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Overview:
Introduction to basic concepts, theories, principles and standards of resource description, subject
cataloguing, and classification. Provides beginning level experience in organizing printed resources using
the Resource Description and Access (including recording attributes of manifestation and item, identifying
persons, families and corporate bodies and identifying works and authority data, construction of access
points and authority data), construction of access points and authority data), subject cataloguing using the
Sears List of Subject Headings, and the assigning of classification numbers using the Dewey Decimal
Classification Scheme.

Table of Contents

Module 1: Cataloging and Classification 3

1.1Historical development of cataloguing and classification 3
1.2 Importance of cataloguing and classification 4
1.3 Definition of Terms 4
1.4 Types of Catalog 6
1.5 Parts of a Book 7
1.6 Areas of Bibliographic Description 8

Activity 1 10

Module 2: Resource Description and Access 11

2.1Overview of Resource Description and Access (RDA) 11
2.2 Recording attributes of manifestations and items 13
2.3 Identifying persons, families and corporate bodies 15
2.4 Authority records 15

Activity 2 16

Module 3: Subject Cataloging 18

3.1Importance of Subject Cataloging 19
3.2 Definition of Terms 19
3.3 Types of Cataogs with Subject Entries 19
3.4 Principles of Subject Cataloging 20
3.5 Library of Congress Subject Headings 22
3.6 Sears List of Subject Heading 26

Activity 3 30

Module 4: Library Classification 30

4.1 Purpose of Library Classification 31
4.2 Components of Library Classification 32
4.3 Library Classification Scheme 33
4.4 Dewey Decimal Classification 34
4.5 Cutter Table 39

Activity 4 41

Module 5: Machine Readable Cataloging 43

5.1 Shelf listing 43
5.2 MARC 21 46
5.3 Access Points 52
Activity 5 52

Grading System 53
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References 53

Module 1 – Introduction to Cataloging and Classification

Overview:

Cataloging is the process of creating and maintaining bibliographic and authority records in the
library catalog, the database of books, serials, sound recordings, moving images, cartographic materials,
computer files, e-resources etc. that are owned by a library. The library may be in form tangible form, such
as a card catalog or in electronic form, such as online public access catalog (OPAC).

Course Outcome:

• Discuss the historical development and importance of cataloguing and classification; describe and
access public access catalog.
• Describe and discuss functions, personnel, bibliographic records and files, policies and procedures
in Cataloging Section.

Learning Outcome:

After successful completion of this module, the student should be able to:

• Describe what cataloguing is

• Know the importance of cataloguing and classification
• Describe and discuss functions, personnel, bibliographic records and files, policies and procedures
in Cataloguing Section

Course Materials:

“Most present-day catalogues are online, and this makes them far more comparable than they were
previously to online information retrieval systems, or to search engines on the world wide web ... in the
past there have been printed catalogues, card catalogues, slip catalogues and various microform
catalogues, film or fiche. An online catalogue is now usually known as an OPAC (Online Public Access
Catalogue), and normally gives a far wider range of access points (ways of looking things up) than any of
the previous forms.” ~ J.H. Bowman. Essential Cataloguing. 2nd ed. (Facet, 2003)

According to Gorman (1998), technical services are the tasks carried on in a library that are concerned
with the processing of library materials in order to make them accessible to the users of the library.
Generally, it has two major administrative divisions, namely acquisitions and cataloging. Acquisition work
includes selecting, ordering and receiving library materials while cataloging work consists of two
components namely, descriptive and subject cataloging.

The standards that structure the niche in the library information sphere known as cataloging are based on
principles articulated by Anthony Panizzi, Charles Coffin Jewett, Charles A. Cutter, S.R. Sears, and
Seymour Lubetzky, about which every first year library and information science student learns.
Collectively, the intellectual work of these men form the core of cataloging theory and influence the way
catalogers construct and amend existing standards. These principles, although developed by generations
past primarily for printed materials collocated in a linear, analog card or book catalog, still serve us in our
contemporary age dominated by non-print materials described in machine-readable form in a nonlinear,
digital space (Bothmann, 2011). Cataloging is an essential process in any library or information center in
order to provide information access to all learning resources to library patrons. All careers in librarianship
include work in cataloging, which is always understood to be a major part of library functioning (Marcum,
2006). In like manner, Luther (2010) said, cataloging and classification have always held a position in the
curricula of library schools. He further explains, although concepts are changing in regard to the amount
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and nature of the training, some work in cataloging and classification is still required of students following
prescribed courses of study in library training.

Importance of Cataloging and Classification

1. To enable a person to find a book of which either
(A) the author
(B) the title
(C) the subject is known.
2. To show what the library has
(D) by a given author
(E) on a given subject
(F) in a given kind of literature
3. To assist in the choice of a book
(G) as to its edition (bibliographically)
(H) as to its character (literary or topical)

DEFINITION OF TERMS
BOOK - A collection of leaves of paper, parchment, vellum, cloth, or other material (written, printed, or
blank) fastened together along one edge, with or without a protective case or cover.

NONPRINT - Materials published in a format other than writing or print on paper, including microfiche and
microfilm, slides, filmstrips, films, videorecordings, audiorecordings, and information in digital formats such
as machine-readable data files. Most nonprint library materials require special equipment for listening
and/or viewing.

CONTINUING RESOURCE - A publication in any medium, defined in AACR2 2002 as issued over time
with no predetermined conclusion, including bibliographic resources issued successively in discrete parts
and integrating resources into which updates are incorporated without remaining discrete.

CARTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS - Any systematic representation of part or all of the surface of the earth or
another celestial body (real or imaginary) on any scale. The category includes two- and three-dimensional
maps and plans; nautical, aeronautical, and celestial charts; atlases; globes and planetaria; block
diagrams, sections, and profiles; views; remote sensing images (including aerial photographs with
cartographic purpose); cartograms; etc.

ELECTRONIC RESOURCE - Material consisting of data and/or computer program(s) encoded for reading
and manipulation by a computer, by the use of a peripheral device directly connected to the computer,
such as a CD-ROM drive, or remotely via a network, such as the Internet (AACR2).

SOUND RECORDING - A generic term for sound vibrations that have been mechanically,
electromagnetically, or digitally recorded onto a medium designed for playback with the aid of audio
equipment. The category includes wax cylinders, phonograph records, audiotapes, compact discs, and the
sound track on motion pictures, videorecordings, DVDs, etc.

VIDEORECORDING - A generic term for an electronic medium in which visual images, usually in motion
and accompanied by sound, are recorded for playback by means of a television receiver or monitor. The
category includes videotape and videodisc.

CATALOG - A comprehensive list of the books, periodicals, maps, and other materials in a given
collection, arranged in systematic order to facilitate retrieval (usually alphabetically by author, title, and/or
subject). In most modern libraries, the card catalog has been converted to machine-readable bibliographic
records and is available online.

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CATALOG CARD - In manual cataloging systems, a paper card used to make a handwritten, typed, or
printed entry in a card catalog, usually of standard size (7.5 centimeters high and 12.5 centimeters wide),
plain or ruled.

CATALOGER - A librarian primarily responsible for preparing bibliographic records to represent the items
acquired by a library, including bibliographic description, subject analysis, and classification. Also refers to
the librarian responsible for supervising a cataloging department.

CATALOGING - The process of creating entries for a catalog. In libraries, this usually includes
bibliographic description, subject analysis, assignment of classification notation, and activities involved in
physically preparing the item for the shelf, tasks usually performed under the supervision of a librarian
trained as a cataloger.

CARD CATALOG - A list of the holdings of a library, printed, typed, or handwritten on catalog cards, each
representing a single bibliographic item in the collection.

CLASSIFICATION - The process of dividing objects or concepts into logically hierarchical classes,
subclasses, and sub-subclasses based on the characteristics they have in common and those that
distinguish them.

DESCRIPTIVE CATAOGING - The part of the cataloging process where catalogers take information from
the item in hand, notate it in way that the item can be completely identified and distinguished from other
items, then determine the name(s) and title(s) to be used as access points. The information is recorded
into a bibliographic record.
- The part of the library cataloging process concerned with identifying and describing the physical
and bibliographic characteristics of the item, and with determining the name(s) and title(s) to be used as
access points in the catalog, but not with the assignment of subject headings and genre/form terms.

ANGLO AMERICAN CATALOGING RULES -A detailed set of standardized rules for cataloging various
types of library materials that had its origin in Catalog Rules: Author and Title Entries, published in 1908
under the auspices of the American Library Association and the Library Association (UK), and the A.L.A.
Cataloging Rules for Author and Title Entries (1949), with its companion volume Rules for Descriptive
Cataloging in the Library of Congress. Cooperation between the ALA, the Library Association, and the
Canadian Library Association resumed with the joint publication in 1967 of Anglo-American Cataloging
Rules, which is divided into two parts: rules for creating the bibliographic description of an item of any type
and rules governing the choice and form of entry of headings (access points) in the catalog.

A second edition (AACR2) was published in 1978 and revised in 1988 (AACR2R) to reflect changes in
information formats. The 1998 revision includes changes and corrections authorized since 1988 by the
Joint Steering Committee for Revision of AACR (JSC), including amendments authorized through 1997.
Additional amendments were issued in 1999 and 2001. The current version, Anglo-American Cataloguing
Rules, Second edition, 2002 Revision (AACR2 2002), includes extensive revisions to chapter 12 on
continuing resources (formerly known as serials). AACR2-e is a hypertext version published by ALA
Editions that includes all amendments through 2001. In the summer of 2010, the JSC released a
controversial new code, Resource Description and Access (RDA), which was tested by the Library of
Congress, the National Agricultural Library, and the National Library of Medicine and found to be in need
of modification.

ACCESS POINT - A unit of information in a bibliographic record under which a person may search for and
identify items listed in the library catalog or bibliographic database. Access points have traditionally
included the main entry, added entries, subject headings, classification or call number, and codes such as
the standard number.

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MAIN ENTRY - The entry in a library catalog that provides the fullest description of a bibliographic item, by
which the work is to be uniformly identified and cited. In AACR2, the main entry is the primary access
point.

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BIBLIOGRAPHIC DESCRIPTION -A set of standards adopted in 1971 by

the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), governing the bibliographic description of items
collected by libraries.

ADDED ENTRY— An entry other than the main entry by which an item is represented in the catalog.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD— A unit describing a work in a bibliographic file, e.g., a catalog card.

CHIEF SOURCE OF INFORMATION— The preferred source of cataloging data, usually the equivalent of
the title page.

CORPORATE BODY— An organization or group of persons that may act as an entity, e.g.,associations,
institutions, government agencies, firms.

CROSS-REFERENCE - A reference from a heading to one or more other headings in the same catalog,
index, or reference work. The most common are see references, instructing the user to look elsewhere for
the preferred form of the heading, and see also references, directing the user to related headings under
which additional information may be found.

AUTHORITY FILE - A list of the authoritative forms of the headings used in a library catalog or file of
bibliographic records, maintained to ensure that headings are applied consistently as new items are added
to the collection. Separate authority files are usually maintained for names, uniform titles, series titles, and
subjects. All the references made to and from a given heading are also included in the file.

NAME AUTHORITY FILE - An authorized list giving the preferred form of entry for names (personal,
corporate, and geographic) used as headings in the library catalog and any cross-references from variant
forms.

TYPES OF CATALOG
1. Card catalog
a. Dictionary catalog - A type of catalog, widely used in the United States before the conversion of
the card catalog to machine-readable form, in which all the entries (main,added, subject)
and cross-references are interfiled in a single alphabetic sequence, as opposed to a
catalog divided into separate sections by type of entry (author, title, subject).
b. Classified catalog - A subject catalog in which entries are filed in the notational order of a pre-
established classification system, with bibliographic records under as manysubject headings as
apply to the content of each item.
c. Divided catalog – A type of catalog wherein the entries are divided and filed separately into
author, subject and title card.
2. Union catalog - A list of the holdings of all the libraries in a library system, or of all or a portion of
the collections of a group of independent libraries, indicating by name and/or location symbol which
libraries own at least one copy of each item.
3. Online public access catalog (OPAC) - a database composed of bibliographic records describing
the books and other materials owned by a library or library system, accessible via public terminals
or workstations usually concentrated near the reference desk to make it easy for users to request
the assistance of a trained reference librarian.
4. Book catalog - A library catalog in the form of a bound or loose-leaf book, whether handwritten,
printed, or computer-generated, practical only for small collections.

Parts of a Book
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1. Dust jacket - The removable paper wrapper on the outside of a hardcover book, usually printed in
color and given a glossy finish to market the work to retail customers and protect it from wear and
tear.
2. Spine - The part of the binding on a book between the front and back covers that conceals and
protects the binding edge of the sections, the only part of the cover visible when the volume is
placed upright alongside others on the shelf.
3. Book cover - The outer protective material attached to the sewn, stitched, or adhered leaves of a
manuscript or printed publication, consisting in books of two panels (front and back), each attached
along a flexible joint to an inlay over the spine.
4. End paper - In bookbinding, a sheet of thick, strong paper folded down the center, one-half of
which is pasted to the inside of the front or back board, the other half forming the first or last leaf
(the flyleaf or free endpaper), to protect the text from the boards and counteract the pull of the
cover on the boards.
5. Fly leaf - the term applies only to the binder's blank leaf at the beginning of a book, following the
front free endpaper, and by analogy at the end of the text, preceding the back free endpaper, when
the text does not fill the last page or pages. Their purpose is to protect the leaves of the first and
last sections of the text block from damage.
6. Frontispiece - In printed books, an unnumbered illustration or pictorial element appearing on the
unpaginated verso of the leaf immediately preceding the title page or first page
7. Half title page - The title of a book as printed, in full or in brief, on the recto of a leaf preceding the
title page, usually in a smaller size of the font in which the title proper is printed on the title page.
8. TITLE PAGE - The page at the beginning of a manuscript, book, or other printed publication, often
of special design, bearing the title proper of the work and usually, but not necessarily, the name of
the author(s), editor(s), translator(s), and publisher or printer and in some cases the volume
number (if applicable) and date and place of publication. The title page is the chief source of
information used by librarians in cataloging a book.
9. Copyright page - On the verso of the title page, indicates the year in which a work was first
published, usually printed in the copyright notice.
10. Preface - A preliminary statement at the beginning of a book, usually written by the author, stating
the origin, scope, purpose, plan, and intended audience of the work and including any
afterthoughts and acknowledgments of assistance, usually in the final paragraphs.
11. Foreword - Introductory remarks preceding the text of a work, usually written by a person other
than the author. When written by the author, introductory remarks constitute the preface. The
foreword differs from the preface in remaining unchanged from one edition to the next.
12. Introduction - The part of a book in which the subject, purpose, and limits of the work are briefly
stated, and the reader prepared for the treatment of the subject that follows in the text, usually
written by the author or a recognized authority in the field.
13. Dedication - A brief note in which the creator of a work addresses it to one or more persons,
usually a colleague, mentor, or family member, as a sign of honor, appreciation, or affection.
14. Table of Contents - A list of the contents of a printed publication in the order of their appearance,
usually with page numbers as locators.
15. Body of the book - In printing, the main portion of a book, beginning with the first page of the text
and including any footnotes and illustrations
16. Index - An alphabetically arranged list of headings consisting of the personal names, places, and
subjects treated in a written work, with page numbers to refer the reader to the point in the text at
which information pertaining to the heading is found
17. Glossary - An alphabetically arranged list of the specialized vocabulary of a given subject or field
of study, with brief definitions, often appearing at the end of a book or at the beginning of a long
entry in a technical reference work.
18. Bibliography - a list of references to sources cited in the text of an article or book, or suggested by
the author for further reading, usually appearing at the end of the work.
19. Appendix - A part of a written work, not essential to the completeness of the text, containing
complementary information such as statistical tables or explanatory material too long to be included
in the text or in footnotes or endnotes.

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LEVELS OF DESCRIPTION
1. MINIMAL LEVEL CATALOGING (MLC) - An encoding level that allows more severe
limitations on the description and classification of an item (and on the amount of authority control)
2. CORE LEVEL CATALOGING - An encoding level developed for use in the Program for
Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) that allows the cataloger to create bibliographic records containing fewer
data elements than in full level cataloging but more than in minimal level cataloging.
3. FULL LEVEL CATALOGING - The most complete form of general cataloging, applied to
library materials not designated for one of the other encoding levels, producing a bibliographic record that
contains the fullest set of data elements, including a complete bibliographic description of the item in a
record structured to facilitate descriptive and subject access.

AREAS OF BIBLIOGRAPHIC DESCRIPTION

The description is divided into the following areas:
Area 1 Title and statement of responsibility
Area 2 Edition
Area 3 Material (or Type of Publication) Specific Details
Area 4 Publication, distribution, etc.
Area 5 Physical description
Area 6 Series
Area 7 Notes
Area 8 Standard number and terms of availability

MARC TAGS
NUMBERS AND CODES (01X-04X)
010 – Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN)
016 – National Bibliographic Agency Control Number
020 – International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
022 – International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
033 – Date/Time and place of an event
034 – Coded cartographic mathematical data
040 – Cataloging source
041 – Language code
043 – Geographic area code
047 –Form of musical composition code
048 – Number of musical instruments or voice code

CLASSIFICATION NOTATIONS AND/OR CALL NUMBERS (05X-09X)

050 – Library of Congress (LC) Call Number
070 – National Agricultural Library Call Number
060 – National Library of Medicine Call Number
080 – Universal Decimal Classification Number
082 – Dewey Decimal Classification Number
09X – Local call numbers
MAIN ENTRY FIELDS (1XX)
100 – Main entry – personal name
110 – Main entry – Corporate name
111 – Main entry – Meeting name
130 – Main entry – Uniform title
TITLE AND TITLE-RELATED FIELDS (20X-24X)
240 – Uniform title
245 – Title proper, general material designation, remainder of title, statement of responsibility
246 – Varying form of title
247 – Former title
EDITION, IMPRINT, ETC., FIELDS (25X-28X)
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 250 – Edition statement
254 – Musical presentation statement
255 – Cartographic mathematical data
256 – Computer file characteristics
260 – Publication, distribution, etc. (Imprint : place, publisher, etc., date)
263 – Projected publication date
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION, ETC., FIELDS (3XX)
300 – Physical description (extent of item, other details, size, accompanying material)
310 – Current publication frequency
321 – Former publication frequency
336 – Content Type
337 – Media Type
338 – Carrier Type
362 – Dates of publication and/or sequential designation

SERIES STATEMENT FIELDS (4XX)

[title proper of series, remaining title information, statement of responsibility relating to series, ISSN
of series, numbering,
400 – Series statement / added entry title
490 – Series statement (not an added entry)
NOTE FIELDS (5XX)
500 – General note
502 – Dissertation note
504 – Bibliography, etc., note
505 – Formatted contents note
506 – Restrictions on access note
508 – Creation/production credits note
510 – Citation/References note
511 – Participant or performer note
516 – Type of computer file or data note
520 – Summary, etc., note
521 – Target audience note
533 – Reproduction note
534 – Original version note
538 – System details note
546 – Language note
547 – Former title complexity note
561 – Ownership and custodial history
580 – Linking entry complexity note
59X – Local notes
SUBJECT ACCESS FIELDS (6XX)
600 – Subject added entry – personal name
610 – Subject added entry – corporate name
611 – Subject added entry – meeting name
630 – Subject added entry – uniform title
650 – Subject added entry – topical term
651 – Subject added entry – geographic name
653 – Index term – uncontrolled
654 – Subject added entry – faceted topical terms
655 – Index term – genre/form
69X – Local subject access fields
ADDED ENTRY FIELDS (70X-75X)
700 – Added entry – personal name
710 – Added entry – corporate name
711 – Added entry – meeting name
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 720 – Added entry – uncontrolled name
730 – Added entry – uniform title
740 – Added entry – uncontrolled related/ analytical title

LINKING ENTRY FIELDS (76X-78X)

770 – Supplement/special issue entry
772 – Supplement parent entry
776 – Additional physical form entry
780 – Preceding entry
785 – Succeeding entry
787 – Nonspecific relationship entry

SERIES ADDED ENTRY FIELDS (80X-840)

800 – Series added entry – personal name
810 – Series added entry – corporate name
811 – Series added entry – meeting name
830 – Series added entry – uniform title

HOLDINGS, LOCATION, ALTERNATE GRAPHICS, ETC., FIELDS (841-88X)

852 – Location / call number
856 – Electronic location and access
880 – Alternate graphic representation

Watch:
History of Cataloging:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig0-VjcnIXY

Cataloging Basics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5_YjSEj4sc

Activity 1:

1. Make a powerpoint on how to catalog a book. Step by step with right punctuation marks and spacing.
2. Search about cataloguing section of the library and what are the functions or responsibilities of the
assigned librarian in that section.

Reference:

https://libguides.ala.org/catalogingtools
https://www.librarianshipstudies.com/2015/05/cataloging.html
https://www.ijaar.org/articles/Volume4-Number7/Arts-Humanities-Education/ijaar-ahe-v4n7-jul18-p6.pdf

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 Module 2 – Resource Description and Access

Overview:

Resource Description and Access (RDA) is the new standard for descriptive cataloging providing data
elements, instructions, and guidelines on recording the contents and formulating bibliographic metadata for
description and access to information resources covering all types of content and media held in libraries
and related cultural organizations, such as museums and archives. RDA is designed for the digital world.

Course Outcome:

• Discuss and demonstrate Resource Description and Access; recording attributes and manifestation
items; distinguish single author and corporate author.
• Identify and demonstrate works and expression; prepare authority records.

Learning Outcome:

After successful completion of this module, the student should be able to:

• Discuss and demonstrate Resource Description

• Distinguish single author, families and corporate author
• Identify and demonstrate works and expression
• Prepare authority records

Course Materials:

RESOURCE DESCRIPTION AND ACCESS (RDA)

RDA has been developed by the Joint Steering Committee for the Development of RDA, which
consists of representatives from US, UK, Australia and Canada. This is the same body that was
responsible for developing and maintaining AACR2. Discussions on the future of AACR2 began in the late
1990s, when it was becoming obvious that AACR2 was proving inadequate for the digital information
world. Attempts were made to revise it over the following years, but the existing structure of AACR was
found to be too restrictive to allow the changes that were needed. The decision to abandon this structure
and develop a new standard, Resource Description and Access (RDA), came in 2005. It was published in
June 2010.

At the same time, developments were occurring elsewhere in the bibliographic world. Our cataloguing
rules do not exist in a vacuum. They are founded on and underpinned by guidelines and standards
developed by the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) and others, designed to help us
make sense of what we are trying to do, and standardize it so that we can share catalogue data around
the world, even if we are using different rule systems.

So, while RDA was being developed, IFLA was also in the process of revising some of their guiding
documents. The internationally accepted “Paris Principles”, developed in 1961, to standardize the choice
and form of entries in card catalogues, were revised to form a new Statement of International Cataloguing
Principles, published in 2009.

IFLA also revised their ISBDs, or International Standards for Bibliographic Description, which standardize
both the content and organization of bibliographic data, and are the basis of most cataloguing rules
throughout the world.

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Both the Principles, and the ISBDs are now more relevant to the digital information environment. They are
format neutral, and place a greater emphasis on meeting the needs of users. They also conform to the
new FRBR family of conceptual models, and strongly influenced the development of RDA.
FRBR family
• Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records – 1998
• Functional Requirements for Authority Data – 2009
• FRSAD – Functional Requirements for Subject Authority Data – 2010

The FRBR family are a set of conceptual models for managing and understanding the huge volume of
bibliographic and authority data we are now collecting in our online systems. They have been developed
over the last 15 years in response to the growth of shared cataloguing, cost of cataloguing issues, and
concerns about meeting the needs of users. The models help to define the functional requirements of
bibliographic and authority data, and relate them to the variety of user needs
Purposes of RDA

1. RDA has been developed specifically with users in mind.

2. Represents a new way of thinking about bibliographic and authority data.
3. Designed as a content standard

Entities are essentially the key things in an information database that are of interest to its users. For the
library database context, the FRBR models break these entities into three groups –

Group 1 entities are the Resource entities – that is, Work, Expression, Manifestation, Item
Group 2 entities are Agent entities such as Person, Families, and Corporate Bodies
and Group 3 entitles are the Subjects (Concepts, objects, events, places)

Relationships are basically what connects entities to each other.

For example, resources have relationships to agents and subjects, and even to other resources. We
would think of these relationship now as “access points” to a resource.
And agents and subjects will have relationships to other agents and subjects. We would think of these
now as “references” or “related headings”

Finally, the FRBR models relate the information about entities and relationships directly to the needs of
users. That is, what do users actually need to know about them, and what will they want to do with the
information.
For resources, FRBR defines 4 user tasks:
to find resources relating to their needs
to identify the particular resource they are looking for.
to select a version of that resource that best meets their needs,
And to actually obtain a copy of it.
For entities like people, families, corporate bodies, and subjects, users still want to find and identify what
they are looking for, but they also need to clarify the context (eg. is this latest name for this corporate
body or has it changed its name?) and they need to understand or have some justification as to why
the entity has been described the way it has (eg why has this person’s name been expressed in this form)

AACR2 was written in the era of the card catalogue. Everything you catalogued had its own set of cards in
the catalogue (the origins of the concept of a catalogue record), and these catalogue cards had limited
space. So information was clearly delineated into headings (for filing in the drawer) and descriptive
information. AACR2 therefore reflected this clear delineation by having separate sections for descriptive
elements and headings or “access points”.

AACR2 was also structured around the physical format of items with chapters for each format, and
differing rules within each chapter. This had the advantage of allowing cataloguers working with particular
formats to focus on the rules that related to their format.
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But it also had its limitations.

RDA, with its FRBR-based framework, sees catalogue information about a resource as a set of data
elements that help users to find that resource and other things that are related to it, rather than as a single,
contained “catalogue record”. This recognises that in the online world, there is more interest in the re-use
of bibliographic data (such as in a Linked Data environment) instead of re-using entire bibliographic
records.

RDA is also format-neutral, giving much greater emphasis to intellectual content than AACR2. While
physical format elements are still important to record, they are no longer the primary consideration when
cataloguing. RDA does this not only to advance the primacy of content over format, but also in recognition
of the fact that the concepts associated with “format” are really far more diverse than can be covered in a
single statement of “This is a book” or “This is music”.

AACR2 RDA
• Description Description
– ISBD elements - attributes of FRBR entities
– classes of material - types of content and carrier
– mode of issuance - mode of issuance
– type of description - type of description
• Access Access
– choice of access points - FRBR relationships
– form of headings - attributes of FRAD entities
– References - FRAD relationships
- subject relationships*

Part 1 of RDA:

Attributes.
The first part of RDA, about Attributes, contains all the instructions about describing the
entity itself, similar to Part 1 of AACR2. But because of it’s alignment with the FRBR/FRAD
entities, the information isn’t in the same order. Instead, it breaks down the descriptive information
into the attributes of Works, Expressions, Manifestations, and Items. You’ll see no chapters on
specific formats.

Part 2: Relationships
In the Second part of RDA, the focus is on relationships. RDA has given you instructions
on describing what the entities are, and now goes on to talk about how to relate them to each
other.

Key difference from AACR

Firstly, what HASN’T changed. Basically, the instructions that were in AACR2 formed the basis of the text
for RDA, so you will find that MANY of them haven’t changed much. They may have been reworded to
make them easier to understand, but they’re still there. The example I just gave of the basic instruction for
recording a title is an example. It even still has options and alternatives, like AACR2 does, to allow
cataloguers some judgement. And many of these are the same too, though there’s more now.
We’ll still be able to code them in MARC records, and they’ll still fit into the ISBD record structure that we
are used to.

What’s different?
• Print based vs. Online interactive tool.
• Levels of description vs. Core elements
13
• GMD vs. Content, Carrier and Media type
• Main entry vs. authorised access points for works.
• Examples showing changes in transcription and recording of data

14
15
Watch:

https://www.librarianshipstudies.com/2017/07/resource-description-and-access-rda.html

Activity:

I. Descriptive cataloging exercise. Formulate a main entry card using the following bibliographic
elements.
A. A book entitled “Counseling the adolescent: with the subtitle: individual, family, and school
interventions. This book has bibliography, glossary and index. Measures 24.7 centimeters. The
book is edited by Jon Carlson and Judith Lewis. It is has colored illustrations and photos. ISBN
0891082573. The book is in its third edition. Published in Denver by the Love Publishing Company
in 1998. The book is number 3 in the Counseling and guidance series. It has index.

B. A 3-volume book entitled “A history of Asia” by Rhoads Murphey. It has colored maps and
illustration. Measures 27.4 centimeters. The book comes with a CD. It is published by
HarperCollins College Publishers in New York. It is in its Second Edition. It has bibliographical
references. The book is distributed by Wesley & Sons in California. ISBN 0673994074 (alk. paper).
Copyright 1996. Measures 25.4 centimeters. Number 4 in the History of the world series.

16
C. A book entitled “Children in the church today” (with subtitle: an Orthodox perspective. This book
has 2 volumes. Measures 26.2 centimeters. The book is written by Sister Magdalen and illustrated
by Tatiana Misijuk. It is has colored illustrations and photos. ISBN 0881411043. The book is an
International edition. Published in New York by St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press. The book belongs to
the Traditional book series. It has bibliographical references. Published in 1991. The subject
headings assigned for this work are: 1. Orthodox Eastern Church --Membership. 2. Families --
Religious life.

D. A book entitled “State, social policy and social change in Germany 1880-1980.” It is edited by W.R.
Lee and Eve Rosenhaft. Part of the German studies series. It has colored photos and illustration.
Published by the Oxford University Press. Has 332 pages and 13 preliminary pages. Measures
35.6 centimeters. The book comes with User’s guide having 23 pages. ISBN 185973197X.
Copyright year 1997. It is in its Second Edition. The book is distributed by Harper Publications in
Boston. It has bibliography and index.

17
Reference:

https://www.librarianshipstudies.com/2017/07/resource-description-and-access-
rda.html#:~:text=Resource%20Description%20and%20Access%20(RDA)%20is%20a%20standard%20for
%20descriptive,guidelines%20on%20formulating%20bibliographic%20data.&text=RDA%20offers%20librar
ies%20the%20potential,data%20is%20created%20and%20used.

http://downloads.alcts.ala.org/ce/103112_RDAforthenoncataloger.pdf

Module 3 – Subject Cataloging

Overview:

Subject cataloging is the phase of the cataloging process which is concerned with determining and
describing the intellectual or artistic content and the genre/form characteristics of a resource, and
translating that understanding into subject headings and classification notations.

Course Outcome:

• Describe principles of subject cataloging; identify and distinguish author, title and subject entries.
• Demonstrate standard list of subject headings; prepare and justify subject headings and authority
records.

Learning Outcome:

After successful completion of this module, the student should be able to:

• Describe principles of subject cataloguing

• Identify and distinguish author, title and subject entries.
• Demonstrate standard list of subject headings
• Prepare and justify subject headings and authority records.

Course Materials:

The concept of subject cataloguing appeared on the scene in the mid-nineteenth century. Before
then, descriptive cataloging was the only library cataloging that was practiced. Libraries were much smaller
than they are today, and scholarly librarians then were able, with the aid of printed bibliographies, to be
familiar with everything available on a given subject and guide the users to it. With the rapid growth of
knowledge in many fields in the course of the nineteenth century and the consequential increase in the
volume of books and other library materials, it became desirable to do a preliminary subject analysis of
such works and then to represent them in the catalogue in such a way that they would be retrievable by
subject. This is subject cataloguing (Miller, 2004).

Subject cataloging is that aspect of cataloguing whose focus is the subject content of book or
information material. Therefore, subject cataloging encompasses classification and assignment of subject
headings for the information items.

18
 According to Miller (2004), subject cataloging deals with what a book or other library item is about,
and the purpose of subject cataloging is to list under one uniform word or phrase all the materials on a
given topic that a library has in its collection. By doing so, if a person is looking for information on a
particular topic; he is able to get it through the subject headings approach.

To establish subject headings for a given book or information material, the cataloguer uses a
subject heading list as the base. A subject heading list is an established and standardized list of preferred
terms from which the cataloguer selects term(s) to describe the subject of a book or any information
material. The major subject heading lists in use in many libraries are the Sears List of Subject Headings,
the Library of Congress Subject Headings, and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH).

Importance of Subject Cataloging:

1. It helps in determining subject content when the title of the work does not completely indicate what
the material is all about.
2. It provides access to all relevant materials by subject.
3. It brings together all references to materials on the same subject.
4. It shows subject fields affiliations.
5. It provides a formal description of subject content.

Definition of Terms:

Subject Cataloging – is the process of providing subject access points to bibliographic records. Process
of assigning subject headings to materials being cataloged.

Subject Heading – the term (a word or a group of words) denoting a subject under which all material on
that subject is entered in a catalog and it is authorized heading in a standard list of subject headings.

Subject Content – the theme or topic treated by the author in the work whether stated in the title or not.
Example: Philosophy (Introduction to Philosophy) ; Classical literature (Greek and Roman literature)

Subject Analysis – the process of identifying the intellectual content of work. Process: Read the work,
identify subject content(s), determine phase relations of subjects, represents subject content with subject
heading(s).

Subject Catalog – a catalog consisting of subject entries only.

Subject Authority Record – a record of a subject heading that shows its established form, cites the
authorities consulted in determining the choice and form of the heading, and indicates the cross references
made to and from the heading. It is also a collection of subject authority records is known as subject
authority file.

Subject Entry – an entry in a catalog or bibliography under a heading which indicates the subject of an
item. The subject card in a card catalog is an example of a subject entry.

Types of Catalogs with Subject Entries

• Classed catalog – with hierarchical entries

• Alphabetical-specific catalog – contains specific subject headings arranged alphabetically.
• Dictionary catalog – author, title, and subject entries are separately arranged in alphabetical
sequence.
• Online catalog – automated catalog.

19
Function of Subject Authority File

1. Serves as a source of controlled vocabulary and as a means for verifying and validating headings.
2. Serves as the source for validation and verification of cross references, current status of headings,
etc.
3. Shows user terminology and form of subject access point and cross references in the catalog.

Principles of Subject Cataloging

1. USER AND USAGE - the user and their usual way of looking or searching for information should
be determined since these are important in determining the terms and forms of subject headings to
be used.

Example:
Birds instead of Ornithology

2. UNIFROM HEADINGS – each subject should be represented in the catalog under only one
heading and under only one form and format.
a) Synonymous terms
Example:
Choice among synonymous terms

Adventure fiction
UF Adventure and adventures – Fiction
Adventure stories
Suspense novels

b) Variant spellings
Example:
Choice among variant spellings

Aesthetics
UF Esthetics

Archeology
UF Archaeology

c) Foreign terms vs. Local terms

Example:

Dung-aw instead of Crying for the dead

Pinakbet instead of Vegetable in tomato sauce
Bagnet instead of Deep fried pork

There may be a list of subject heading specific to a “country” e.g. Filipiniana subject
heading list, which may be used as a source.

d) Technical vs. Popular terms

Example:

Cryogenics
USE Cold temperatures

Gynecology
USE Women – Health and hygiene
20
 e) Obsolete vs. Current terms
Example:

Computing machines
USE Computers

Blacks
USE African American

3. UNIQUE HEADINGS – the same term should not be used in more than one sense.

Example:
Cold (Disease) ; Cold (Temperature)

4. SPECIFIC ENTRY – Chose the most specific subject heading available.

Example:

Cats instead of Animals (if the book is about cats only)

5. CROSS REFERENCES
• See or Use – unauthorized to authorized
• See also – related headings
BT – broader term
NT – narrower term
RT – related term
• General reference – covers an entire category or class of headings

6. PHASE RELATIONS
a. Influence phase
Example: Role of sociology in education
b. Bias Phase
Example: Biology for Philippine schools
c. Tools or application phase
Example: Use of mathematics in art
d. Comparison phase
Example: Asian literature

Subject Heading List is the printed or published list of subject headings which may be produced from the
subject authority file maintained by an organization or individual.

Subject heading list contains the preferred subject access terms (controlled vocabulary) that are assigned
as an added entry in the bibliographic record which works as an access point and enables the work to be
searched and retrieved by subject from the library catalog database. The controlled vocabulary identifies
synonyms terms and selects one preferred term among them to be used as the subject heading. For
homonyms, it explicitly identifies the multiple concepts expressed by that word or phrase. In short,
vocabulary control helps overcoming problems that occur due to natural language of the document’s
subject. Hence, if vocabulary control is not exercised different indexers or the same indexer might use
different terms for the same concept on different occasions for indexing the documents dealing with the
same subject and also use a different set of terms representing the subject at the time of searching. This,
in turn, would resut ‘mis-match’ and thus affect information retrieval. Cross-references are used with
headings to direct user from terms not used as headings to the term that is used, and from broader and
related topics to the one chosen to represent a given subject.
21
 Two popular subject heading lists are Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) and Sears List
of Subject Headings.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) is the list of headings produced from the subject
authority file maintained by the United States Library of Congress for use in bibliographic records. It is
popularly known by its abbreviation as LCSH and is sometimes used interchangeably with the phrase
subject authority file. LCSH is a controlled vocabulary. A single word or phrase is chosen to represent
each concept that is included, and synonyms are provided as see-references to that heading. It also
indicates relationships between and among headings. It is not a true thesaurus, though, because for
historical reasons it does not completely conform to the international standard on thesaurus construction.
LCSH comprises the complete alphabetic list of terms to be used as controlled vocabulary for subject
concepts by the catalogers of the Library of Congress and other libraries to provide such controlled subject
access to surrogate records. LCSH has been used in cataloging since 1898 at the Library of Congress in
assigning subject headings to facilitate subject access to the resources in its library catalog.

LCSH is a multidisciplinary vocabulary that includes headings in all subjects, from science to
religion, to history, social science, education, literature, and philosophy. It also includes headings for
geographic features, ethnic groups, historical events, building names, etc. Library of Congress Subject
Headings (LCSH) is the most widely used subject vocabulary in the world. It is the model for many other
vocabularies in English and other languages and has been translated into numerous languages. The
strongest aspect of LCSH is that it represents subject headings of the Library of Congress, the national
library of the United States, one of the richest of national libraries of the world. The administrative and
managerial machinery of LC has made it possible for LCSH to stand out as an undisputed leader. LCSH is
also used as indexing vocabulary in a number of published bibliographies.

Types of Main Headings

1. Topical Headings – are those that use a word or phrase to describe a content, or topic, of the
library material.
Example:
EDUCATION
BEACH PLANTS
AMERICAN STUDENTS
MARKETING
All of these examples are various ways of describing the information contained in
items in the library collection. Topical headings may often also be used as a subdivision of
another heading, such as BUSINESS – MARKETING, or COUNTRY MUSIC – HISTORY
AND CRITICISM.

2. Form Heading – it is used to describe the genre, or style, of the item being cataloged.
Example:
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE, referring to collections of works published for children
regardless of their topical content.
POETRY, referring to collections of poems, again without looking at the specific
topic(s) covered by those poems.

Using form headings can be a way to indicate to the library user and staff where
materials in specific form can be found, such as essays, plays, poems, biographies, various
forms of literature, etc. Form headings can either be used alone, or can be combined with a
topical subject, such as CONCENTRATION CAMPS – DRAMA, indicating both the content
and form of the library item.

22
 3. Name Headings - if the work being catalogued is about a person or a place or a corporate entity,
then a name heading is appropriate .The rules for constructing these headings will depend on the
type of name.

Personal names: A biography will have a subject heading for the biographer.
Personal name headings are constructed according to AACR2/LCRI practice. Family
names and royal houses and dynasties are coded as personal names, but they are
constructed according to subject cataloguing rules.

Syntax of Main Headings

1. Singular and Plural Subject Heading - subject headings may be single nouns, such as
AUTOIMMUNITY or BIOLOGY. They may also be plural nouns, such as BELTS or THEATERS.
Sometimes the LCSH employs the singular and plural forms of a word as different headings.

The scope note is very helpful in explaining the way each term will be used. Here is an example
using a singular, a plural, and a synonym:

THEATER is for drama as acted on the stage

THEATERS is for facilities used to stage drama
DRAMA is for drama as a literary form
Without scope notes, a cataloger would be unable to apply these headings correctly.

2. Proper Nouns - Subject headings can also be proper nouns, such as the name of a famous
person, family, place, or event. These styles of headings are frequently found in the coverage of
biographical, historical, or literary materials.

Example:

BEMBE (WEST AFRICAN PEOPLE)

SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM, 1564-1616

JESUITS

ARARAT, MOUNT (TURKEY)

SOUTH AFRICAN WAR, 1899-1902.

Sometimes these headings include date ranges and sometimes they consist only of the
proper noun.

3. Phrases - Sometimes subject headings consist of a noun with an adjective, such as

COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATIONS, or COMPUTER GAMES. Sometimes they are nouns connected
with ‘and’, such as COMPUTER AND PIANO MUSIC or WIT AND HUMOR. They may also be
phrases, such as:

BALLET IN LITERATURE

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION OF THE DEAF

CABLE TELEVISION ADVERTISING

23
 CATALOGING OF RARE BOOKS

Sometimes these phrases are inverted, such as CHEMISTRY, TECHNICAL or BRONZES,

CHINESE.

4. Use of Parentheses - Several of the examples for the various types of subject headings shown
above have words in parentheses that are included in the subject heading. This style of entry will
often be found in LCSH. The purpose of the parentheses is to clarify the meaning of the term being
listed.

For example:

CABERNET (WINE) - The term ‘wine’ is used to indicate this subject heading is for a
beverage, not a proper noun being used in any other way.

BARS (DRINKING ESTABLISHMENTS)—NEW YORK - ‘Drinking establishments’ clarifies

what is meant by BARS.

ARARAT, MOUNT (TURKEY)a geographic indicator, ‘Turkey’, is used to make sure that
there is no confusion as to where this mountain is located.

There are many examples throughout LCSH of clarifying terms being used in
parentheses after a word or phrase. Even though they make the subject heading longer,
they are helpful. If a subject heading is chosen that includes such a word or phrase, be sure
to copy it exactly as listed in LCSH. If a subject heading is created by the cataloger, such as
happens with the categories listed in the pattern headings, it is also possible to use a
clarifying word or phrase if needed. An example might be the term LIME, which could be
used to describe a fruit or a mineral. Using the term LIME (FRUIT) or LIME (MINERAL)
helps to indicate the content of the item being cataloged. Catalogers should feel free to add
words or phrases in parentheses to any subject heading terms they feel might not be
understood by their patrons.

5. Free-floating - are form or topical terms that may be used as subdivisions under designated
subject heading terms, without needing to be listed in the LCSH printed volumes. These terms are
to be used at the discretion of the cataloger, whenever their use is deemed appropriate for the
needs of an individual library. While the cataloger is expected to use these terms fairly freely,
without worrying about whether other libraries have used the same subdivisions, there are
guidelines for how to use these free-floating terms.

Heading for Named Entities

1. Personal Names – Follow AACR2R rules as regards format.

• Person
Example: Defoe, Daniel, 1661-1771
• Families
Example: Aquino family
• Gods/goddesses
Example: Zeus (Greek deity)
• Legendary character
Example: Merlin (Legendary character)

2. Corporate Names – if used as main entry, its form of heading should be similar with subject entry.
Example:
CHINESE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
24
 3. Jurisdictional Geographic Names – regardless of the changes in geographic jurisdictions, the
current name of the place should be used.
Example:
PHILIPPINES VIGAN (ILOCOS SUR, PHILIPPINES)
CHICHAGO (ILL.)
4. Non- Jurisdictional Geographic Name – names of the natural geographic features that may be
used as subject entries but not used as main entries.
Example:
AMAZON RIVER
OHIO RIVER VALLEY
5. Generic Qualifiers – added to non-jurisdictional name when there is a need to distinguish between
headings and/or cross references that have the same name and geographic qualifier.
Example:
BIG BEAR LAKE (CALIF.:LAKE)
6. Entry Element (for Geographic headings) - the inverted form is used when the name of the
natural geographic feature consists of a specific and generic term, and the generic term precedes
the specific term.
Example:
FUJI, MOUNT (JAPAN)
(specific) (generic)

ROCKY MOUNTAINS
(specific) (generic)

Subdivisions

1. Geographic Subdivisions
a. Direct (country follows heading)
Example:
MUSIC – SPAIN
EDUCATION – FINANCE – JAPAN
b. Indirect (country interposed between main heading and local place)
Example:
CHARITIES – FRANCE – PARIS
2. Literary Works
a. Works about literature in general
Example:
LITERATURE – HISTORY AND CRITICISM
b. Anthologies by more than one author
Example:
LITERATURE – COLLECTIONS
3. Biography
a. For individual biographies, the subject heading is the name of the biographee.
Example:
Twain, Mark, 1835-1910 – Biography
b. For collection of biographies use the following examples.
Example:
Biography
Biography – Dictionaries
Philosophers – Biography
Art – Biography
Italy – Biography
4. Children’s Materials
a. Regular headings implying juvenile nature or with juvenile subdivisions
25
 Examples:
Family – Juvenile drama
Children’s play
b. Alternative headings for children’s materials (regular subject headings without juvenile
subdivisions)
Example:
[Horsemanship – Fiction] – headings are enclosed in brackets

Sears List of Subject Heading

The Sears List of Subject Headings was first designed in 1923 by Minnie Earl Sears (1873-1933)
based on the needs and requirements of small and medium libraries for simple an broader subject
headings for the use of their dictionary catalogues. It is based on LCSH but in more simple phrasing and
limited entries. The first edition contained only 3200 preferred headings.
The latest edition of the Sears List published in 2018, it is its 22 nd edition. This is the first edition of
Sears List produced by Grey House Publishing, which acquired the title in 2018. In addition to updating the
look of Sears List with cleaner lines and more accessible typography, the content is now also available as
a free, online database that librarians can access, at no charge for one year. The major feature of this new
edition of the Sears List is the inclusion of more than 1,600 new and revised subject headings. New
headings in this edition reflect the changing needs of library users, which includes addressing the growing
literature in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Types of Subject Headings:

1. Topical Headings
Topical Subject Headings are simply the words or phrases for common things or concepts
that represent the content of various works. In choosing the word or phrase that makes the best
subject heading several things should be considered. These are:
• The literary warrant or the language of the material being catalogued.
• The word most commonly used in the literature i.e. the term chosen as preferred
headings are from common usage.
• Uniformity should be maintained in subject heading by choosing a single word from
its synonyms or near-synonyms and follow this throughout the book.
• Subject headings should be clear and unambiguous.
Example:
United States - History - 1961-1965, Civil War, this subject heading clearly defines
that it is American Civil War.

2. Form Headings
Form heading describes not only the subject content of a work but its form. In other words,
a form heading tells us not what a work is about but what it is. Form in this context means the
intellectual form of the material rather than the physical form of the item. Some types of form
headings are as follows.
• The general arrangement of the material and the purpose of the work, e.g.
Almanacs, Atlases, Directories and Gazetteers.
• Heading of major literary form e.g. Fiction, Poetry, Drama and Essays are usually
used as topical subject headings.
• Minor literary forms also known as genres, e.g. Science Fiction, Epistolary Poetry
and Children’s Plays, are much more numerous and are often assigned to
individual literary work.
• Physical form of some non-book materials, such as puzzles, sound recording, or
comedy films are also identified by form headings.

26
 3. Geographic Heading
Many works in a library’s collection are about geographic areas, countries, cities etc. The
appropriate subject heading for such a work is the name of the place in question. Geographic
headings are the established names of individual places from as large as Africa to places as
small as Walden Pond (Mass).
The Sears list doesn’t provide geographic headings, which are numerous and far beyond
the scope of a single volume. The geographic that are found in Sears are such as, United
States, Ohio, and Chicago (III.), are only as examples. The geographic headings and
geographic subdivisions found in Sears follow the form of abbreviation for qualifying states,
provinces, etc.
Example: United States – Census

4. Names
Still other materials in a library’s collection are about individual persons, families, corporate
bodies, literary works, motion pictures, etc. The appropriate heading for such material is the
unique name of thee entity in question. The three major types of name headings are Personal
names, Corporate names and Uniform titles.
a. Individual or personal name headings are usually established in the inverted form, with
dates if necessary, and with See references from alternate form.
Example:
Clinton, Bill would require a See references from “Clinton, William Jefferson” and if
the library had material about any other person called Bill Clinton, then the name of the
president would need to take the form Clinton, Bill, 1946 –
b. Corporate name headings are the commonly established names of corporate bodies,
such as business firms, institutions, buildings, sport teams, performing groups etc.
Example:
Rockefeller Centre
c. Uniform titles are the established names of sacred scriptures, anonymous literary
works, periodicals, motion pictures, radio and television programmes etc.
Example:
Go with the wind (motion picture)

Grammar of Subject Headings:

In order to construct subject headings the grammar of the subject headings need to be

1. Single Nouns
A single noun is the ideal type of subject heading when the language supplies it. Such
terms are not only the simplest in form but often the easiest to comprehend. A choice must be
made between the singular and plural forms of a noun. The plural are the most common but in
practice both are used.
Example:
Abstract ideas and the names of disciplines of study are usually stated in the
singular. An action, e.g. Eating is also expressed in singular. But headings for concrete
things that can’t be counted are most commonly in the plural form, e.g. Children,
Playgrounds.

2. Compound Headings
Subject headings that consists of two nouns joined by “and” are several types.

Some headings linked two things because together they form a single concept or topic, e.g. Bow
and arrow , Good and evil.

Some headings are so closely related, they are rarely treated separately, e.g. Forest and forestry,
Publishers and publishing.

27
 Some headings are so closely synonymous, they are seldom distinguished, e.g. Cities and towns,
Rugs and carpets.

3. Adjective with Nouns

Often a specific concept is best expressed by a noun with an adjective, e.g. Unemployment
insurance, Buddhist art.

4. Phrase Headings
Some concepts that involve two or more elements can be expressed only by more or less
complex phrases. This are the least satisfactory headings, as they offer the greatest variation in
wording, are often the longest, and may not be thought of readily by either the maker or the user of
the catalogue, but for many topics the English language seems to offer no more compact
terminology.
Example:
Insects as carries of disease, Violence in popular culture.

Subdivisions
Use of subdivisions in Sears List included are as follows:

1. Topical Subdivisions
Topical subdivisions are those subdivisions that brings out the aspect of a subject or point of view
present in a particular work.
Example:
History of subject : Clothing and dress – History
Philosophy of the subject : Religion – Philosophy
Research in the field : Oceanography – Research
Laws about it : Automobiles - Laws and legislation
How to study or teach the subject : Mathematics - study and teaching
2. Geographical Subdivisions
Another aspect of subjects that can be brought out in subdivisions is geographic specificity.
The unit used as a subdivision may be the name of a country, state, city or other geographic area.
A topical heading with a geographic subdivision means simply that topic in a particular place.
Example:
Bridges - France, Agriculture – Ohio

Many subject heading in Sears list are followed by the parenthetical phrase “(May subdiv.
geog.)”. In application this means that if the work in hand deals with that subject in general, only the
heading itself is used; but if it deals with the subject in a particular place, the heading may be
subdivided geographically.
Example:
Theater (may subdiv. geog.) , here the subject heading “Theater” may use alone
as a subject and may be subdivided geographically for a particular nation like, Theater -
Paris.

3. Chronological Subdivisions
Chronological subdivisions, which correspond to generally accepted periods of a country’s
history or to the spans of time most frequently treated in the literature, make such a search much
simpler by bringing together all works on a single period of history.
Example:
United States - History - 1600-1775, Colonial period

The Sears list includes chronological subdivisions only for those countries about which a
small library is likely to have much historical material.
Example:
United States, Canada, Great Britain, France Germany and Italy.
28
 4. Form Subdivisions
Form subdivision tell what an item is rather than what it is about. Some of the most common
subdivisions are, Bibliography, Catalogues, Dictionaries, Gazetteers, Handbooks, manuals, Maps,
Pictorial works, Portraits, Registers and Statistics.
Form subdivisions are particularly valuable under headings for the large fields of knowledge
that are represented by many entries in a library’s catalogue. In applying form subdivisions the
cataloguer should be guided by the character of an item itself, not by the title.
Example:
Geology - Maps, Children’s literature – Bibliography

References
References in SLSH are grouped into three main categories

1. Specific “See” References

The “UF” symbol stands for “Used for”, and it designates those preferred terms or
phrases form which “see” references are to be made.

The most frequent and helpful varieties of See references direct the users form:
• Synonyms or near synonyms
Example: Chemical geology USEGeochemistry
• The second part of the compound heading
Example: Motels USE Hotels and Motels
• Conjunctive i.e. terms connected by “and”,
Example: Religion and Science USEScience and religion
• Variant spelling
Example: Gipsies USEGypsies
• Opposites when they are included without being specifically mentioned
Example: Disobedience USE Obedience
• Singular to plural when two forms are not file together
Example: Goose USEGeese
2. Specific “See also” References
A “See also” reference connect a heading to a related heading or headings designated in
the SLSH as NT“Narrow term(s)” and RT“Related term(s)”, if the library has material listed under
the both headings and it normally move downward from a general to a more specific term(s)
Example:
Indoor gardeningSee alsoTerrariums; Window gardening

Actor

BT Entertainers
NT Comedians
RT Acting
3. General References
The symbols “SA” stands for “See also” and introduces a general reference, which refers
for one heading to an entire category or class of headings rather than an individual heading. A
general explanation or direction is given instead of a long list of individual headings.
Example:
Furniture
See also Books cases
Chairs
Desks
Tables

Activity:
29
 Make 5 (five) bibliographic records applying Resource Description and Access (RDA) and assign
subject heading for each book. In your card catalog, indicate which are the Main entry card, Subject card,
Title card and Shelf list Card.

Reference:

https://zenodo.org/record/2559461#.XywvCSgzbIU
https://www.mpradhan.com.np/wp-
content/uploads/documents/subject_heading/Sears%20List%20of%20Subject%20Headings%20-
%20Barbara%20A.%20Bristow.pdf
https://www.librarianshipstudies.com/2018/01/library-of-congress-subject-headings-lcsh.html

Module 4 – Library Classification

Overview:

Library Classification or Classification or Book Classification or Bibliographic Classification is the

process of arranging, grouping, coding, and organizing books and other library materials (e.g. serials,
sound recordings, moving images, cartographic materials, manuscripts, computer files, e-resources etc.)
on shelves or entries of a catalog, bibliography, and index according to their subject in a systematic,
logical, and helpful order by way of assigning them call numbers using a library classification system, so
that users can find them as quickly and easily as possible. The call number serves a dual purpose: it
determines the place of a book on the shelf and to locate books on the same topic next to each other.

Course Outcome:

• Describe principles of classification of library materials; identify and discuss the major classification
system.
• Discuss, demonstrate and categorize sections of DDC System; identify and categorize different
classification system; categorize of library materials, prepare and justify subject heading and
authority records.
• Explain and demonstrate how to use the Cutter table.

Learning Outcome:

After successful completion of this module, the student should be able to:

• Describe principles of classification of library materials

• Identify and discuss the major classification system
• Discuss, demonstrate and categorize sections of DDC System
• Identify and categorize different classification system
• Categorize, prepare and justify subject headings and authority.

30
 Course Materials:

Classification – the term classification is a derivation from the Latin word “Classis” which connotes
“Grouping”.
- It is a procedure of grouping similar items and objects and is essential in formulating
groups that is known as classifying which results in classification. The process helps
the user to arrange, organize and make a logical sense of articles which also assists
the user to locate them in easy manner.
- It is the ability to distinguish objects through their similarities and dissimilarities which is
distinct for human beings.

Library Classification
- is related with the arrangement of documents in the library in a manner that the readers
are served in the best possible way.
- it requires a detailed scheme of classification in which knowledge is divided into
broader perspective, which is again subdivided into subjects or main classes.
- Deals with the organizing of library materials, belongs to a systematic group.
- Each subject and its divisions along with their specific aspects are represented by a
system of numbers called Notation.
- It is the notation that helps in the arrangement of documents on the shelf.
- can also be considered to be a process of putting books and other reading material on
a subject in a logical sequence on the shelf, which could be of immense help to the
users.
- it requires an adept thorough study and practice in the technique of classification of
books, knowledge of details and handling of the scheme of classification.
- Is one of the most important steps in the organization of the libraries and has been
aptly called the “Foundation of Librarianship”
- According to Berwick Sayers, library classification is the “arrangement of books on
shelves or descriptions of them, in the manner which is most useful to those who read”
- Similarly, Dr. S R Ranganathan, library classification is meant to be “the translation of
the name of the subject of book into a preferred artificial language of ordinal numbers,
and the individualization of the several books dealing with the same specific subject by
means of further set of ordinal numbers which represent some features of the book
other than their thought content.”

Purpose of Library Classification

1. Helpful Sequence
Classification helps in organizing the documents in a method most convenient to the users
and to the library staff. The documents should be systematically arranged in classes based
on the mutual relationship between them which would bring together all closely related
classes. The basic idea is to bring the like classes together and separate these from unlike
classes. The arrangement should be such that the user should be able to retrieve the
required document as a result it will make a helpful sequence.
2. Correct Replacement - Documents whenever taken out from shelf should be replaced in their
proper places. It is essential that library classification should enable the correct replacement of
documents after they have been returned from use. This would require a mechanized arrangement
so that arrangement remains permanent.
3. Mechanized Arrangement - It means to adopt a particular arrangement suitable for the library so
that the arrangement remains permanent. The sequence should be determined once for all, so that
one does not have to pre-determine the sequence of documents once again when these are
returned after being borrowed.

31
 4. Addition of New Document - Library would acquire new documents from time to time therefore
library classification should help in finding the most helpful place for each of those among the
existing collection of the library. There are two possibilities in this regard. The new books may be or
a subject already provided for in the scheme of library classification, or it may be or a newly
emerging subject that may not have been provided in the existing scheme.
5. Withdrawal of Document from Stock - In this case, the need arises to withdraw a document from
the library collection for some reason, and then library classification should facilitate such a
withdrawal.
6. Book Display - Display is adopted for a special exhibition of books and other materials on a given
topic. The term is used to indicate that the collection in an open access library is well presented
and guided. Library classification should be helpful in the organization of book displays.

Components of Library Classification

Library Classification is a process of translating the specific subject of a book into an artificial
language of ordinal numbers, which in classificatory language are helpful in arriving at a logical
arrangement. The essential components of a scheme of library classification are:

1. Notation – It is a set of symbols which stands for a class or a subject e.g. philosophy and literature
and its sub-division example ethics, English literature representing a scheme of classification. For
the purpose of arranging books, use of names of the subjects, broad or specific in natural language
would neither be practicable nor convenient so these are translated into artificial language of
ordinal numbers
Two types of Notation:
- PURE NOTATION- Only one species of symbols are used in in this notation, either
numerals such as 1 to 9 or from letters A to Z.
- MIXED NOTATION- In this notation, more than one set of symbols are used.
2. Form Division – Knowledge may be presented in one form of the other, the form could be text
book, manual, history, dictionary and encyclopedia. These forms or styles of presenting knowledge
of a subject could be commonly applied to any subject. Book classification takes care of
representing form in the Call Number (A number by which a book is called for particularly a closed
access library). The numbers representing the forms of books are called form divisions. They are
also known as common sub-divisions or common-isolates.
3. General Class - There are certain books such as encyclopedias, bibliographies and collected
writings of an author which cannot be classified under any specific subject since they cover all
subjects under the sun and hence are classified under the General Class.
4. Index – is an essential component of a scheme of Library Classification which is provided at the
end of the scheme. It is of immense value to the members in their handling of a classified part of
the catalogue.
5. Call Number – In classifying, each book is provided with a distinguished number specified to it
which can be used for calling the book from the stats and replacing it on its return to its right place.
It is known as a Call Number. This Call Number fixes the position of a book or any document in a
sequence and helps to locate it through its entry in the catalogue. Each document has its own
individual call number which comprises of class numbers which represents the thought content of
the book and the book number which represents one or more of the following: Author No., Year of
Publication, Accession No. or any other such appropriate feature.

- A unique code printed on a label affixed to the outside of an item in a library

collection, usually to the lower spine of a book or videocassette, also printed or
handwritten on a label inside the item.
- Assigned by the cataloger, the call number is also displayed in the bibliographic record
that represents the item in the library catalog, to identify the specific copy of the work
and give its relative location on the shelf.

32
 - In most collections, a call number is composed of a classification number followed by
additional notation to make the call number unique. This gives a classified arrangement
to the library shelves that facilitates browsing.
- Generally, the class number is followed by an author mark to distinguish the work from
others of the same class, followed by a work mark to distinguish the title from other
works of the same class by the same author, and sometimes other information such as
publication date, volume number, copy number, and location symbol.

Library Classification Scheme

According to the Dictionary of Library and Information Science, Classification schemes is defined
as “a list of classes arranged according to a set of predefined principles for the purpose of organizing items
in a collection or entries in an index, bibliography or catalog into groups based on their similarities and
differences to facilitate access and retrieval.
Library classification schemes are tools that allow us to allocate a class mark.

Class Mark
an artificial notation comprising alphanumeric characters and punctuation marks to every item
based on its subject content so that the library staff can preserve all the related items together on the
library’s shelves.

Classification schemes aid a classifier to represent the subject content of every document by appropriate
notations.

A library classification scheme has a number of objectives:

1. To provide a shelf address – to assign a specific location for every document on the library’s shelves.
2. To collate items – placing documents on the same or similar subjects together on the library’s shelves
to facilitate users to find items on the same subject in one place within the library.
3. To link items – to enable users looking for items through a library catalogue can use call numbers as
references to locate items on the shelves; classification is used as a link between the catalogue record of
an item and the item itself on the shelf.
4. To enable browsing facilities – using the structure of a bibliographic classification to browse a
collection on the library’s shelves or in an electronic or in an electronic collection.

33
Features of Classification Scheme

1. Schedules
The term Schedule is used to describe the printed list of all the main classes, divisions and
sub-divisions of the classification scheme. They provide a logical arrangement of all the subjects
encompassed by the classification scheme. This arrangement usually being hierarchical shows the
relationship of specific subjects to their parent subject. The relevant classification symbol is shown
against each subject.

2. Index
The Index to the classification scheme is an alphabetical list of all the subjects
encompassed by the scheme, with the relevant class mark shown against each subject.

There are two types of index:

• A Relative Index – includes broad topics in its alphabetic arrangement, but indented below the
broad subject heading is a list of all the aspects of the subject. For e.g. Dewey Decimal
Classification Scheme has an excellent relative index.
• A Specific Index – lists specific subjects in a précis alphabetical sequence. It does not indent
lists of related topics under the broad subject headings. For example, Brown’s Subject
Classification Scheme has a specific index

3. Notation – it is the system of symbols used to represent the terms encompassed by the
classification scheme. The notation can be pure –using one type of symbol only – or mixed –using
more than one kind of symbol.
• A pure notation would normally involve only letters of the alphabet or only numerals.

• A mixed notation would normally utilize both letters and numerals.

Some notations also involve the use of grammatical signs or mathematical symbols. The
notation usually appears on the spines of library books to facilitate shelving and to ensure that each
book is in its correct place. The notation is also shown on catalogue entries to help the staff and
public to remove books quickly.

4. Tables
The tables of a classification scheme are additional to the schedules and provide lists of
symbols which can be added to class marks to them more specific and precise.

5. Form Class
A form class makes provision for those books where form is of greater importance than
subject. Most books of this kind are literary works – fiction, poetry, plays etc.

6. Generalities Class
This class caters primarily for books of General knowledge which could not be allocated to
any particular subject class due to their pervasive subject coverage. In some respects, a
generalities class is also a form class since general bibliographies, general encyclopedias and
general periodicals would be encompassed in it.

Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC)

Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) is the most popular of all the modern library classification
schemes. It was devised by Melville Dewey in 1876. It provides a systematic arrangement of all the
materials mechanized by notation of great simplicity and apparent flexibility. With the emergence of DDC,
the principle of relative location of books on shelf according to the subject became perfectly feasible and it

34
replaced the then existing practice of a fixed location, when a certain number of shelves were allotted to
each subject and each book was identified by the shelf number and its position on the shelf.
Decimal Classification is an almost enumerative scheme of classification. Since 1876 to 2011 (23rd
edition) this scheme did not look back, and its popularity has grown day by day throughout the world.
This statement can be justified by the fact that DC has been translated into many languages, such
as Chinese, Spanish, Danish, Turkish, Japanese, Hindi, Portuguese, Sinhalese and several other
languages across the globe.

Different Editions of DDC:

Year of Total
Edition Editiors
Publication Pages

1st edition 1876 44 Melvil Dewey

Melvil Dewey & W.S.

2nd edition 1885 314
Biscoe

Melvil Dewey & W.S.

3rd edition 1888 416
Biscoe

4th edition 1891 466 E. May Seymour

5th edition 1894 467 E. May Seymour

6th edition 1899 511 E. May Seymour

7th edition 1911 792 E. May Seymour

8th edition 1913 850 E. May Seymour

9th edition 1915 856 E. May Seymour

10th edition 1919 940 E. May Seymour

11th edition 1922 988 J. Dorkas Fellows

12th edition 1927 1243 J. Dorkas Fellows

J. Dorkas Fellows &

13 edition 1932 1647
M.W. Ge tchell

Constantin Mazney &

14 edition 1942 1927
M. W. Getchell

15 edition 1951 716 Milton J. Fergusom

15 revised
1952 927 Godfrey Dewey
edition

Benjamin A. Custer &

16 edition 1958 2439
D. Haykin

Benjamin A. Custer &

17 edition 1965 2153
D. Haykin
35
18 edition 1971 2718 Benjamin A. Custer

19 edition 1979 3385 Benjamin A. Custer

20 edition 1989 3388 Benjamin A. Custer

21 edition 1996 4115 J.P. Comaromi

22 edition 2003 4076 J. Mitchell

23 edition 2011 J. Mitchell

Figure 1. Different edition of DDC

Features of Dewey Decimal Classification

Dewey introduced the notion of using notation for the subjects in his scheme and applying the
notation to the book and not to the shelves. But certain features forming the basis of its present form can
be still recognized as follows:

1. Universal Scheme
A distinctive feature of the DC is that its classes reflect all the areas of specialized
knowledge developed in modern society. These specialized areas are loosely put together in
the main classes in the scheme, albeit in this manner the principle of collation of bringing of
related subjects in close proximity is sometimes violated.

2. Relative Location
In his scheme, Melvil Dewey introduced the brainwave of ‘relative location’ as opposed to
‘fixed location.’ For this purpose, he utilized the decimal notation consisting of Arabic numerals
for the subjects and assigning that notation to the books on the basis of thought content and
not on the basis of the shelves. In this method, a new book on a given subject may be put in
between the existing sequence at the required position, directed by the notation assigned to
that book and there is no necessity to put the book at the end of the sequence as had been the
practice in “fixed location.”

3. Decimal Notation
Melvil Dewey used decimal fraction notation for the arrangement of knowledge on the
shelves. Indo-Arabic numerals (0 to 9) are used decimally for the subdivisions of knowledge. In
this process, the universe of subjects is divided into ten main classes, each of which is gain
divided into ten divisions. Again each division is further divided into ten sections. At each
stage of division, a given number is sub-divided decimally. All the class numbers in DC are
decimal fractions.

4. Minute Division
The first edition of DC consisted of only 42 pages and at that time, it was criticized for its
being too broad in its sub-division. The number of pages had since been increasing as shown
in Table. This growth suggests the enormous number of sub-divisions which are possible and
useful for minute classification. Dewey emphasized the need of minute division as “the
advantage of close classing is unquestioned if the user knows just what it is.”

5. Mnemonics
36
 Another important feature of DDC is mnemonics, which means ‘aid to memory.’ In DDC,
mnemonics are available for subject synthesis. The use of consistent order in the subject
division of different classes produces mnemonics. There are various tables, such as, Area
Table, Language Table, Standard Division Table, etc. which are used to achieve subject
synthesis. The user may also find Scheduled Mnemonics, Systematic Mnemonics and
Alphabetical Mnemonics at a few places in DC.

6. Integrity of Numbers
One of the most important features of DC is the integrity of numbers. To incorporate new
developments and to keep pace with the growth of knowledge, a scheme of classification
should be revised continually, without changing the basic structure, so that the professionals
may accept the revised edition without hesitation.

7. Auxiliary Tables
Auxiliary tables provide an important basis for preparing numbers and lead to uniform
meanings of numbers when used in various contexts.
A document, which is a source of knowledge, always has some physical form. Melvil Dewey
in the second edition of the scheme published in 1885 introduced the concept of “Form
Divisions” to be used for the sub-divisions of a subject based on the characteristics of
documents, either in accordance with the point of view of the author, i.e. Bibliographical,
Philosophical, Theoretical, Historical or in accordance with the form of thought content in
documents, i.e. Digest, Manual, Monograph, Dictionary, Periodical or Manual.

Structure of Dewey Decimal Classification

1. Schedule
The names assigned to the classes and subdivisions of a classification system, listed in the
order of their symbolic notation. In a hierarchical classification system, the arrangement of the
schedule(s) indicates logical subordination.
Example:
In Dewey Decimal Classification the schedules consist of the class numbers 000-
999, the associated headings, and notes concerning use, with logical hierarchy indicated by
indention and length of notation. See also: auxiliary schedule, main schedule, relative index,
and schedule reduction.

2. Summary
In Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), a list of the main subdivisions of a class, providing
an overview of its structure, printed in the schedules immediately following the entry for the class.
Summaries for the entire Classification (main classes, divisions, and sections) are given at the
beginning of the schedules .Summaries provide an overview of the intellectual and notational
structure of classes. Three types of summaries appear in the schedules and tables of DDC. The
summaries of the schedules as a whole are found at the front of the schedules (Volume 2-3)

The First Summary: Contains the ten main classes. The first digit in each three-digit number represents
the main class.

000 Computers, information & general reference

100 Religion

200 Philosophy & psychology

37
 300 Social sciences

400 Language

500 Science

600 Technology

700 Arts & recreation

800 Literature

900 History & geography

.
Figure 2. First Summary of DDC

The Second Summary: Contains the hundred divisions. The second digit in each three-digit number
indicates the division.
000 Computer science, knowledge &
systems 500 Science
010 Bibliographies 510 Mathematics
020 Library & information sciences 520 Astronomy
030 Encyclopedias & books of facts 530 Physics
040 [Unassigned] 050 Magazines, journals 540 Chemistry
& serials 550 Earth sciences & geology
060 Associations, organizations & 560 Fossils & prehistoric life
museums 570 Life sciences; biology
070 News media, journalism & publishing 580 Plants (Botany)
080 Quotations 590 Animals (Zoology)
090 Manuscripts & rare books

100 Philosophy 600 Technology

110 Metaphysics 610 Medicine & health
120 Epistemology 620 Engineering
130 Parapsychology & occultism 630 Agriculture
140 Philosophical schools of thought 640 Home & family management
150 Psychology 650 Management & public relations
160 Logic 660 Chemical engineering
170 Ethics 670 Manufacturing
180 Ancient, medieval & eastern philosophy 680 Manufacture for specific uses
190 Modern western philosophy 690 Building & construction

200 Religion
700 Arts
210 Philosophy & theory of religion
710 Landscaping & area planning
220 The Bible
720 Architecture
230 Christianity & Christian theology
730 Sculpture, ceramics &
240 Christian practice & observance
metalwork
250 Christian pastoral practice & religious
740 Drawing & decorative arts
orders
750 Painting
260 Christian organization, social work &
760 Graphic arts
worship
770 Photography & computer art
270 History of Christianity
780 Music
280 Christian denominations
790 Sports, games & entertainment
290 Other religions

38
 800 Literature, rhetoric & criticism
300 Social sciences, sociology & 810 American literature in English
anthropology 820 English & Old English
310 Statistics literatures
320 Political science 830 German & related literatures
330 Economics 840 French & related literatures
340 Law 850 Italian, Romanian & related
350 Public administration & military science literatures
360 Social problems & social services 860 Spanish & Portuguese
370 Education literatures
380 Commerce, communications & 870 Latin & Italic literatures
transportation 880 Classical & modern Greek
390 Customs, etiquette & folklore literatures
890 Other literatures

900 History
400 Language
910 Geography & travel
410 Linguistics
920 Biography & genealogy
420 English & Old English languages
930 History of ancient world (to ca.
430 German & related languages
499)
440 French & related languages
940 History of Europe
450 Italian, Romanian & related languages
950 History of Asia
460 Spanish & Portuguese languages
960 History of Africa
470 Latin & Italic languages
970 History of North America
480 Classical & modern Greek languages
980 History of South America
490 Other languages
990 History of other areas

Figure 3. Second Summary of DDC

The Third Summary: contains thousand sections. The third digit in each three-digit number indicates the
section. Thus 530 is used for general works on physics, 531 for classical mechanics, 532 for fluid
mechanics, 533 for gas mechanics. Arabic numerals are used to represent each class in the DDC. A
decimal point follows the third digit in a class number, after which division by ten continues to the specific
degree of classification needed.

Cutters Table

1. After initial vowel

for the
second
letter: l- s- u-
b d n p r
m t y
2 3 5 6 7
use 4 8 9
number:

2. After initial letter S

for the
second m- w-
a ch e h-i t u
letter: p z
2 3 4 5 7 8
6 9

39
use
number:

3. After initial letters Qu

for the
third
letter:
a e i o r t y
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
use
number:

For initial letters Qa-Qt, use 2-29

4. After other initial consonants
for the
second
letter:
a e i o r u y
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
use
number:

5. For expansion
for the
letter:
a- e- m- p- t- w-
i-l
d h o s v z
use 5
3 4 6 7 8 9
number:

The following examples show Cutters that would be used if entries already shelflisted conform to
the table. In most cases, Cutters must be adjusted to file an entry correctly and to allow room for later
entries

Vow S Q Conson
els ants
Idah .I Sadron .S Qadd .Q Campbel .C
o 3 2 uri 28 l 3
3 3 6
Ilard .I Scanlo .S Qiao .Q Ceccaldi C
o 4 n 2 27 4
9 3
Imp . Shilling .S Queir .Q Cuellar .C
ort 4 burg 5 oz 45 8
8 3 4
Ipsw .I Stinson .S Quor .Q Cryer .C
ich 6 5 um 67 7
7 7 9

40
 Ivy .I Sympo .S Qvort .Q Cymbal .C
9 sium 9 rup 97 9
4 6 6

Activity:
Formulate main entry card and added entry card using the given bibliographic elements and
formulate also the call number of each item.

1. Title: Consumer Psychology of Tourism, hospitality and leisure

Author: Lieberman, Morton L.
Publisher: CABI Publishing Company
Place of Publication: Oxford, England
Copyright: 2000
ISBN 0-85199-322-2 in hardbound
Subject: Tourism – Psychological aspects , Travelers – Psychology, Hospitality industry
Pagination: xi, 387 pages with colored illustrations

2. Title: Psychology: science and understanding

Author: Barry D. Smith
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Publishing Company
Place of Publication: Boston
Copyright: 2018
ISBN 0-07-115545-7
Subject: Psychology
Pagination: xxxiv, 700 pages and it has an accompanying material of CD-ROM

Title Card

41
Main entry card under personal name

Shelf list Card 42

Reference:
http://library.uaf.edu/ls101-
classificationsystems#:~:text=There%20are%20three%20major%20classification,by%20medium%20to%2
0small%20libraries.

https://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/053/table.html
http://www2.hawaii.edu/~chopey/CutterTa.pdf

Module 5 – Machine Readable Cataloging

Overview:

MARC (MAchine-Readable Cataloging) standards are a set of digital formats for the description of
items catalogued by libraries, such as books. Working with the Library of Congress, American computer
scientist Henriette Avram developed MARC in the 1960s to create records that could be read by
computers and shared among libraries. By 1971, MARC formats had become the US national standard for
dissemination of bibliographic data. Two years later, they became the international standard. There are
several versions of MARC in use around the world, the most predominant being MARC 21, created in
1999 as a result of the harmonization of U.S. and Canadian MARC formats, and UNIMARC, widely used in
Europe. The MARC 21 family of standards now includes formats for authority records, holdings records,
classification schedules, and community information, in addition to the format for bibliographic records.

Course Outcome:

• Identify and discuss MARC 21 and other metadata

Learning Outcome:

After successful completion of this module, the student should be able to:

• Discuss, demonstrate and prepare shelflist

• Identify and discuss MARC 21

Course Materials:

Shelf listing
The activity of arranging materials within an existing collection, normally by author or the activity of
determining the book or author number and necessary additions to the call number for a unique number.

Filing rules

Since the goal of shelflisting is to organize materials within a class by main entry (either title or
author), rules are needed to resolve conflicts. The primary source for filing is: Library of Congress Filing
Rules (Washington : Library of Congress, 1980).

43
Order of fields with identical leading elements

• Person
• Place
• Corporate Body
• Title

Order of fields with identical leading elements

George, Alan
George (Ariz.)
George (Motor boat)
George is lost

Identical filing entries

Consider the title to extend only to the first significant mark of punctuation which will be
either a period ( . ) or a slash ( / ). If two identical but unrelated title entries appear in the same
class, arrange the entries by imprint date using successive Cutters, in order of receipt.
Education today / 1966
Education today. 1966
Education today / by John Smith. 1969
Education today. 1977 Education today (Boston)
Education today--and how it works. 1970
Education today : language teaching. 1966

Abbreviations
File abbreviations exactly as written

Mister Doctor Blo

Mme. Begue and her recipes
Mr. Drackle and his dragons
Mrs. Appleyard's family kitchen

Dates

1976? use 1976

ca. 1976 use 1976
1981, cl980 use 1981 1971
cl972 use 1972 1979
[i.e.1978] use 1978
1962 or 1963 use 1962
1969 (1973 printing) use 1969
1979-1981 use 1979
between 1977 and 1980 use 1977
197- use 1970z
197-? use 1970z
19-- use 1900z
19--? use 1900z

Editions
If subsequent editions of a work have the same author, title, and classification, retain the
same cutter and distinguish by the date of publication.
If the title is changed but the classification is the same, retain the same cutter and
distinguish by the date of publication.
44
 If the author and/or title changes, but the classification is the same, retain the same cutter
and distinguish by the date.

Corporate bodies

For materials entered under a corporate body heading, Cutter for the name of the corporate body.
Add the imprint date to the call number to make each call number unique. Assign the same Cutter to all
publications with the same corporate body heading, including translations, selections, editions, etc. Ignore
all subheadings in establishing the Cutter number

Introduction

The MARC formats are a series of codes and rules for making bibliographic, authority,
classification, holdings, and community information data into a form that can be understood and used by
computers. As such, it is a type of markup language, similar in principle to SGML, HTML, and other
markup languages used for transmitting electronic resourcse. MARC was intended to used for library data.

The MARC formats are called communication formats, also which means that once in this form,
one computer can transmit the data to another computer. The term bibliographic data means all the
elements of bibliographic record that have encountered in the previous lessons: descriptions, access
points, subject headings, and call numbers. Authority data means all of the elements of an authority record
for names, titles, or subject descriptors, including the authorized form of the name or topic, cross-
references to other name forms or topical terms, and the source material used in creating the authority
record. Holdings data means the specific data relating to any item in library’s collection, including its copy
number, cost, acquisition source, holding unit (such as main library or branch library) or collection within a
library or information center, etc.

MARC stands for Machine Readable Cataloging.It is a standard for the description of the digital for
mat of any item.This is a computerized method of recording the information for cataloging purpose.These c
omputer readable cataloging records will help the computer programs to search for and display specified pi
eces of the information stored in a cataloging record.

History and Background

The first MARC format was devised for the bibliographic data of books in the 1960s. it went
through several versions before being published as a national standard in the 1970s. Before long, a MARC
format for serials was devised, followed by MARC formats for other types of materials for which LC
produced bibliographies. After many years during which the number of separate MARC formats continued
to grow, an integrated MARC format was implemented during the 1990s in which all fields were made
uniform across all the physical forms of materials collected by libraries. All fields and codes still are not
applicable to every type of materials, but if they do apply, their meaning are the same, thereby simplifying
the process of learning and using the system of MARC protocols. The change in philosophy underlying the
formats is profound, but changes in the practical application are relatively transparent, especially to new
cataloguer who never used the earlier system of individual MARC formats for each type of material.

Libraries had shared cataloguing before MARC was developed. Computer scientist Henriette
Avram who worked in Library of Congress created in 1960s so that records can be shared among libraries.
It defines a data format that emerged from a Library of Congress-led initiative that began nearly forty years
ago. Originally the Library of Congress program was called LC MARC and it became USMARC in 1980s.
MARC 21 was born when the USMARC. CANMARC and UNIMARC harmonized in the year 1997.

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 MARC formats ate not a set of cataloguing rules or cataloguing code. Instead, they are designed
for use with data created by applying the standard cataloguing rules, subject heading systems and
classification schemes. MARC formats are not computer systems, either. They are intended to be used in
computer systems as template for database structure, but by themselves, they are not designed as
information storage and retrieval systems. Additional programing is required to use the MARC protocols in
creating functioning information storage and retrieval systems. There are places in the MARC formats for
each part of the bibliographic, authority, classification, holdings, or community information record, and for
the additional information needed to manipulate and retrieve the data.

The reason MARC formats look very complicated is that they must include everything needed to
identify every detail of a record to a machine that cannot understand any part of it by itself.

Elements of a MARC Record

1. Fields
Each authority record is divided logically into fields. There is a field for the heading, fields for
reference tracings, and so on. These fields are subdivided into one or more "subfields."
As previously noted, the textual names of the fields are too lengthy to be reproduced within
each MARC record. Instead they are represented by 3-digit tags. (Although online catalogs may
display the names of the fields, the names are supplied by the system software, not by the MARC
record.)

Tag
Each field is associated with a 3-digit number called a "tag." A tag identifies the field -- the kind
of data -- that follows. Even though a printout or screen display may show the tag immediately followed
by indicators (making it appear to be a 4- or 5-digit number), the tag is always the first 3 digits.
A sample of tags used in an authority record for a personal name are:

100 tag marks a personal name heading (author)

400 tag marks a personal name see from reference tracing
500 tag marks a personal name see also from reference tracing
670 tag marks s source data found note

Here is an example of a field. The number 100 is the tag, defining it as a personal name heading field.
100 1# $a Woolf, Virginia, $d 1882-1941

2. Some fields are further defined by INDICATORS

Indicators:

Two character positions follow each tag (with the exception of Fields 001 through 009). One
or both of these character positions may be used for "indicators." In some fields, only the first or
second position is used; in some fields, both are used; and in some fields, like the 010 field, neither
is used. When an indicator position is not used, that indicator is referred to as "undefined" and the
position is left blank. In this booklet, it is the convention to represent a blank, or undefined indicator
position by the character "#".

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 Each indicator value is a number from 0 to 9. (Although the rules say it can be a letter,
letters are uncommon.) Even though two indicators together may look like a 2-digit number, they
really are two single-digit numbers. The allowable indicator values and their meanings are spelled
out in the MARC 21 documentation. In the example that follows, the 2 digits following the 100 tag
(a 3 and a #) are indicator values. The 3 is the first indicator. The # is the second indicator.

A first indicator value of 3 in the personal name heading field indicates that the name is a family
name, rather than an individual person's name. The second indicator value in field 100 is currently
undefined. It thus contains a "#."

100 $a Guelf, House of

3. Subfields are marked by Subfield codes and delimiters

Subfield

Most fields contain several related pieces of data. Each type of data within the field is called
a subfield, and each subfield is preceded by a delimiter-subfield code combination. Fields 001 through
009 have no subfields.
Example:
the field for a personal name heading includes a subfield for a personal name,
numeration, titles and dates associated with the name, among several others.
100 0# $a Gustaf
$b V,
$c King of Sweden,
$d 1858-1950

A subfield code

Subfield codes are one lowercase letter (occasionally a number) preceded by a delimiter. A
delimiter is a character used to separate subfields. Each subfield code indicates what type of data
follows it. (For each field in the MARC 21 authority format, the MARC 21 documentation lists and
describes the valid subfield codes.)

In the above example, the subfield codes are $a for personal name, $b for
numeration, $c for titles and other words associated with a name, and $d for dates associated with
a name.

Delimiter

Different software programs use different characters to represent the delimiter on the
screen or on printouts. Examples are a double dagger ( ), an "at sign" (@), a dollar sign ($), an
underline ( _ ), or the graphic symbol " ". In this publication the dollar sign ($) is used as the
delimiter portion of the subfield code.

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MARC Authority Record

1. The authority record content.

Headings

An authority record is made for each authorized form of a heading. For names, one of the
most widely used authority files is the Library of Congress Name Authority File (or LCNAF). That
file is used in this document for examples. The whole file is available from the Cataloging
Distribution Service (or CDS) or may be searched for free online at: http://authorities.loc.gov/. For
topics or geographic names, the most used subject authority file is the LCSH. It is available from
CDS in print and electronic form. There are many other subject heading lists, such as the Sears
List of Subject Headings and the Art and Architecture Thesaurus. The form of a subject heading
should match one on these lists or follow their rules for construction.
All headings are one of the following types: names, name/title combinations, uniform titles,
or subjects. Examples of name headings include:

A name heading may be a personal, corporate, meeting, or jurisdiction (including geographic)

name.

100 1# $a Woolf, Virginia, $d 1882-1941

(personal name heading)
110 2# $a Association for Childhood Education
International
(corporate name heading)
111 2# $a La Crosse Health and Sports Science
Symposium
(meeting name heading)
151 ## $a Mexico
(geographic name heading)

A name/title heading consists of both a name and a title of a work. The name portion
contains a personal, corporate, meeting, or jurisdiction name. The title portion contains the title by
which an item or a series is to be identified for cataloging purposes. It is especially used for classic
works that have been published under different titles over time. An example of a name/title heading
is:
100 1# $a Dostoyevsky, Fyodor,
$d 1821-1881.
$t Crime and punishment

A uniform title heading consists of a title not associated with a particular author. A familiar
example is:

130 #0 $a Bible. $l Latin. $s Vulgate

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 A subject heading may be a single term, phrase, or a group of terms. The tag for the
subject is based on the first term or phrase in the heading -- topic, genre/form, geographic,
chronological, personal name, corporate name, meeting name, or title. The other terms in the
heading are in specific subfields that are called subdivisions.

100 1# $a Shakespeare, William, $d 1564-1616

$x Criticism and interpretation $x History
$y 18th century
150 ## $a Books and reading $z Argentina

Tracings and references

MARC 21 authority records contain two types of cross references that either lead a user
from an unauthorized heading to an authorized heading (these are called "see references" and use
4XX tags) or from one authorized heading to another (these are called "see also references" and
use 5XX tags). Actual cross references are generally not carried explicitly in authority records,
however. Instead, variant form and related headings are "traced" in the authority record for the
authorized form. Tracing cross references rather than making separate authority records for
references enables efficient and accurate display of authority information by catalogs -- and the
users see the information in the form that is appropriate for them. Cross reference displays may
then be generated by systems which combine the contents of a tracing reference field and the 1XX
heading field of a record.

Authority record information:

100 1# $a Twain, Mark, $d 1835-1910
[Standardized heading]
400 1# $a Conte, Louis de, $d 1835-1910
[See from tracing]
500 1# $a Clemens, Samuel Langhorne, $d 1835-1910
[See also from tracing]

Display generated from the above record:

Twain, Mark, 1835-1910
see also: Clements, Samuel Langhorne, 1835-1910
Clemens, Samuel Langhorne, 1835-1910
see also: Twain, Mark, 1835-1910
Conte, Louis de, 1835-1910
see: Twain, Mark, 1835-1910

Notes

The MARC 21 authority record may contain notes. These may be intended for display in the
public catalog, or only for viewing by librarians using the records in their work.

Authority record information:

670 ## $a Phone call to National Register of Historic

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 Places
[Note for cataloging use]
680 ## $i Surgery performed on an outpatient basis.
May be
hospital-based or performed in an office or
surgicenter.
[Note for public catalog use]

2. Structural components of authority records.

Like MARC 21 bibliographic records, MARC 21 authority records consist of three main
components: the Leader, the Directory, and the Variable Fields.

The Leader provides information required for the processing of a record. The data elements
contain numbers or coded values and are identified by relative character positions. The Leader is 24
character positions long and is the first field in a MARC 21 authority record. Much of the information in the
Leader is for computer use in reading and processing the record and is computer generated.

The Directory is a series of entries that contain the tag, length, and starting location of each
variable field within a record. Each Directory entry is 12 character positions in length. The Directory is
always generated by the computer.

Variable fields are identified by a three-character numeric tag that is stored in the Directory entry
for the field. Each field ends with a field terminator character.

It is important to note that there are two types of variable fields. Variable control fields are the 00X
fields. Although these fields are identified by a field tag in the Directory, they contain no indicator positions
or subfield codes. Instead, they may contain either a single data element or a series of fixed-length data
elements identified by relative character positions. The 008 field, for example, is referred to as Fixed-
Length Data Elements, or Fixed Field Codes. Its 40 characters contain important information, but in an
abbreviated form. Its data is often used to identify and retrieve records matching specific criteria. . The
following is an example of the 008 variable control field:

008
860107in#acannaaan##########sa#ana#####u

Variable data fields, on the other hand, contain two indicator positions stored at the
beginning of each field and a two-character subfield code preceding each data element within the
field. The following is an example of the 100 variable data field (Personal name main entry field):

100 1# $a Cameron, Simon, $d 1799-1889

The variable data fields consists of indicators, one or more subfield codes, variable data
and a field terminator. Primary grouping of Variable Fields

0xx - Control information, numbers

1xx - Main Entry
50
2xx - Titles, Editions, Imprint
3xx - Physical Description
4xx - Series statement
5xx - Notes
6xx - Subject Added Entry
7xx - Added entries
8xx - Series Added Entry
9xx - Reserved for local implementation

The tags used most frequently are:

010 tag marks the Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN)

020 tag marks the International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
100 tag marks a personal name main entry (author)
245 tag marks the title information (which includes the title, other title information, and the
statement of responsibility)
250 tag marks the edition
260 tag marks the publication information
300 tag marks the physical description (often referred to as the "collation" when describing
books)
490 tag marks the series statement
520 tag marks the annotation or summary note
650 tag marks a topical subject heading
700 tag marks a personal name added entry (joint author, editor, or illustrator)

Fields 01X-09X contain standard numbers, classification numbers, codes, and other
data elements relating to the record

010 - Library of Congress Control Number (NR)

013 - Patent Control Information
015 - National Bibliography Number
020 - ISBN
022 - ISSN
024 - Other Standard Identifier
080 - Universal Decimal Classification Number
082 - Dewey Decimal Classification Number

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 Access Points

A main entry, subject added entries, and other added entries are an important part of the
bibliographic record and serve as access points in an online catalogue:

1XX fields (main entries)

4XX fields (series statements)
6XX fields (subject headings)
7XX fields (added entries other than subject or series)
8XX fields (series added entries) Most of these fields require Authority Control

Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa1Y21Q2-sI
MARC Bibliographic Basics

Activity:
Make a bibliographic data using the MARC 21 Format with the given information of the materials.

Example:

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 1. Materials and techniques in decorative arts: an illustrated dictionary edited by
Lucy Trench, published at London in a publisher John Murray in a year of 2000.
Pagination: ix, 572 pages with colored illustration
ISBN: 0-7195-5722-4
Subject: 1. Decorative arts – Dictionaries
Call number: R 745.03 M37 2000

2. Human perspective edited by David B. Gray

Published at London
Publisher: Paul H. Brookes at the year of 1998
Pagination: xxxii, 326 pages with illustrations
ISBN 1-55766-314-9
Subject: 1. Self-help devices for the disabled
Call number: 617.03 D47 1998

Reference:
http://www.loc.gov/marc/specifications/specrecstruc.html
http://www.loc.gov/marc/specifications/specrecstruc.html
https://web.library.yale.edu/cataloging/shelflisting-intro/basic-rules

GRADING SYSTEM:

Class Standing 70%

Submission of exercises/activities for every topic

Midterm and Final Exam 30%

TOTAL 100%

References:
• https://libguides.ala.org/catalogingtools
• https://www.librarianshipstudies.com/2015/05/cataloging.html
• https://www.ijaar.org/articles/Volume4-Number7/Arts-Humanities-Education/ijaar-ahe-v4n7-jul18-
p6.pdf
• https://www.librarianshipstudies.com/2017/07/resource-description-and-access-
rda.html#:~:text=Resource%20Description%20and%20Access%20(RDA)%20is%20a%20standard
%20for%20descriptive,guidelines%20on%20formulating%20bibliographic%20data.&text=RDA%20
offers%20libraries%20the%20potential,data%20is%20created%20and%20used.
• http://downloads.alcts.ala.org/ce/103112_RDAforthenoncataloger.pdf

• https://zenodo.org/record/2559461#.XywvCSgzbIU
• https://www.mpradhan.com.np/wp-
content/uploads/documents/subject_heading/Sears%20List%20of%20Subject%20Headings%20-
%20Barbara%20A.%20Bristow.pdf
• https://www.librarianshipstudies.com/2018/01/library-of-congress-subject-headings-lcsh.html

• http://library.uaf.edu/ls101-
classificationsystems#:~:text=There%20are%20three%20major%20classification,by%20medium%
20to%20small%20libraries.
• https://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/053/table.html
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• http://www2.hawaii.edu/~chopey/CutterTa.pdf
• http://www.loc.gov/marc/specifications/specrecstruc.html
• http://www.loc.gov/marc/specifications/specrecstruc.html
• https://web.library.yale.edu/cataloging/shelflisting-intro/basic-rules

54