Introduction  

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The schedules that form the Marianist Library Classification were developed because the classification scheme most commonly used in Marianist libraries, Marianist Classification 1960; For Archives and Documentary Libraries developed by Father William Ferree, SM¹ became impossible to implement successfully.

Years of work and consultation with experts in Marianist history and spirituality as well as input from Mr. Thompson A. Yee, Acting Chief of the Cataloging and Policy Support Office at the Library of Congress, have resulted in this new approach to classifying materials by and about the Marianists.  The organizational basis for the schedules comes from the classes developed and defined by Brother Lawrence Scrivani, SM in his Classification Scheme for Marianist Documents Libraries¹.  In their application, the present schedules, gather and organize Marianist works by topic or subject, and are designed to follow Library of Congress cataloging practices and procedures.

This is a work in progress — a starting point from which a better classification scheme will emerge.  As this scheme is used to classify Marianist works, its weaknesses will become obvious.  Among the scheme's most obvious shortcomings is that it is Society of Mary and English-speaking centered. Suggestions from its users will result in additions and changes to these schedules; additions and changes will be published as they are received and incorporated. The Marianist Library Classification is an aid to anyone who wants to organize a collection of items concerning all aspects of Marianist life and spirituality.

How to Use the Schedules

Complete cataloging of an item encompasses two distinct phases, descriptive cataloging and classification. Using Marianist Library Classification will not catalog an item completely.

The first phase of cataloging, the descriptive phase, provides a name or term under which a bibliographic record may be searched and identified.  Descriptive cataloging also provides a physical description of the work.  Catalogers of Marianist works are encouraged to use Anglo American Cataloging Rules, 2^nd Edition, Revised (AACR2R) or its successor for the descriptive phase of cataloging. 

The second phase of cataloging, the classification phase, assigns a class number bringing together on the shelf material that treats the same subject; it is the item's shelf address. These schedules provide for the classification phase of cataloging and not the descriptive phase.

Furthermore, use of these schedules does not mean that only one classification number can be assigned to an item. Cataloging is an art, and by extension, assigning a classification number is also an art. Depending upon the cataloger's nderstanding of the item's content and subject matter, it is possible for different catalogers to assign different classification numbers to the same item.

How to construct a call number

A call number is a unique identifier made up of three parts: the classification number, the Cutter number, and a date. The call number has a two-fold function. Once constructed, it serves as a capsule subject description of the item, bringing together on the library shelf, items about the same subject. Secondly it serves as a locator, the "address," if you will, of that particular item.

In general, this situation is present when there are:

• major differences in the wording of the title
• different editions
• different places of publication
• different publishers
• different dates of publication
• major differences in the description of the item
• differences of more than two centimeters in the original size of the item

Part 1:  Assigning the classification number

The classification number places the item in hand with other items treating the same subject.  When assigning a classification number use the following principles adapted from those used at the Library of Congress:

1. Class works according to their subject matter
2. Unless instructions to the contrary are printed in the schedules, class a work by its specific subject, not by its form under a broader topic.
3. Use the most specific number available.  Use a broader number only if no specific number is available.
4. Where several subjects are discussed in a work, choose the classification number according to the most appropriate of the following guidelines:

1. Class according to the instructions printed in the schedules

2. Class according to dominant subject.

3. If no subject is dominant, class under the first one mentioned in the work.

4. Class with a broader subject, if the work deals with several subjects that, taken together, constitute a major part of a larger subject.

5. In problematic cases where several numbers appear satisfactory, class according to the intent of the author or where it appears the work would be most usefully located.
6. Unless instructions in the schedules or past practice dictate otherwise, class works on the influence of one subject on another with the subject influenced.

Part 2: Assigning the Cutter number

The term "Cutter" comes from the name Charles Ammi Cutter (1837-1903) who devised an easy to use method for arranging books by author on the shelf. The Cutter number gives the item its unique "address," distinguishing it from all other items with the same classification number.

The Cutter, also known as the book number or author number, is a combination of letters and numerals; it follows the classification number and is preceded by a period.  A Cutter is assigned to each item to preserve an alphabetic arrangement of materials within each class.

The Cutter is usually based on the first word of the main entry—the author's surname, the title, or, for many Marianist items, some other element used to distinguish one item from another. Cutters are treated as decimals so as to allow for an infinite expansion between any two Cutter numbers.

Before assigning a Cutter, check previously assigned call numbers in the same class to avoid duplicating a call number. In most cases, Cutters must be adjusted to file an entry correctly and to allow room for later entries. Do not end a Cutter with the numeral 1 or 0 since this will hamper expansion between two previously assigned Cutters.

Following the class number, the notation for the Cutter number is formed from the first letter of the first word of the main entry, generally followed by one or two Arabic numerals as indicated in the LC Cutter Table. The numerals represent the letters following the initial letter of the main entry.

Exceptions: Cutter individual biographies of the Founders (Fr. Chaminade, Adèle, Marie Thérèse) using the name of the biographer. All other individual biographies are Cuttered using the names of the biographee. Some class numbers do not use cutters; subarrangement is by date.

Wherever an "x" appears in the schedules, it stands for all the preceding elements of the call number. Whatever follows this "x" is appended as indicated.If whatever follows the "x" is preceded by a period, the numerals are appended to the Cutter. If whatever follows the "x" is not preceded by a period, it is added directly to the class number.

Use the Library of Congress cutter Table to form the Cutter.

How to apply the LC Cutter table:

1. Select the row that applies to the first letter of the word used for cuttering
2. A single letter at the head of a column implies a range of letters up to the next column, e.g. if column 2 is "d" and column 3 is "l-m", use column 2 for any letter d through k
3. For the second digit (and any subsequent digits), use row 5
4. Cutter what you see, ignore diacritics, for example, Cutter "Mc" as MC not MAC.

Part 3: Assigning the Date

Add the imprint date (not the copyright date) to all items.

Part 4:  Optional Notation

If library materials are shelved in more than one area in the library or in some location other than the library, a location identifier may be added above the class number. This location identifier tells the user the item looked for is shelved in a special location in the library or at a location other than the library. (Examples of location identifiers: Mar [for "Marianist"], indicating a shelving area within a library, or "Office" indicating the item is shelved "in the Office.")

If the call numbers for two editions of the same work published in the same year result in identical call numbers, a workmark is added to distinguish the item in hand from the one with the identical call number. For a workmark, append one or if needed, two, lower case letters to the last element of the call number.

For help using the schedules, please write, call, or e-mail:

Teresa Trimboli
North American Center for Marianist Studies
4435 E. Patterson Rd.
Dayton, OH 45430-1083

937-429-2521

Teresa.Trimboli@Notes.udayton.edu

¹Marianist Classification 1960, For Archives and Documentary Libraries, Rome, 1960, Fribourg, 1965

² Classification Scheme for Marianist Documents Library as Developed by the Pacific Marianist Archives for use in the Province of the Pacific, Preliminary edition, Honolulu, 1979.