LCCS Training Sessions
OSU
July 2007

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Book number: A decimal number consisting of a letter of the alphabet followed by one or more digits that is appended to a class number in order to arrange material on the same subject in a specified order, usually alphabetically by author. Also called author number.
Charles Ammi Cutter (1837-1903) and the Two-Figure Author Table

Treasures of the Library of Congress /
Charles A. Goodrum . 1991 ed.
Call number: Z733.U58 G66 1991
Book number: G66 [for the author's surname
Goodrum]

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The Cutter is the means by which books can be arranged alphabetically.
Arrangement is based on:
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 the LC filing rules the Preferred Shelflist Order table

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Cutters are treated as decimal numbers
Allows for infinite expansion between any two numbers
Example:
.T3
.T46
.T57
.T585
.T59
.T7

Step 1: Find the filing position of the work
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Search the class number in the online shelflist
Locate the proper location for the work to be shelflisted
Usually, works are shelflisted in alphabetical order by main entry

Use LC’s Cutter table: http://www.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/053/table.html
Cutter consists of initial letter of main entry, capitalized
Then, using appropriate line in table, add numbers for
1, 2, or more letters
Examples: IBM - .I26
List - .L57
Quinn - .Q56
Schicht - .S35

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Treat initials with spaces and/or punctuation as separate words when filing
Treat acronyms and initials not separated in any way as single words
Example:
A.B.C atlas of Isle of Wight
A.W. Johnson enterprises
Aavik, Johannes
ABC health series
Afaisen, Johnny
AFL-CIO
American Philosophical society

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Use Cutters .A12 - .A19 when cuttering
Roman or Arabic numerals (title main entry)
Choose a Cutter near the center of this range when it is the first Cutter for a numeral in the class
Example: 101 careers in mathematics
Call no.: QA10.5 .A15 1996

Shelflist has:
Q387 .I59 2000 (main entry: International
Conference…)
Q387 .K563 1994 (main entry: Knowledge representation…)
Q387 .L37 1991 (main entry: Larsen, Thomas)
Work to be shelflisted: Part-whole reasoning in an object-centered framework / Patrick
Lambrix.

Lambrix:
L for initial letter
3 for “a”
6 for “m”
Cutter: L36
Will file between:
Q387 .K563 1994 (main entry: Knowledge representation…)
Q387 .L37 1991 (main entry: Larsen,
Thomas)

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Single Cutter for main entry
Part-whole reasoning in an object-centered framework / Patrick Lambrix.
Q387 .L37 1991
Double Cutter for topic or geographic, then main entry
A book on taxation of chemical industries in the
United States by John Smith:
HD9650.8.U62 S65 2007

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Double Cutter for country, then local geographic; add digit to 2 nd Cutter for main entry
Chemical industries in Prague / Josef
Chemický. 2005
HD9650.8.C943 P733 2005

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Cutter according to your needs!
Generally, a letter and 2 numbers is adequate
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Add more numbers if needed
Example: new book has author Hinkley, D.A.
Shelflist has:
QD251 .H5653 1954 Hermans, Petrus
QD251 .H8 1955 Huckel, Walter
Assign .H5655 for Hinkley