What are serials and periodicals?
According to the AACR2 (Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2nd edition), a serial is a publication issued in successive parts (at regular or irregular intervals) having numeric or chronological designations and intended to be continued indefinitely. Serials include periodicals, newspapers, annuals and monographic series. Periodicals, sometimes defined as serials published at least twice a year, comprise a very large subset of serials. These are the journals and magazines that most people associate with the word “serial.” Even though the words are often used interchangeably, not every serial is a periodical. A monographic series is a serial because it is intended to be continued indefinitely, and it has a collective title that applies to the group as a whole. But each piece also has its own title. An example of a monographic series that can be found at the Swilley Library is Advances in Pharmacology.
