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Classification of periodicals/serials query (Charles F. Tremper) Birdie MacLennan 28 Sep 1993 19:32 UTC

Date:         Tue, 28 Sep 1993 07:13:20 EDT
From:         "Charles F. Tremper" <LIBCFT@SUVM.BITNET>

Two queries to other libraries who classify periodicals and serials:

1. Since LC classification was adopted, we have modified the call number
slightly each time a title changes.  The simplest scenario involves adding
"1" to the final Cutter of the older title's call number.  Do others do any-
thing like this?  If so, is it done for all title changes, or only in
certain situations?

     We have found advantages to having a unique call number for each title;
these include ease of shelving and help for staff when linking items which
have circulated on unlinked item records (we are a NOTIS user).

     However, as a result of ongoing retrospective conversion and the changing
of latest entry manual cataloguing into successive entry online cataloguing, we
now have many instances of more than one serial title sharing the same call
number. We are considering closing the manual shelflist and changing our
Cuttering policy as well.

2.  When assigning call numbers, is subject matter, or the publication history/
relationships of greater importance?

     We have always tried to keep a family of related titles together on the
shelf, under the assumption that this is of most benefit to users. As a result,
we have used call numbers that do not reflect a title's subject matter,
especially the the case of mergers or splits. In other cases, we chose to main-
tain an obsolete subject number for a title change, rather than reclass an
entire run to a new class number.

Thank you in advance for any thoughts you may share on these issues.

Serially yours,
Charles F. Tremper
Head, Serials Unit
Syracuse University Library
libcft@suvm.bitnet