the year first in the designation to maintain chronological order.

Unnumbered Annual Publications 

Unnumbered annual publications use the year alone. See Chronological Designations for instructions on formatting the year.

For coverage spanning multiple years, use a date range (e.g., 2014-2015).

Semiannual Publications

For semiannual publications, use the three- or four-digit year for the first issue and the year followed by -2 for the second issue. Do not add “-1” to the first issue.

Publications Issued Three or More Times a Year

Publications issued three or more times a year are classified with a three- or four-digit year format for the date, a slash, and a number or another indicator, such as a season.

Month Designations

If a publication’s issues are designated only by month name, use numbers for the months of the year: January=1, February=2, etc.

Year and Issue Number Designations

If the publication is issued less frequently than monthly and the publisher provides a numeric designation (e.g., number 1, number 2, etc.) as the issue number, prefer to use that number after the slash rather than a number representing the month or months.

Seasonal Designations

If the publication is issued quarterly and has a seasonal designation, prefer the term found on the serial issue. Keep the publisher’s wording (e.g., “Autumn”), even if another term (e.g., “Fall”) is more common.

Variations in Publication Cycles

Combined issues within the same year use the format: year/number-number

Combined issues across years use the format: year/number-year/number

If a regularly issued publication skips an issue, retain the standard numbering when it resumes; for example, if a publication is monthly but not issued in August, designate the September issue as number 9.

Related Works Classed with the Main Serial

For related works cataloged with the main serial—such as special issues, supplements, and indexes—assign the same classification stem as the parent publication. Use a term after the serial designation to distinguish the type of related work in the item record. Unless it is a standard abbreviation, use a complete word.

When special issues, supplements, or indexes are cataloged separately from the main serial, follow the instructions in Related Works Classed Separately from the Main Serial.

Special issues

Add a term after the serial designation, such as the following:

• /SPECIAL ISSUE
• /SPECIAL EDITION
• /PRELIM. ISSUE

Supplements

Add the term /SUPP. after the serial designation.

Indexes

Add the term /INDEX after the serial designation.

In the past, some indexes were given separate classification numbers. In those cases, retain that separate class for revised editions.

Chronologically Designated Indexes

If there is only one index per year, add the year, a slash, and /INDEX after the serial designation:

If there are multiple indexes, indicate the months covered.

Numbered Indexes

Use the numbers assigned to the index, followed by /INDEX.

If the index covers a complete volume, add the volume number, followed by /INDEX.

If the index covers parts of volumes, indicate the range:

Title Change and Numbering Restart

If a serial changes title and restarts numbering at volume 1, retain the existing stem and place the date first in the designation.