Recording publication information for self-published items

Use the following guidelines when recording publication information for self-published items:

Place of publication

If no place of publication is available on the item, record at least a country as best determined. Record in brackets, i.e., [United States]. If you’re not certain, end with a question mark, i.e., [United States?].

Publisher

If a publisher is clearly identified, record the publisher in 264 _ 1, ‡b.

If there is no publisher identified, record the author as publisher in 264 _ 1, ‡b, in brackets.

Self-publishing platforms such as CreateSpace and Lulu are printers rather than publishers. These do not need to be recorded in MARC tag 264, except as noted below:

If a record in OCLC incorrectly indicates CreateSpace or another self-publishing platform as the publisher in 264 _1, but it is not clearly identified that way on the item, record the author as the publisher as above and record the self-publishing platform as the manufacturer in 264 _ 3, ‡b

Publication date

Record a publication date in 264 _ 1 ‡c if it is available on the item. Also record the copyright date in 264 _ 4 ‡c if it is different than the publication date.

If there is no publication date and there is a copyright date, record the copyright date as an implied publication date in 264 _ 1 ‡c and record the copyright date in 264 _ 4 ‡c. Also record the implied publication date in 264 _ 3, ‡c when that field is present.

Do not use a self-publishing platform printing date as a publication date unless that is the only date available on the resource. If used, record as an implied publication date in 264 _ 1 ‡c, in brackets.

If there is no date of any type available on the item, record an estimated publication date or range of dates, as best determined. If you’re not certain, end with a question mark, i.e., [between 2000 and 2020?].

Fixed field elements

Fixed field elements such as country code and date(s) should be completed based on information in 264 _ 1 and 264 _ 4.