Dates are one of the most complex aspects of descriptive cataloging. Dates may appear as publication dates, copyright dates, printing dates, manufacture dates, etc. Often, many different dates appear on the same item. It can be a challenge to determine which date or dates should be used in the bibliographic record.
Formatting MARC Field 264
264 _ 1 ‡c ends in a period when recording a publication date, and ends in ] when recording an implied publication date.
There is no ending punctuation after a copyright date in 264 _ 4 ‡c.
The following edits should be done to all records being imported into Polaris. It is optional to replace records with these changes to OCLC records.
Books
If the resource has a publication date and a copyright date available, record the publication date in 264 _ 1 ‡c and add 264 _ 4 ‡c with the copyright date.
Examples:
264 _ 1 ‡aNew York :‡bRandom House,‡c2020. 264 _ 4 ‡c©2019 Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): t Date 1: 2020 Date 2: 2019 264 _ 1 ‡aNew York :‡bRandom House,‡c2020. 264 _ 4 ‡c©2020 Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): t Date 1: 2020 Date 2: 2020
If the resource has no publication date but has a copyright date, record the copyright date as an implied publication date in 264 _ 1 ‡c and add 264 _ 4 ‡c with the copyright date.
Example:
264 _ 1 ‡aNew York :‡bRandom House,‡c[2020] 264 _ 4 ‡c©2020 Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): t Date 1: 2020 Date 2: 2020
Copyright Renewal Dates
For works first copyrighted before 1978, ignore the copyright renewal date. Use only the original copyright date.
Examples:
©1930, ©renewed 1979
264 _ 1 ‡aLos Angeles :‡bCollier, ‡c[1930] 264 _ 4 ‡c©1930 Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): t Date 1: 1930 Date 2: 1930
For works copyrighted after 1977, use the copyright renewal date.
©1978, ©renewed1995
264 _ 1 ‡aLos Angeles : ‡bCollier, ‡c[1995] 264 _ 4 ‡c©1995 Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): t Date 1: 1995 Date 2: 1995
Later Copyright Dates
LC practice: If a U.S. trade publication lacking a publication date has a copyright date that is in the year following the year in which the publication is received, accept the later copyright date as a substitute for the publication date. For example, if ©2011 appears on a publication received in 2010, give ©2011 as the publication date.
Example:
264 _ 1 ‡aNew York :‡bBantam, ‡c[2011] 264 _ 4 ‡c©2011
Printing Dates
Usually ignore printing dates. Exceptions:
If the item lacks a publication date and the first printing date is later than the copyright date, use the printing date as an implied publication date.
Example:
©1978 1st Bantam paperback printing 1980
264 _ 1 ‡aNew York :‡bBantam, ‡c[1980] 264 _ 4 ‡c©1978 Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): t Date 1: 1980 Date 2: 1978
If a scholastic book has the phrase “First scholastic printing [date]”, that statement can be used as the implied publication date.
Example:
Scholastic book with first scholastic printing 2024, ©2023
264 _ 1 ‡aNew York :‡bScholastic, ‡c[2024] 264 _ 4 ‡c©2023
If the item lacks a publication and a copyright date, and no information about the publication or copyright date can be found on the author or publisher website, use a first printing date as an implied publication date.
Example:
1st printing March 1999 [no other information available online]
264 _ 1 ‡aNew York :‡bBantam, ‡c[1999] Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): s Date 1: 1999
If the printing statement implies it is a new publication or there is evidence that it is a new publication, use the printing date as an implied publication date. Include an edition statement if appropriate.
Example:
7th revised printing 1990
250 [7th revised edition?]. 264 _ 1 ‡aNew York :‡bBantam, ‡c[1990] Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): s Date 1: 1990
If the book is manga translated into English, and there is no English-language first publication date available, use the first English printing date as the implied publication date.
Example:
©2012, published in Japan in 2012, First English language printing in 2021, Second English language printing in 2024.
264 _ 1 ‡a[United States] :‡bShueisha, ‡c[2021] 264 _ 4 ‡c©2012 Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): t Date 1: 2021 Date 2: 2012
Audio Recordings
The copyright date for audio recordings is called a phonogram date. The symbol is ℗.
Audio recordings rarely have a publication date. Generally, the phonogram date is recorded as an implied publication date.
If the resource has no publication date but has a phonogram date, record the phonogram date as an implied publication date in 264 _ 1 ǂc and add 264 _ 4 ǂc with the phonogram date.
Example:
264 _ 1 ‡aNew York :ǂbMacmillan Audio,ǂc[2020] 264 _ 4 ‡c℗2020 Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): t Date 1: 2020 Date 2: 2020
Audio recordings may have both phonogram (℗) and copyright (©) dates. For audiobooks, the © date is usually the copyright date of the print book. For musical audio recordings, the © date may be the copyright date of accompanying textual material.
In general, © dates may be ignored.
Exception: If the resource does not have a ℗ date but has a © date, record the © date as an implied publication date.
Example:
On the resource: ©2020 on container. No ℗ date on the resource.
264 _ 1 ‡aLouisville, CO :ǂbSounds True, Inc.,ǂc[2020] Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): s Date 1: 2020
If the resource has multiple ℗ dates, record the latest date that applies to the resource as a whole. If none of the dates apply to the resource as a whole, record the latest date as an implied publication date in 264 _ 1 ǂc, but do not record a ℗ date in 264 _ 4 ǂc.
Example:
On the resource: ℗2015 on Disc 1, ℗2016 on Disc 2, ℗2019 on Disc 3. No ℗ date for the recording as a whole.
264 _ 1 ‡aNashville, TN :ǂbSony Music Nashville,ǂc[2019] Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): s Date 1: 2019
A date on a regular compact disc earlier than 1982 or a date on an MP3-CD earlier than 2000 should not be considered a publication date, as these are the dates these formats first became available in the United States. A later date from the container or accompanying material should be used to imply a publication date.
If there are no dates of any kind available on the resource, look at the publisher’s website to see if there is a date there. If no date can be found on the item or online, record an estimated publication date or range of dates in square brackets.
Video Recordings
The following guidelines should be used to record publication and copyright dates in Polaris records for videorecordings. Each example also provides appropriate coding of related fixed field elements.
Videorecordings rarely have a publication date. Generally, the copyright date is recorded as an implied publication date.
If the resource has no publication date but has a copyright date, record the copyright date as an implied publication date in 264 _ 1 ǂc and add 264 _ 4 ǂc with the copyright date.
Example:
264 _ 1 ‡aLos Angeles, CA :ǂbColumbia Pictures Home Entertainment,ǂc[2020] 264 _ 4 ‡c©2020 Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): t Date 1: 2020 Date 2: 2020
When recording copyright dates, record the date for the videorecording, not the date the original film was produced or released. The date for the film may be given in a note.
If the resource has multiple copyright dates, record the latest date that applies to the resource as a whole. If none of the dates apply to the resource as a whole, record the latest date as an implied publication date in 264 _ 1 ǂc, but do not record a copyright date in 264 _ 4 ǂc.
Example:
On the resource: ©2015 on Disc 1, ©2016 on Disc 2, ©2019 on Disc 3. No © date for the resource as a whole.
264 _ 1 ‡aSanta Monica, CA :ǂbLionsgate,ǂc[2019] Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): s Date 1: 2019
If a videorecording contains only the feature film or television program with no additional content or special features, record the copyright date as an implied publication date in 264 _ 1 ǂc and add 264 _ 4 ǂc with the copyright date.
Record the date of the original film in a 500 note and/or in MARC tag 046 subfield k. Code the DtSt fixed field element as p. Enter the date of the videorecording in Date 1 and the date of the original film in Date 2.
Example:
On the resource: ©2018. Includes feature film only, with no special features. Film originally produced in 2000.
264 _ 1 ‡aNew York :ǂbMGM/CBS Home Video, ǂc[2018] 264 _ 4 ‡c©2018 500 _ _ ǂaOriginally produced as a motion picture in 2000. Fixed field elements: DtSt (Type of date): p Date 1: 2018 Date 2: 2000
A date on a DVD earlier than 1997 or a date on a Blu-ray disc earlier than 2006 should not be considered a publication date, as these are the dates these formats first became available in the United States. A later date from the container or accompanying material should be used to imply a publication date.
If there are no dates of any kind available on the resource, look at the publisher’s website to see if there is a date there. If no date can be found on the item or online, record an estimated publication date or range of dates in square brackets.
Adopted 8-2025