Call Numbers: 852 Indicators and Formatting the 852 Field and the Description in the Item Record

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In the holdings record, the first indicator in the 852 field indicates the type of call number. This is so various types of call numbers can be sorted into specific indexes.

The 852 indicator carries over to the item record as "call no. type." It is essential for the printing of labels, as different call number types are formatted differently.

The possible values are:

0   LC
1   Dewey
2  National Library of Medicine
3  Superintendent of Documents
4 Shelving control number  (accession numbers, e.g. for A-V materials, and non-Sudoc document numbers, e.g. UN and League of Nations)
5 Periodical cutters & uncuttered periodicals
8 Other     (used by Rubenstein Library)

This list can be accessed by clicking on the arrow next to the "call no. type" box in the item record.

Note: when the holdings record is created from the item record, the 852 indicator is supplied based on the tag of the call number.  This is usually correct.  However, for A-V accession numbers, you will need to change the automatic indicator generated by an 099 field from "8" to "4."

FORMATTING THE 852 FIELD AND THE DESCRIPTION IN THE ITEM RECORD

For purposes of printing labels, the conventions for showing breaks between elements of the call number are differ according to the type of call number. 

In LC, a space indicates a line break (though some line breaks are programmed in without the need for spaces), so there should be no space between the volume designator and the enumeration.  

h A123
i .B123 2005 v.5

The rules of spaces indicating line breaks and no space after the enumeration applies to most other non-Dewey call numbers.

In Dewey, commas are used to indicate line breaks in the $i portion of the call number, and there is a space between the volume designator and the enumeration.

h 123
i A123, B123, 2005, v. 5

For UN document call numbers, the slashes that are supposed to separate elements of the call number do not print on labels, and cause problems with line breaks. To make the labels print correctly, it is necessary to use a $i after each slash.

h ST/
i  ESA/
i  STAT/
i  Ser.X/
i  2004

"Description" in the item record

In the description element of the item record, there are no spaces within volume numbering and copy numbering, and there is a space (no comma) between volume and copy numbering.  For example:

c.1
v.1 c.1
v.1:pt.1 c.1
no.9=v.1(1989) c.1

Labels are more understandable if an abbreviation is used, even for terms which we have traditionally spelled out.   For example "rl.1" is clearer than "reel1."

WARNING:  The label program will not print more than 8 characters per line. Keep this in mind with series numbering (very rare now that classed together series are mostly obsolete).   Occasionally, cutters are too long and the line cannot be broken without affecting the integrity of the call number. In this case, the spine label program reports and error and Shelf Preparation staff type the call number manually.