Page 117 - DLIS002_KNOWLEDGE ORGANIZATION CLASSIFICATION AND CATALOGUING THEORY

Knowledge Organization: Classification and Cataloguing Theory

Notes The cutter numbers (A3, A31, Z4, C3, and A2 in the above example) are sorted first by the letter
and then by the number as a decimal. For QD 1 A5 think of it as being QD 1 A 0.5, for QD 1 A332
read QD 1 A 0.332. Therefore,
QD 1 QD 1 QD 1 QD 1 QD 1 QD 1 QD 1
A 3 A 31 A 311 A 4 A 41 A 415 A 42

Dates, volume and issue numbers, copy numbers, and other annotations are like an additional
cutter number but are shelved by basic alphabetization (numbers alone come before letters):

Q 10 Q 10 Q 10 Q 10 Q 10 QD 1 QD 1 QD 1 QD 1
C 3 C 3 C 3 C 3 C 3 A 5 A 5 A 5 A 5
1933 1990 1996 1996 Vol. 1 Vol. 2 Vol. 2 Vol. 2
copy 1 copy 2 Plates Supplement

6.1.5 Basic Elements and Syntax of Call Numbers

Most call numbers are constructed as follows. The call number is displayed vertically as it would
appear on the spine label of a book.

Table 6.1: Construction of Call Numbers

Call number Part Syntax Rule
BS 1 1 to 3 letters

4545 2 A number between 1 and 9999.99
G63 3 A period followed by a letter and 0 to 4 digits

L56 4 Optionally: a letter and 0 to 4 digits. NO period
2002 5 Optionally: a date

V. 2 6 Optionally: volume numbers

Source: http://library.dts.edu/Pages/RM/Helps/lc_call.shtml
Call number line breaks are significant. However, you might see parts one and two printed
together on a single line since they both reflect a subject code. Examples of longer, more complex
call numbers are available here.
The main sub-units of a call number are as follows:
Topic: Parts 1 and 2. The initial letters designate a broad topic. The numbers progressively
narrow the topic. This is explained in more detail below.
Cutter: Parts 3 and 4. The topical portion of the call number is followed by a cutter number
(named after Charles Cutter). The cutter number usually encodes the author (technically, the
main entry). So within a given topic books are usually sorted by author. Cutter numbers can
also be used to further subdivide a topic, and one call number can have two cutters (usually
topical use followed by main entry use). This is not common.
Other parts: The call number may conclude with a publication year or volume number or copy
number.

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