SuDoc Classification

SUDOCS CLASSIFICATION

It has been necessary for us to master both the proper construction of SuDocs classification numbers and the correct delimiting of those numbers in BISON. Some mistakes have occurred, and I am certain that there will be errors made in the-future. But we need to make an effort to reduce our current level of inconsistency.

What follows is my best attempt to clarify how SuDocs numbers should be constructed and delimited. I have relied on the January 1993 revision of the GPO Classification Manual (US GP 3.29:P 88/993).


I.  A. SuDocs numbers consist of a combination of alphas and numerics
       used with spaces, colons, slashes, and dashes.
    
    B. The SuDocs stem is that portion of the classification which
       appears before the colon.  There can be only one colon in a
       SuDocs classification number.

           GP 3.29: (everything before the colon is the stem)
     
           GP 3.29: P 88 (the same stem with a unique cutter after 
	                  the colon)

    C. Slashes can be repeated. They can appear before the colon as
       part of the stem

           C 3.191/2:

       or after the colon as part of the full call number or both before
       and after the colon.

           GP 3.29: P 88/91
           D 101.6/5: L 82/3
  
    D. Dashes can appear only after a slash

           E 3.11/2-2:
  
    E. The use of a lower case x at the end of the classification
       denotes that the SuDocs was assigned locally. No space is left
       between the x and the preceding character.

           CR 1.2: B48/2x

II. A. The proper delimiting of SuDocs classification numbers in BISON
       is essential to ensure proper indexing.

    B. That portion of the classification number through the colon
       should appear in subfield b.

            $b CR 1.2:

    C. But when a slash appears before the colon, subfield b should  	
       contain only that portion of the classification through the
       slash.

            $b E 3.11/ $c 2:

    D. There  must be a new subfield c after the colon and after every
       use of a slash.

            $b C 3.186/ $c P-60/ $c lOx:

    E. Failure to create subfield c's after each slash will prevent a
       SuDocs number from appearing in the SuDocs index.

       Space limitations in the call number field may make the use of
       a subfield c after every use of a slash impossible.  If the
       SuDocs is long, enter the number without spaces before and after
       subfields (the system will supply spaces when the record is
       sent).  View the SuDocs on the item or MHLD screen.
       If the full number does not appear, remove enough subfield c's
       to allow the full number to appear at the item or MHLD
       screen.  The full number does not have to appear in the copy
       holdings record.