Biography
LCCS Training Sessions
OSU
Aug. 2007
Classifying Biographies
 General rule: Class biographical works with
the topic most closely identified with the
biographee(s)
 Biographies may be individual or collective
 Use special biography numbers if provided
(most common in D (History), N
(Art/Architecture), and P (Literature))
Classifying Biographies – 2
 CT (General Biography) is only for works on
individuals not identified with a specific topic
or an individual’s several careers
Example:
CT948.K37 A3 1990
Tomorrow will be better : a true story of love and
one family's triumph over the horrors of World
War II / Zdena Kapral.
Tucson : Harbinger House, c1990.
Travel Accounts and Family
Biographies
 Do not treat travel accounts as biographical or autobiographical
unless 50% or more is devoted to personal details of the life of
the traveler
 Class biographies of the members of one family as individual
biography (unless there is a special provision in schedule)
Example:
TA140.R7 S4 1931
The Roeblings : a century of engineers, bridge-builders
and industrialists : the story of three generations of an
illustrious family, 1831-1931, by Hamilton Schuyler.
Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)-Biography--Individual, A-Z
[TA140]
Individuals with Multi-faceted Careers
 If work emphasizes one career, class with
that topic
Examples:
Albert Schweitzer as musician: ML
Leonardo da Vinci as scientist: Q
 If work discusses several careers, class with
topic most closely associated with biographee
Example: Da Vinci: N6923 (artists)
General Class Numbers vs. Biography
Class Numbers
Biography captions appear in broad disciplines
throughout LCCS:
Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)-Biography
TA139-140
Biography
Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)-Surveying--Biography
TA532-533
Biography
General Class Numbers vs. Biography
Class Numbers (cont.)
 Narrower topics often do not have a
biography number
 Classification in general class numbers is
different from biography class numbers
Form of Biography Caption
Biography
Collective
Individual, A-Z
Use collective biography for works discussing
2+ individuals if a discrete section on each
Use individual biography for works on the life of
one person, including autobiography
Biography Table
 Works in biography numbers are further
subarranged according to an individual
biography table
[Some schedules (D, N, P) provide their own
tables]
Biography Table - 2
.x
.xA2
.xA25
Cutter for the individual
Collected works. By date
Selected works. Selections. By date
Including quotations
.xA3
Autobiography, diaries, etc. By date
.xA4
Letters. By date
.xA5
Speeches, essays, and lectures. By date
Including interviews
.xA6-Z Biography and criticism
Including criticism of selected works,
quotations, autobiography, letters, speeches, etc.
Example 1
Example 2
QA29.B2 A3 1864a
Passages from the life of a philosopher /
Charles Babbage.
QA29.B2 H91 1982
Charles Babbage, pioneer of the computer /
Anthony Hyman.
Example 3
QA29.R3 A4 1995
Ramanujan : letters and commentary / Bruce C.
Berndt and Robert A. Rankin. 1995.
Ramanujan Aiyangar, Srinivasa, 1887-1920 -Correspondence.
General Classes
Where there is no explicit number for
biography…
1. File all works about a person after all works
by that person
2. Assign the same 1st Cutter to all biographies
about a person and a 2nd Cutter for the main
entry
General Classes Example 1
TS245
Powder metallurgy processes and
manufactures
TS245.S65 J64 2005
John Smith, king of powder metallurgists / Bob
Johnson.
General Classes Example 2
TS886.5.C45
Manufactures--Wood technology. Lumber-Wood products. Furniture--Furniture--Special types of furniture,
A-Z--Chairs
TS886.5.C45 N683 2005
A place to sit : a biography of Petr Novak, chair
craftsman / Jan Cermak.