050  Library of Congress Call Number (R)

Definition

Use field 090 or field 050 with first indicator value blank or 1 and second indicator value 4 (e.g., 050 14 LB890 ‡b .B52 1978) for LC call numbers assigned by agencies other than LC.

Use field 055, field 060, or field 070 for call numbers based on LC classification schedules and assigned by the Library and Archives Canada, the National Library of Medicine, or the National Agricultural Library. Use field 099 for classification numbers that are local modifications of LC class numbers.

If cataloging copy has a classification number following the name of any other contributing institution, do not enter the classification number in field 050.

See "Map and atlas call numbers" below for information on entering and printing map and atlas call numbers.

If you are transcribing LC copy, enter LC call numbers in field 050. However, LC does not classify some types of material. LC copy for unclassified material may have the word LAW or the phrase NOT IN LC. If you are transcribing such copy, do not include this word or phrase in field 050. You may enter a locally assigned call number in field 090 or field 050 with first indicator value blank or 1 and second indicator value 4.

If you assign a Library of Congress classification number according to the LC class schedules, use field 090 or field 050 with first indicator value blank or 1 and second indicator value 4. If the classification portion of your number does not conform to the LC class schedules, use field 099.

Guidelines

Prior to 1981, LC used a single-record technique to indicate the microform replacement of an original item for preservation. Such records contain both the call number of the original and the microform shelf number of the replacement.

Pre-1981 replacement shelf numbers include a term that designates the type of microform (e.g., "Microfilm") and a number of one-to-five digits. The number may also include additional words, notations (e.g., "reel 1, no. 3"), and, usually, a class letter or letters from the LC classification system. Enter such shelf numbers in subfield ‡a. Enter a space between each element.

Enter the call number of the original in the first field 050. Use 1st indicator value blank or 1 and 2nd indicator value 0. Enter the microform shelf number in the second 050 field, 1st and 2nd indicator value 0.

University Microfilms dissertations, 1940–1961. From 1940 to 1961, dissertations from University Microfilms in the National Union Catalog had the following style of call number:

If you are transcribing such copy, enter the call number in subfield ‡a with spaces between each element.

In LC-created records, sound recordings have two 050 fields. The first has a suggested class number and 1st indicator value blank or 1 because sound recordings are not shelved by class number at LC. The second 050 field has custodial information and 1st indicator value 0.

If some issues of the serial have appeared in one or more series over a period of time, each with a different call number, the field is repeated for each call number involved.

Enter Newspaper in subfield ‡a (USNP use only):

Do not enter IN PROCESS or minimal-level cataloging numbers (e.g., MLCM 81/3002 (B), WMLC L82/1234) in subfield ‡a.

Fields 050 and 090 print for institutions profiled for LC or NLM call numbers. The print program recognizes and parses LC call numbers in terms of predefined elements. The print program parses the first 7 elements. An eighth element prints on a new line. Subsequent elements are free format. The following table lists the first 10 predefined elements (a = alpha, n = numeric, x = alpha or numeric character).

The definitions of these elements remain constant, even if a call number lacks an element. For example, the first Cutter number is element 5 even if the call number has no date preceding the first Cutter number.

Use the following guidelines to enter LC call numbers in field 050 and field 090:

• Enter one space before a delimiter, after a subfield code, and before a date or volume number. Do not enter any other spaces, except as described in the these guidelines.
• Enter alphabetic and numeric portions of the class number (elements 1, 2 and 3) in subfield ‡a. Do not enter intervening spaces.

  050

  F2161 ‡b .B63

  050

  DD259.4 ‡b .B527 1973

• Enter one space before a date or other number following the class number (element 4) in subfield ‡a.

  050

  DK274.3 1968 ‡b .K39

  050

  KF4558 15th ‡b .G6 1974

  050

  BX830 1962.A45 ‡b P792 1972

• If the date or other number is part of the classification number (element 4) and there is no following information, enter the date in the subfield ‡b.

  050

  ES275 ‡b 1962

  050

  ES525.5 ‡b 105th

• If the call number has only one Cutter number, enter the decimal point and Cutter number (element 5) in subfield ‡b.

  050

  JX1947.7 ‡b .M5

  050

  DD259.4 ‡b .B527 1973

  050

  DK274.3 1968 ‡b .K39

  050

  KF4558 15th ‡b .G6 1974

  050

  JX1977 ‡b .A2 ST/SOA/40

  050

  VM341 ‡b .M9 vol. 48

• However, if the call number begins with CS71, enter the Cutter number in subfield ‡a and the date in subfield ‡b.

  050

  CS71.S889 ‡b 1968

• If the call number has two Cutter numbers, enter the first (element 5) in subfield ‡a and the second (element 7) in subfield ‡b.

  050

  PQ4734.V5 ‡b Z59

  050

  VA65.B54 ‡b B52 1972

  050

  Z673.L7 ‡b You

  050

  HF5549.5.R44 ‡b M35

  050

  BX830 1962.A45 ‡b P792 1972

• If a date intervenes between two Cutter numbers, enter a decimal point before both Cutter numbers.

  050

  JX233.A5 1968 ‡b .B3

• To print a decimal point before the second Cutter enter the first Cutter number, the intervening date, and the second Cutter number in subfield ‡b. The decimal point preceding the second Cutter number does not print if the second Cutter number is the first element in subfield ‡b.

  050

  JX233 ‡b .A5 1968 .B3

• Enter one space after the second Cutter (element 7).

  050

  VA65.B54 ‡b B52 1972

  050

  BX830 1962.A45 ‡b P792 1972

• Treat the term subser or Suppl. as part of the item number. Enter a space between the term and the item number. If the call number has no item number, enter subser or Suppl. in subfield ‡b. Enter subser with lowercase letters. Use an uppercase S in Suppl.
• Enter a comma and a space after element 8 and each succeeding element to indicate a line break. The comma does not print. It indicates that a new line should begin.
• Characters to print on one line must not exceed the margin size, which is two characters fewer than the first indention. If the first indention is 10, the maximum number of characters per line is 8.

  050

  JK1369.43 ‡b .P65 1974 n.s., v.2

  050

  Q11 ‡b .P6 n.s. vol. 55 pt. 5

  050

  DT333 ‡b .S34 47. Jahrg.Heft Nr. 8

  050

  AS182 ‡b .H44 1967 Abh.1, T.3

• Multiple call numbers.

  Certain classification choices are recognized to be local decisions. For example, if one user has chosen to class together a monographic series and another library classes it separately, multiple call numbers in the master record may be appropriate. Multiple call numbers are allowed in these circumstances:

  • Classed together number vs. classed separately number for monographic series
  • Literature number vs. PZ number for fiction
  • Bibliography number vs. subject number
  • LC minimal number vs. member call number
  • Geographic classification number vs. subject classification number for maps and atlases
  • LAW number vs. actual K class number

1st Indicator

2nd Indicator

Subfields

Printing

If an eighth element is present, the print program prints it on a new line. Subsequent elements are free-format elements. The print program does not format these elements for printing. You must enter a comma and a space in the field to indicate each line break. The comma does not print. It shows where a new line should begin. Use the following examples as guidelines:

If one or more lowercase letters follow either the first or second Cutter number or final date, with no intervening space, the letters print on the same line. Use the following examples as guidelines:

If the second Cutter number is a single letter, the print program recognizes that letter as a Cutter number and prints it on a new line. Enter the call number with the subfield ‡b between the two Cutters.

If the print program cannot automatically format a call number correctly or if a call number does not fit the pattern of 1–7 elements plus free-format elements, enter all elements as free-format elements. Use a comma-space to designate line breaks for each element in subfield ‡b. Do not enter a decimal before the first element in subfield ‡b. Use the following examples as guidelines:

See field 090 (Locally Assigned LC-type Call Number) for more information.

If the call number has second or subsequent lines that exceed your profiled margin size (two characters fewer than the first indention), the print program produces unit (zc) cards.

Furthermore, the print program cannot format certain LC call numbers for printing. If you are having printing problems, check the following characteristics of the numbers you are entering:

• The call number field lacks a Cutter number (i.e., no elements follow the class letters and class numbers).
• A nonalphabetic or nonnumeric character (e.g., *) is the first character in an element.
• The call number has unusual punctuation or unusual combinations of numeric and alphabetic characters.

To produce cards for call numbers that have nine or more characters (e.g., translations), shorten the number. If your shelf arrangement does not require a specific item number, enter one space or a comma-space to break the item number into two lines. If your shelf arrangement requires a specific item number, use field 099.

The following examples cause unit (zc) cards or are formatted incorrectly on cards. Use field 099 to produce cards with such call numbers.

Use the following guidelines to enter and print LC map and atlas call numbers in field 050 and field 090:

Maps. LC places the item Cutter in subfield ‡b . The item Cutter is always the final element in an LC map call number.

Atlases. LC places the item Cutter in subfield ‡b . However this is not the final element. The item Cutter is always followed by the date of publication of the atlas.

You should follow LC practice when entering map and atlas call numbers. However you must edit some map and atlas call numbers to print them correctly. The following examples of hypothetical map and atlas call numbers show how to enter the call number in field 050 or field 090 and how to edit the field for card production. (Alternatively you may repeat the call number in field 099 for card production.)

Map call numbers that contain a colon (e.g., G6713.F7:3G6P2 1976 ‡b .L5) cause zc cards. To produce cards with such call numbers, repeat the call number in field 099.

Map call numbers in LCMARC records may contain two spaces at the end of subfield ‡a . You should enter only one space at the end of subfield ‡a .

See LC's Class G schedule for more information.