The Date of Publication (MARC Field 362) carries information about the first and/or last issue or part of a serial. CONSER practice is to always use an unformatted 362 1# note (e.g., to cite the first or last issue, whether that information comes from the issue in hand or has been confirmed by the cataloger from another source. Include beginning and/or ending numbering when information is known. The issues cited may come from the piece, the publisher, or other sources (e.g., publisher websites, union lists, etc.).
⮚When to Omit the 362 field
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As a rule, do not guess the beginning date of publication. When in doubt as to whether the issue in hand is the first (e.g., the issue has a date only), prefer to give Description based on and Latest issue consulted notes only and omit the 362 field. If the cataloger is able to ascertain a probable Began or Ceased date, place a question mark after the date. Known dates (the issue in hand or a surrogate), must be transcribed as it appears in the source.
⮚Recording the Date of Publication
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