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Library of Congress Classification, Part II

November 26, 2012

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Overview Classification guidelines Arrangement of Works By and

About Literary Authors How to Get to Carnegie Hall

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Classification Guidelines F10, General Principles of

Classification (CSM:Classification and Shelflisting Manual)

Eight principles – some obvious, some peculiar to LCCS

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“Class works according to their subject matter” Must determine their subject matter

first Not classed according to size or date of

receipt Generally not classed according to

format – with exceptions This is the principle. But…

What if the work comprises two or more subjects?

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Classing by Form “Class a work by its specific subject,

not by its form under a broader topic” Example: Class a journal on sanitation in

RA567 (Sanitation. Waste disposal. Sewage disposal – General works)

Not in the broader class RA565.A1 (Environmental health --

Periodicals. Societies. Serials)

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Classing by Form (cont.) Within a given topical area, class

by subject, ignoring form unless form captions have been established under the subject.

Most common form caption: Periodicals. Societies. Serials

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Classing by Place If choosing between classing by

specific subject and classing by place, prefer classification by the subjectExample: Penguins of AntarcticaQL696.S473 Spheniscidae (Penguins) Not QL695.2 Birds of Antarctica  

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Classing by Place (cont.)

Exceptions: Class by place if there are contrary

instructions Class by place if precedent (the

shelflist) clearly indicates otherwise

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Specificity Use the most specific number

available. Use a broader number only if no

specific number is available and it is not feasible to establish one.

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Multiple subjects Where several subjects are discussed in a

work, choose the classification number: according to instructions printed in the

schedulesExample: A popular work (i.e., not scientific) on

domesticated mammals could be classed with popular works on mammals or works on domesticated animals

QL706 Mammals -- Popular worksFor popular works on domestic animals see

SF41

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Multiple subjects (cont.) Where several subjects are discussed in a

work, choose the classification number: according to dominant subject (as represented

by the first subject heading on the record) that matches the first subject mentioned in the

work being catalogedExample: Roma and Jews in Poland

for a broader subject if the work deals with several subjects that, taken together, constitute a major part of a larger subject

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Multiple Classes In problematic cases where several

numbers appear satisfactory, class according to the intent of the author, or where it appears that the work would

be most usefully located

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Influence of One Subject on Another Class works on the influence of one

subject on another with the subject influencedExample: The effect of oil pollution on

fish cultureSH177.O53 Fish culture--Diseases and

adverse factorsNotTD427.P4 Water pollution -- Petroleum

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Literary Authors How does one organize the works

of a literary author which generally are not considered to have a subject?

Subarrangement of works of and about Reymont, Władysław Stanisław, 1867-1925 in PG7158.R4-.R42

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Cataloging Calculator

Calculate.alptown.com

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Find class numbers for:

“The causes of AIDS”“The beer industry in the United States”“The Cuban missile crisis of 1962”A biography of Tadeusz ReytanA dictionary of French surnamesA juvenile book about the planets“Parental relations with adolescents”