Almanacs

Definition

Early almanacs were permanent tables of the apparent motions of the sun and moon, from which astronomical data for any year could be calculated. In the 15th century, almanacs began to be prepared for definite periods, such as 10 or 30 years, and in the 16th century, for a single year. From this period astrological and meteorological predictions were also included, alongside other information. (OED)

Fixed fields

Nature of contents (Cont): 5, for "calendars"

Title

In general, consider the clause following a short title of author's last name and year as part of the title proper.

245 10 ǂa Perkins, 1643. A new almanacke, and prognostication, for the yeere of our Lord God, 1643 : ǂb being the third from the bissextile or leape-yeere, and from the worlds creation, 5606 : composed and chiefly referred to the meridian of the famous city of London / |c made and set forth by Samuel Perkins, well-willer to the mathematicks.
246 30 ǂa New almanacke, and prognostication, for the yeere of our Lord God, 1643

Publisher

Use relationship designator ǂe publisher for the Company of Stationers.

260  [London] : ǂb Printed by W. Onely, for the Company of Stationers, ǂc 1698.
7001 Onley, William,  ǂd active 1697-1709,  ǂe printer.
7102 Stationers' Company (London, England), ǂe publisher.

Date of publication

Almanacs were typically published in the autumn preceding their year of calculation. Assume this is the case unless there is proof that an almanac was not published until the year of calculation, and adjust the imprint date.

008/06 s
008/07-14 1676bbbb
046  x ǂc 1677
260 London : ǂb Printed by J.D. for the Company of Stationers, ǂc 1677 [i.e. 1676]
500 Almanacs were published the year preceding the date of calculation.

Modern almanacs often do not include an imprint date at all, but will include a date as part of the title or elsewhere. Assume that the publication date is the preceding year, and include it in the publication statement in square brackets (following RDA 2.2.4, Other sources of information).

245 04 The Shakespeare almanac for 1894.
264 01 ... ǂc [1893]

Physical description

Record an image of a Zodiac man or woman as an illustration.

Most early English almanacs have at least the first gathering printed in red and black. Mention this in a note.

500  Gathering A printed in red and black.

Form terms

655 7 Almanacs. ǂ2 rbgenr 
655 7 Ephemerides. ǂ2 rbgenr
655 7 Pamphlets.  ǂ2 aat

Subject headings

• None, in general.
• Almanacs with sections containing "Astrological judgments" or similar wording, use subject heading:

650 0 Mundane astrology ǂv Early works to 1800.

Meridien

• Transcribe--do not elide--information about the meridien of calculation in the 245
• Do not use MARC field 751 for the meridien of calculation or other associated place names

Example

Perkins 1633. A new almanacke and prognostication for the yeere of our Lord God, 1633 : being the first after the bissextile, or leape yeere, and from the worlds creation 5595 : composed, and chiefly referred to the meridian of the famous city of London / made and set forth by Samuel Perkins, well-willer to the mathematickes, gent.  London : Printed for the Company of Stationers, [1632]. [http://shakespeare.folger.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=125254 Call number STC 495.8 Bd.w. STC 419.2

External links

• Tis the season for almanacs (Collation blog post)
• Bosanquet, E.F. English printed almanacks and prognostications : a bibliographical history to the year 1600
• Capp, B. S. English almanacs, 1500-1800
• Capp, B.S. Astrology and the popular press
• Smyth, Adam. Autobiography in early modern England. Has a chapter on almanacs as an instance of life-writing