The National Archives Catalog

Coverage Start Date

Mandatory	Repeatable	Data Type	Authority	Entity	Public Element	Label
No	No	Date	None	Product	No*	Coverage Start Date

*The data in this field will be used for searching; dates appear in the Microform Product Title field.

Definition:

The beginning of the time period covered by the subject(s) of the archival materials being reproduced on the microform product.

Purpose:

Enables users to retrieve and sort microform products according to the subject time period for the archival materials that are reproduced on the microform product.

Relationship:

This element and Coverage End Date are dependent on each other. If Coverage Start Date is specified, then Coverage End Date must be created.

Guidance:

Coverage Start Date should match the date given in the formal title of the publication.

When the Date Span is Only One Specific Date
If the date is a specific day (02/11/1969), month (02/1969), or year (1969), enter the date in Coverage Start Date and then repeat the same specific date in Coverage End Date.

When the Date Span is Several Years
If the dates fall between several years (1826-1835), then enter the earliest possible date (1826) in Coverage Start Date, enter the latest possible date (1835) in Coverage End Date.

Date Form
Enter the date in MM/DD/YYYY form.
If the day is unknown, enter the date in the MM/YYYY form.
If the month is unknown, enter the date in the YYYY form.
Do not use 00 as a month or day.

Examples:

Coverage Start Date - 1939
Coverage End Date - 1979

Coverage Start Date - 1860
Coverage End Date - 1865

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