Call Number Format

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Call Number Format

In Voyager, the call number information is included in the 852 field of the Holdings record. When you create a new holdings record, it will have an 852 field already in it, as a result of the template. This is where location, call number, and both public and non-public notes are recorded. Subfields h and i are used to contain the call number information. These subfields are equivalent to the |b and |c subfields used in the NOTIS copy holdings, and to the |a and |b subfields in a (correctly coded) 05X field.

The indicators in the 852 field are based on your call number hierarchy setting, and can be changed if necessary. The most important are concerned with the first indicator:

During data conversion, the semicolons used with call numbers in NOTIS were stripped out, and replaced with spaces. Semicolons should no longer be used in formatting call numbers.

Spaces should not be used before a decimal number within the classification number. Spacing can and does change how the call number files, and adding a space before the decimal will cause the call number to file at the beginning of the range, instead of at the end where it belongs.

Voyager does not place a space before the first cutter (with a double-cuttered call number) when transferring a call number from the bibliographic record to the holdings record. The lack of a space in this instance does not change the filing, nor cause problems with the spine label program. We will therefore not include a space before the first cutter number if there are more than one. In other words, spaces are not inserted between the different elements of the classification, or |h portion of the call number with an LC type of call number.

With Library of Congress call numbers, spaces should be placed:

• between the cutter numbers if there are more than one
• before a date (unless the date is used immediately after the classification number)
• before a volume number (usually used in a series classed together)
• between a phrase (e.g. microfilm, etc.) and a number

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Examples

Please note that in the following examples, the | symbol continues to be used to indicate the delimeter sign, although Voyager now uses a "double-daggar" symbol. The delimeter is entered by typing F9.

|h QD1 |i .A51

|h PS8231 |i .R36 1904

|h Z1223.Z7 |i S3 1961

|h QH541.13 |i .D36 1970

|h HC60.5 |i .R45 1988

|h BF724.3.D43 |i Z36 1986

|h DA3.M11 |i M14

|h QA3 |i .L28 no.1346

|h BR1 |i .C21 v.001 no.001

|h R117 |i .R86 1964t

|h M10 |i .B533 S.533-560 19--t

|h AC911.1743 |i .F68

|h F5012.1979 |i C837

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Cutter Subfield

Deciding where to place the |i subfield is somewhat tricky with some types of call numbers. The dividing line between the classification portion of the call number and the cutter portion is not always clear. One example occurs with literary call numbers. Normally the call number for a literary work is based on an author call number, with a second cutter for the title of the work, as shown for Harold Pinter's Betrayal below:

|h PR6066.I53 |i B4 1980

However, the call number for Pinter's collected works has only a single cutter, based on the author's name. Any subsequent collected works will be distinguished by date. In this instance, the |i goes in front of the initial cutter.

PR6066 |i .I53 1977

Some call numbers consist only of a classification number, followed by the date of an event or the date of publication. The |i should precede the date, as follows:

|h JK526 |i .1996g

However, when a call number includes a date as part of the classification number, and it is followed by an author cutter, place the |i in front of the author cutter.

F5012.1862 |i H447 no.003

GV722.1972 |i M35 1991t

The |i subfield is not used with phrase types of call numbers. Simply put a space between the parts. Please note that the first indicator of the 852 field should be coded 8 for these types of call numbers.

|h Microfilm TN no.007

|h Microfiche

|h Thesis

Shelved by title

Canada Pamphlet 1989 no. 002

Omit and/or remove any semicolons that may appear at the end of call numbers. These were put in during the conversion from GEAC to NOTIS.

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CODOC Call Numbers

CODOC numbers should have the first indicator 8 in the 852 field. The entire call number should be entered in the |h subfield; no |i subfield code is used.

Spaces should be inserted where a line break should appear on the spine label.

|h CA2 PQ B5 A57 1995

|h CA6 NDP 2000I28

|h ZZ EC200 2000M27

|h UK1 CO 98B62 CD-ROM

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NLM Call Numbers

National Library of Medicine call numbers are formatted in much the same way as Library of Congress call numbers.

|h WM460.5.W6 |i .C212a 2000

|h WZ100 |i .B219b 1984

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Copy Number

Current practice with spine labels is to include the copy number only for copies 2 and above. To reproduce this with the new label program, we would not add the |t copy number for copy 1; we would add it for added copies.

|h BF724.3.D43 |i A36 1986

|t 2 |h BF724.3.D43 |i A36 1986

Copy numbers have been converted to appear directly after the location code. For ease in locating the copy number, continue to add the |t subfield in this place within the field.

When adding a copy number, only add the number; the spine label program will add the prefix "c."

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Sub Locations

Certain sublocation information is normally included at the top of the spine label. With our old spine label program, this information was automatically derived from the location code. This is no longer possible. In order to include this information on the spine label, it is necessary for us to add a |k subfield to the 852 field. Insert the subfield after the call number information. (Note: If you are updating an already existing holdings record, you may want to substitute the |k subfield for the |t 1 information. The label program does not care where the subfield is located).

The spine label program is able to convert a code to a spelled out form of the sublocation information. The following table indicates the code (which should be included in the |k subfield, and the spelled out form which will appear on the spine label.

As a result, the following 852 fields will produce the spine labels shown below:

852 0 |b sl,fo |h DA3.M11 |i M14 |k f

852 0 |b ed,ju |h SF416.2 |i .B73 1995 |k j

852 0 |b maps |h G1023 |i .L23 1989 |k m

852 0 |b sc,lp |t 2 |h PS9553.E6235 |i C37 1986 |k lp

852 0 |b sc,lpfo |h FC3099.S22 |i H6 1976 |k lpf

852 0 |b sl,j |k p |h FC106.J5 |i C36 v.001 1993

852 0 |b sl,rf |h TR891 |i .F472 1995 |k r

852 0 |b ed,tx |h TK7816.D77 1994 |k t

852 8 |b do,rd |h CA2 PQ B5 A57 1995 |k rd

852 8 |b do,ssdc |h UK1 CO 98B62 CD-ROM |k ss

852 01 |b sl,j |k p |h DE1 |i .A43

Examples

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