BELLES LETTRES
Belles lettres can be defined as literary works of the imagination, usually falling
into one of the three classic genres: fiction, poetry, or drama. Descriptive cataloging of
belles lettres should present few problems; it is in the classification and, to a lesser
extent, subject analysis that such works receive special treatment.
Classification
Belles lettres is classified with the national literature of which it is a part. With
very few exceptions, each individual author is assigned a unique classification number—
a literary author number—to which all of his or her literary works are assigned. All
literary author numbers are classed in P; they are further expanded to take account of the
national literature and the time period to which the author belongs. Most literary author
numbers consist of two class letters (the first always P), a four-digit classification
number, and a first cutter based on the author’s surname. For example:
PR6023.A93
is the literary author number of D.H. Lawrence. It is constructed as follows:
P
PR
PR6000-6049
PR6023
PR6023.A
PR6023.A93
Literature
English literature
English literature by authors flourishing from 1900-1960
Authors whose surname begins with the letter “L”
First cutter based on the second letter of the author’s surname
Further digits to place Lawrence alphabetically within the
sequence of authors with surnames beginning “La”
All literary works by D.H. Lawrence and all works about him will be classed in
PR6023.A93. (Most literary author numbers are constructed as shown above; however,
in some cases the first letter of the cutter is based on the first letter of the author’s
surname.)
The second cutter is based on the title of the work. Thus a 1977 edition of
Lawrence’s The rainbow would get the call number: $h PR6023.A93 $i R3 1977 (coded
as it would appear in the 852 field of a Voyager holdings record).
Locating or establishing the literary author number. Using the correct literary
author number is important so that all works by or about one author sit together on the
shelves. The procedure for finding a literary author number is as follows:

Check the NAF for the presence of an 053 field. This is the “officially
established” literary author number. If an 053 is present, use that number. If
not,

Check Voyager to see if we have cataloged other literary works by or critical
or biographical works about the same author, being careful to take into
account only works of belles lettres by that author. If we have established a
literary author number in Voyager, use it. If not,

Check RLIN or OCLC under the author’s name, looking for LC records, again
taking account only of works of belles lettres. If LC has assigned the author a
literary author number, use it. If not,

Establish the number yourself. To do this you need to know the author’s
nationality and the time period in which he or she flourished. Then consult
the classification schedule to find the right classification number. How the
number is constructed is governed by tables in the Language and literature
tables section of the class schedules. When establishing the number, be sure
to fit the author in alphabetically within the sequence of numbers we have
already used (do a call number search on Voyager). N.B. If you are
establishing a literary author number AND the author is not in the NAF,
follow the procedure for requesting an 053 on your authorities printout.
Note: The above examples are based on Table XL of the Language and literature
tables, by far the most common table used for literary author numbers. When
establishing a new literary author number, be sure to apply the correct table, which is
almost always indicated in the schedules.
Fixed Field
Code the Fiction element of the fixed field as a “1” for novels or short stories; for
all other literary forms the value should remain “0”.
Subject Headings
Subject headings are usually not applied to individual works of belles lettres. Do
retain, however, any valid headings already present in the catalog record. The final
subdivision in each subject string should be $v Fiction, $v Poetry, or $v Drama, as
appropriate. Generally, do not add subject headings to literary works unless they
virtually jump off the page at you (e.g., for a novel called Apaches on the warpath, feel
free to add the heading Apache Indians—Fiction). Individual works of belles lettres
should never have form headings such as English poetry or Short stories, American.
Such form headings are reserved for collections of literary works, which are usually by
more than one author. Collections always get at least one form heading and may also get
subject headings if they focus on a particular subject, event, country, etc.
LITERARY CRITICISM OF AN INDIVIDUAL AUTHOR OR HIS/HER WORKS
Classification
For works about an individual literary work, generally use the call number for the
work, add a “3” to the second cutter, and add a digit or digits to represent the main entry.
For example, a work about Lawrence’s The rainbow written by someone named Miller
might get the call number
PR6023.A93R335 1998
Here the “5” represents Miller.
For works about a literary author, generally use the author’s literary author
number plus a second cutter in the range Z5-Z999 (again using table XL) based on the
main entry. Thus a critical work or biography of Lawrence by someone named Taylor
might get the call number
PR6023.A93Z85 1998
Here the “Z85” is meant to place Taylor alphabetically within the sequence of authors
who have written critical works on Lawrence. You should check Voyager to attempt to
fit the number in alphabetically.
Subject Headings
Works about an individual literary author which discuss the author’s life and
works in roughly equal measure or strictly biographical works are given the author’s
heading as a subject heading unsubdivided. If the work is predominantly critical,
subdivide the author’s heading by the subdivision –Criticism and interpretation.
More information can be obtained in the following sections of the Subject cataloging
manual:
Drama
H1780
Fiction
H1790
Poetry
H1800
Miscellaneous notes

Authors are classed with the language in which they write, not necessarily with their
nationality. Thus an American writing in French will class in PQ, not PS.

Biographies, autobiographies, and critical works on a literary author class with the
author unless they treat a non-literary aspect of the author’s life or career. Donne as a
preacher classes in B, not P.