if (pubDate != null && pubDate.length() > 0) {
                try {
                    final SimpleDateFormat ivyDateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat(IVY_DATE_FORMAT_PATTERN);
                    getMd().setPublicationDate(ivyDateFormat.parse(pubDate));
                } catch (ParseException e) {
                    addError("invalid publication date format: " + pubDate);
                }
            }
        }