If the information is present in the thesis or dissertation, we will add
it to the heading, following the LCRI for 22.17 on Establishing New
Headings That Do Not Conflict: "Apply the optional provision. This means
adding a date whenever it is known." Some of these people, at least, will
produce other monographs where a date might be useful in resolving
conflicts. I have seen the discussions about authors who do not want
their DOB on the catalog record and am not overly sympathetic.

If the date is not present within the document, however, we do not go
looking for it. Even when there is a conflict, there is rarely any point
in trying to contact the individual. By the time we receive the
dissertation or thesis to catalog, the student has usually left the
university and our area, particularly if the student is an international
one.

I do not remember ever encountering a situation where the date of birth in
a catalog record was objected to by a former student. We do get get Vitae
with no birth date. Some departments seem to encourage their students not
to record the data, others don't seem to take a stance.

Laurence S. Creider
Special Collections Librarian
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM 88003
Work: 575-646-7227
Fax: 575-646-7477
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On Mon, 4 Oct 2010, Bob Hall wrote:

> Good morning,
>
> Are there any theses catalogers on this list? I ask, as I have a question
> regarding birthdates. Do you add birthdates to name hdgs. for theses?
>
> If so:
> --Where do you get said information (via Registrar's office?, Vita?, CV fact
> sheet etc.)?
> --Do you routinely add them, or do you just use them to break a conflict?
> --Are there issues you confront from authors if they see this information in
> FirstSearch, public catalog &/or the Web? How do you handle such issues?
>
> Thanking you in advance for your time.
>
> R.
>
> --
> Robert C.W. Hall, Jr.
> Technical Services Associate Librarian
> Concord Free Public Library, Concord, MA 01742
> 978-318-3343 -- FAX: 978-318-3344 -- http://www.concordlibrary.org/
> [log in to unmask]
> --
>