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Archiver > APG > 2001-05 > 0989281412


From: "Connie Bradbury" <>
Subject: [APG] Citing Sources Within Sources
Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 16:23:32 -0800


I am just getting such a kick out of this conversation because I have been pulled through the knothole and back at least a million times over writing correct citations during the past couple of years as I worked on a bibliographic manuscript. I have a co-author but he was out-of-state and had been for over 5 years - I was on my own, basically.

The publisher used the CMS so that was what I followed. Then before I sent copies to readers, I had a friend who had a master's in English and had just complete a publishing project with a University Press, so I asked her to check my citations for correct form. She changed about 80% of them!

I made the corrections and sent the draft to readers. One of my readers was a Assistant Director for a NARA Regional Archives. He changed all the citations that pertained to federal publications.

All of these changes didn't surprise me because some of the publications and materials cited were very difficult to do.

I made those corrections and send the manuscript to the publisher who have it to an editor. The editor immediately changed many of the citations back to the way I originally had them, citing the CMS. Sure made me feel like the inept one!!!

Then, when she had questions I asked that she email both of the authors. My co-author was sending her corrections that I could not believe! Titles were changed, publishing info was not as it appeared in the publications. I asked him about it and he said he was taking it directly from the online catalog - that we had to follow that format or people would not be able to find the publications. The online catalog follows the Library of Congress.

I am pretty concerned about the finished product but it has been out of my hands and control since last fall.

What I did become aware of is that when deciding on a title for a publication (if I ever do anything like this again) consideration should be given to how it will get cataloged!!! For example, if I publish a book of newspaper extracts, I should not begin the title with the year(s) the publication covers because the catalogers will not catalog it that way.

Connie

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