Harris Classification: Pt. 1. Dated Classes

The Harris Dated Classes contain poetry or plays by individual literary authors. They may be recognized by the content of the top line of the call number, which is either a calendar year (such as 1976) or an abbreviation for that year or a group of years (such as 76 for 1876, or 76-01 for 1876-1901). They are mostly arranged in groups of twenty-five (25) years. Only the first period is longer, comprising all the years from the founding of the first American colony until 1875. In theory an author falling into a group is presumed to have "flourished" during the period in question; the Harris dated classes were originally constructed with this principle in mind. In practice, however, a class tends to represent the period during which the author published his or her first book. This does not necessarily correspond with the period during which his or her first individual poem appeared, usually in a newspaper or a magazine. Although usually there would not be more than a few years' interval between first published piece and first published book, in some cases there could be a decade or more. With regard to contemporary authors, it is of course not possible to say when such an author is likely to flourish! It would appear therefore that the first known book is a better criterion for classing. When this is not known, and the author is not otherwise represented in a database, assume that the work being cataloged is the earliest book, and class it accordingly.

Note that the last date in each class does not necessarily represent the latest imprint of a work by an author! There is never a terminal date for an individual author. For instance, class 1901 includes a work by class member T.S. Eliot published in 1960--his The waste land published in English and Spanish translation by Ediciones Sierra Madre in Monterrey, Mexico (1901 E424w 1960 HAY HARRIS).

The dated classes contain works by individual authors and by two or three joint authors. Works by more than three authors are classed with anthologies in the Coll classes. For information on these classes, see Introduction, and for more detail, the section, The Harris Anthology, Gift-book and Songster classes.

Note that all segments of this section of the Harris Classification are illustrated by examples. Most examples are drawn from real works in Harris. There are however a few ecamples drawn from other areas, and a few more that are simply made-up; these are indicated as such.

I. Poetry classes

The classes for American and Canadian poetry, without regard to language of text, are:

76	before or up to 1875
76-01	between 1876 and 1900 inclusive
1901	between 1901 and 1925 inclusive
1926	between 1926 and 1950 inclusive
1951	between 1951 and 1975 inclusive
1976	between 1976 and 2000 inclusive
2001	between 2001 and 2025 inclusive
[etc.]	[etc.]

Dated classes without prefixes are used primarily for American and Canadian poetry (excluding French-Canadian poetry). They are also used for literary works which include poems as well as other genres. However these classes also contain works consisting entirely of short stories (especially Poe's tales), or essays (notably those by Emerson); there is even the occasional novel, such as one of several by Robert Penn Warren. Works about the poets are classed here also, not in the Reference section. They may include biographies, critical works, and bibliographies; also miscellaneous items, such as books of quotations and birthday books.

Class French-Canadian poetry in the appropriate class. Use the same period divisions as for American poetry:

f76	before or up to 1875
...	...
f1976	between 1976 and 2000 inclusive
f2001	between 2001 and 2025 inclusive
[etc.]	[etc.]

II. Drama Classes

As with poetry, dated classes prefixed only by p are used primarily for American and Canadian drama (excluding French-Canadian drama). Works about dramatists are classed here also.

p76	before or up to 1875
p76-01	between 1876 and 1900 inclusive
p1901	between 1901 and 1925 inclusive
p1926	between 1926 and 1950 inclusive
p1951	between 1951 and 1975 inclusive
p1976	between 1976 and 2000 inclusive
p2001	between 2001 and 2025 inclusive
[etc.]	[etc.]

Dated classes prefixed only by p are used primarily for American and Canadian drama (excluding French-Canadian drama). Class works about dramatists here also.

Class French-Canadian drama in the appropriate class. Use the same period divisions as for American drama:

pf76	before or up to 1875
...	...
pf1976	between 1976 and 2000 inclusive
pf2001	between 2001 and 2025 inclusive
[etc.]	[etc.]

Arranging and Cuttering Systems

The information in this section applies not only to the Dated Classes; it carries over into almost all the other classes, the major exceptions being Walt Whitman, Greene Memorial, and non-book material. For this reason this general information is only repeated very briefly in other sections.

First, some general comments. Harris had traditionally classed in one location all literary works by an individual author written in the same form. So poetry written by an author under his real name, under a pseudonym, or without attribution is classed together, usually under the real name. The author with most pseudonyms in the Harris Collection is probably the playwright Wilbur Braun, who had over sixty aliases. This practice parallels LC's approach in the PS class. Unlike LC in its M (Music) class, however, Harris also classes together musical works by individual composers, in one of two places: secular music, in class Music; or sacred music, in class hMusic. See section on The Harris Music Classes for more information on this subject.

Works destined for the Dated Classes are usually classed for their authors. However editions or translations of works by foreign authors are included in the collection. They are ususally classed for the American or Canadian editor or translator. Such works are often acquired for Harris where the editor or translator is well known as a literary author in his or her own right.

The first two procedures are closely connected, one being essentially an elaboration of the other. They are both "one-line" systems, using codes representing the name of the author (if present) and the title in one line only beneath the period date. For example, Richard Henry Greene's book of poetry, When the Mayflower sailed away (c1897), is classed by Old Classification call number 76 G8117w; and Winifred Carol Storer's play, Smith vs.Smith (c1948), is classed by New Classification call number p 1926 ST6798s. The inadequacies of both systems in coping with the large number of individuals writing poetry or drama led to the development of a third, more elaborate procedure. The main feature of the 1951 Classification Procedure is the addition of a line to the basic call number, thereby providing more flixibility in the assignment of call numbers. The extra line is used for author's forenames where present. An example is Luc Racine's Opus I (1969), classed as f1951 R1216 L82o.

Note that the examples provided in the text below represent not only real works in the Harris Collection, but also made-up examples where no real example was found. Several call numbers have been changed in this text to conform with the new guidelines. In general do not expect the examples to be present in the shelflist exactly as given here!

Length of call number

Until recently the length of a Harris call number was limited in theory to eight (8) characters. This was as much information as a catalog card could accommodate in the left-hand margin. Where a number extended beyond the limit through unavoidable circumstances, the extra numbers and/or letter(s) were placed on the next line.

There is no longer any restriction of this kind on a Harris call number. However common sense dictates that call numbers be kept as short as reasonably possible.

The Letter "l" in the Cutter Line

Because of the strong possibility of confusion between lower-case l and the number 1, the letter is always capitalized as L, no matter where it appears at the end of a Cutter line. There is one disadvantage in using such a capital letter in this manner: it may be confused with the other, and more important, use of the capital letter: to indicate the language of a translation. However in practice this is rarely a problem: for instance the letter L is only used in codes for translations into Latin, Lithuanian, and Latvian, which rarely occur in Harris.

Examples:
1901 F9396Le 1963
Frost, Robert. The letters of Robert Frost to Louis Untermeyer

Note that in the first example, a date also appears at the end of the call number. The date was probably added to distinguish this edition from others. For more information see Table of contents for section, Addition of Date of Publication.

The Classification Procedures

A. Old Classification Procedure

All the procedures for the Dated Classes begin with a date on the top line. Construct the basic call number for an author on the second line. On that line, use the first letter of the author's name at the beginning of the Cutter number. Apply the Cutter-Sanborn Table in constructing call numbers (see below.)

Note that in this and the other classification procedures, the number segment of a call number is constructed decimally. This of course affects the arrangement of the shelflist: for example, A246 precedes A25 in the sequence, rather than the other way round in a numerical arrangement.

Note that, for reasons of space, call numbers will be displayed below in one line; each space indicates the beginning of a new line.

The procedure for establishing a call number is as follows. First, see if the author is already represented in the Harris Collection. If he/she is found, check whether the call number is appropriate for the material being cataloged. For instance, using the example above, if Samuel Mortland were to appear only as the editor of a collection of poems, with a call number beginning with Coll, this number cannot be used here, since he is writing as an individual author. In fact it turns out that the author has already been established as an individual author, with the publication of his "Yir frien' Scotty"--his book, with call number 1926 M8888. This is the basic number that should be used. There remains one small but important step: add a small Cutter letter t (representing "twa") to distinguish this from the earlier title. So we have the full call number: 1926 M8888t.

Supposing however that the author had not already been established, how should one have proceeded? In this example, the author is known to have published his first book between 1926 and 1950. That means that the class is 1926--not 1901 (too early) or 1951 (too late). Look up Mortland in the Cutter table. The closest one can come at or before this name is Morti. This translates into M888. Since there could be other authors with names beginning with these letters preceding our author in the alphabetical sequence, add a decimal number at the end, for instance, another 8. We now have the same basic call number 1926 M8888. Note that this would not necessarily be the case: Harris call numbers tend to be flexible, by the very nature of their construction.

There is one more step: different titles by an author need to be distinguished in some way. In the first alternative above, the basic call number is already in use as the call number of a specific book. So for the new title, add a Cutter letter (or letters), such as t for "twa." We now have the full call number: 1926 M8888t.

Note that the addition of the t would not strictly speaking be necessary in the second alternative. In fact many call numbers assigned in the past do not end in a Cutter letter (for instance, 1926 M1373, used for J.E. McDougall's If you know what I mean.) In current practice, use Cutter letters when establishing new titles, even though they may not be essential to prevent conflict at time of classifying. One advantage of this practice is that this helps to keep the titles in alphabetical order.

Summing up: If an Old Classification number has been established for an author, continue to use it for new titles, editions, and translations as they are added.

For books without known authors, Cutter for the first word of the title not an article. Where there is more than one item beginning with the same word, add a Cutter letter representing the second word of the title or another source (and on occasion another letter from the second or subsequent words), or use sliding Cutter numbers (see Jack examples below). Where there is only one word in the title, do not use a final Cutter letter unless it is necessary to distinguish from another title. [Examples to be revised!]

76-01 I354
In memoriam : Mrs. J. de Peyster Douw
followed by:
76-01 I354d
"In memoriam" : "In the Lord put I my trust"

76 J12
Jack the piper
followed by:
76 J128
"Jack was nimble, and Jack was quick"

In the last two examples, sliding Cutters are used, since it may be expected that more titles including Jack may be acquired. For an example of a title consisting of one word only, see section below on the New Classification Procedure.

B. New Classification Procedure

This is similar to the Old Classification Procedure, with one major exception: use the first two letters of the author's name at the beginning of the Cutter number below the class date.

This procedure allows many more distinctive Cutter numbers to be created, since there are two alphabets in use, not one. However it is a little more difficult to apply the Cutter Table, which is designed for use with single letters. Various systems have been used over the years, creating some inconsistency. The preferred system now is: look up the second letter in the table, and add the appropriate numbers, interpolating where necessary.

Follow the same initial procedures as when applying the Old Procedure, checking the catalogs, etc. If unsuccessful in locating a suitable author number, look up Chwarz in Cutter's table; the closest one can come is Chut. This translates into 564. Allowing for some growth, add 3 to complete the author number. Finally, add a lower case h to represent the title. We now have the full call number: 1926/SC5643h.

Books without known authors are treated in similar fashion to works classed by the Old Classification Procedure. Again, Cutter for the first word of the title not an article. Where there is more than one item beginning with the same word, add a Cutter letter (or letters) representing the second word of the title or other source, or use sliding Cutter numbers. Where there is only one word in the title, do not use a final Cutter letter unless it is necessary to distinguish from another title.

Examples:
76 AM987a
Amusing alphabet
followed by:
76 AM987t
Amusing trial, in which a Yankee lawyer rendered a just verdict

C. 1951 Classification Procedure

A new principle was adopted when the class covering the period 1951 to 1975 was inaugurated: the use of two lines of Cutter numbers below the class date. The first line generally represents the author's surname, while the second line represents any forenames. Use only the first letter of a name, never two letters, in this procedure, no matter which line one is working with. To find the Cutter number for the author, look it up in the Cutter-Sanborn Table. Note down the best number available, interpolating where necessary. Do not add a Cutter letter to the end of this number. Then construct the Cutter for the author's forename(s) by consulting a different Cutter Table, found in the call number instructions in the LC Subject Cataloging Manual: Shelflisting, section G060. Finally, always supply a Cutter letter or letters at the end of the second Cutter line.

Now to the procedure of selecting a call number. First check to see if the author is represented in Josiah and/or the card catalog. If an appropriate number is not found, first determine the class (1951, 1976, or 2001 in this case); then look up Ghiradella in the table; the closest entry in the table is Ghir, which translates into G425. Since there can be other names beginning with these letters which may precede Ghiradella, add another number, such as a 2 or 3; in this case 2 was applied. So we have G4252 as the first Cutter line. For the next line, the documentation suggests R63 as a possible combination; always use a minimum of two digits in this line. Finally add an f at the end; there is no conflict with another title, so the letter can stand alone. We now have the full call number: 1976 G4252 R63f.

Use the second Cutter line only for forenames used in connection with surnames. Where there are no forenames, assign a dummy Cutter in the second line, since there needs to be a value there. In such a case, use the letter A followed by a number from the sequence 1 through 19. There must always be a final Cutter letter.

In other cases, for instance where there is no surname, see appropriate section of instructions below.

For books without known authors, Cutter for the first word of the title in the first Cutter line, always using a single letter. Construct the second Cutter line using the sequence A1-A19. Maintain an alphabetical sequence, word by word, within this range. Then add a final Cutter letter, which may represent a third word or any other relevant source.

This made-up example reuses the initial Cutter letter at the end, for no particular reason. Any other letter could have been used.

Treatment of authors in the classification procedures

1. Distinguishing authors with the same surname

Old and New Procedures: Do not assign the same Cutter number to more than one author. Fit the author into the numerical (decimal) sequence in a way that reflects his or her relative position in the alphabet.

Examples:
76-01 C678s
Cohen, E. Yancey. Sir Cupid and other poems
followed by:
76-01 C6783m
Cohen, Lewis S. The moral purity of American poetry

76 T454
Thomas, Mrs.
followed by:
76 T4542
Thomas, Abel Charles. The beauties of Armino-Calvinism

Note from the above example that, where surname and forenames are inverted, an entry followed by a qualifier (such as "Mrs.") precedes all forenames, initials, etc..

1951 Classification Procedure: As a rule, use the same first Cutter number for all authors of the same name. Where a surname has more than one number in the Cutter table, and occurs for the first time, select any one of these numbers, and use for all authors of that name.

Example 1:
1976 C6783 A45r
Cohen, Allen. The Reagan poems
followed by:
1976 C6783 J72p
Cohen, Jonathan. Poems from the Island

Example 2:
1976 M649 E12w
Miller, E. Ethelbert. Where are the love poems for dictators
followed by:
1976 M649 S36w
Miller, Sandra Lake. Womanwrit

In the second example, any combination from M647 to M652 could have been selected, since these are all assigned to the name Miller.

2. Treatment of authors whose names contain prefixes

Old and New Classification Procedures: Assign a Cutter number for a name containing a prefix without regard to whether the prefix is separate from the rest of the name, is connected to the rest of the name, or is an integral part of the name. Follow a letter-by-letter arrangement. Note that this is the only area in the Dated Classes where such an arrangement is followed. In other cases the arrangement is word by word.

1951 Classification Procedure: Follow the same procedure, for the first Cutter line, as for the Old and New Procedures. Again follow a letter-by-letter arrangement. Construct the second Cutter line as usual.

All procedures: special cases

Class an author whose surname begins with the prefix Mc as if the name were spelled Mac.

Examples:
1926 M14626r
MacGowan, Robert. Roaming rhymes
followed by:
1926 M1482
McGuigan, Alice. Without a fig leaf

Treat St. or Saint as a prefix when it forms the first part of a surname. Class an author whose surname begins with the letters St. as if it is spelled out as Saint. Treat Ste. and Sainte in the same way, and include in the same alphabetical sequence.

Examples:
1951 S1369 N34s
St. Cyr, Napoleon. The stones upturned
followed by:
1951 S1563 P38c
Sainte-Claire Deville, Paul. La commune de l'an II
and:
1-SIZE 1951 S1373 D45n
Saint-Eden, Dennis. Napalm, hydroem por nadie, psamba

The second of these titles is not a Harris title; it is used for illustration only. Note the alphabetical order.

3. Treatment of authors with compound surnames

Old and New Classification Procedures: Assign a Cutter number for a compound surname by interpolating between the closest entries in the Cutter Table. Follow a word-by-word arrangement. For example, an author by the name of Brown-Jones would be classed after all the persons by the name of Brown, also before corporate entities beginning with Brown, but before all the Brownes, Brownings, etc. Note: this is the opposite practice to what is done in the case of prefixes, where everything is interfiled regardless of word separation! When in doubt as to whether one is confronted with a prefix or with the first part of a compound surname, assume that one is working with a compound surname, and apply Treatment of Authors Guideline 3.

Example from 1901 class:
1901 B88148b
Brown, William Edgar. The birth of the arbutus

1901 B88195f
Brown University. Faculty. The frogs of Aristophanes, rewritten in modern verse

1951 Classification Procedure: Assign a number for the compound surname on the first Cutter line, interpolating between entries in the Cutter Table. Again follow a word-by-word arrangement. Construct the second Cutter line in the usual fashion.

Example of name order:
Smith, [forename]
Smith-George, James
Smithers, [forename]
Smithwick, [forename]

4. Treatment of authors entered under forename(s) or a phrase, other than the one beginning with a single letter (initial or word in phrase)

When the name of the author has been established under forename(s), or a phrase, follow these instructions:

I. Class a work entered under a single forename or phrase word ahead of the same name used as a surname.

Examples:
76 M3935
Marylander. Satan unbound
followed by:
76 M39352c
Marylander, Bertram. Chesapeake Bay poems

II. Class a work entered under multiple forenames after works by authors with a single surname or forename followed by a comma; see highlighted entries in the sequence below. In the following hypothetical example, note how two multiple forenames interfile with a single forename, a single qualified forename, a single surname, two titles, a compound surname, and a corporate name. For further comments on the order of headings, see section III below for similar practices in the 1951 Classification Procedure.

1951 Classification Procedure: Because of the extra Cutter line, classing books by authors entered under a forename or phrase is a little more complicated than with the other procedures. Several methods have been tried in the past; recommended practice is as follows:

In all cases, class the first Cutter line in the same way as for a surname, using the usual tables. Begin the second Cutter line with the letter A, and add numbers within the range 1 through 19. This will shelve the book by an author identified by one or more forenames or phrase words before all the other works with the same word used as a surname.

In the last example, the Cutter number for Jean should follow all Cutters for Jean used by itself. (The number actually used in the book is slightly different.)

In this example, a different procedure was used in the past to create the second Cutter line, which reads "W54s." There should usually be no need to correct earlier examples such as this.

5. Treatment of authors entered under a single letter (initial or word in phrase)

Where the name of an author has been established under initial(s), follow these instructions:

Old Classification Procedure: Entry under initial treated as a surname. Assign a Cutter number for t he initial, treating it as if it were a regular surname. It does not matter whether the initial is followed by a period or not, or whether it is followed by some device such as asterisks: only one sequence is used. If there is more than one author with this surname, assign Cutters based on the alphabetic order of the forenames. Note that in applying AACR2 Rule 22.5A, only names including fully spelled out forenames are included in this category.

Example of sequence of names:
76-01 G105
G., John,
followed by:
76-01 G106
G, Michael
and:
G***, Simon

Old Classification Procedure: Entry under initials(s) entered in direct order. Assign a Cutter number by first assigning a number for the (first) initial, then by following it with a number selected from the range 1-119, for instance, expanded decimally when necessary (see third example below). This range may vary somewhat from sequence to sequence; the basic idea is to class works of this kind at the beginning of the alphabet, unless there is also a work entered under the first initial as a surname; such a work always comes first. Observe alphabetical order of names, applying the word by word principle, treating each initial as a word.

A better number would have been 76 A114L, where the 4 would have represented the H better than the O does, and would have left more room for expansion. (Both alternatives are fictitious.)

This is treated as if the asterisks were not present. Note that such a work is entered under title; cataloging rules do not call for even an added entry to be made under such a name, although a local entry should be made for Harris.

In this example, I don't know is a pseudonym for an unknown author. The work is classed as if punctuated as I, Don't Know. In general, try to avoid using ambiguous number and letter combinations such as the one used here; they are likely to be a problem for pagers. A better number would have been 76 I20, used as part of a sequence I2-I209, perhaps. Always use common sense in assigning Harris call numbers.

Because of cataloging rules no longer in effect, there are many examples in the shelflist of authors entered under the last initial in their names, not the first. So we have 76-01 L1114, representing E. A. B. L., Only a keepsake; if classed today the book would receive a number in something resembling the 76-01 E10-119 sequence. Continue to use these early numbers where they are established, adding Cutter letters where necessary to distinguish titles; however, do not establish new ones!

New Classification Procedure: Do not use the New Classification Procedure when classing works whose authors begin with an initial. Use the Old Classification Procedure instead for the appropriate classes.

1951 Classification Procedure: Entry under initial treated as a surname. Assign a number to the first Cutter line of the call number. Cutter for the forename in the second Cutter line. Where the name consists of only one initial, begin the line with the letter A, adding numbers within the range 1 through 19 (compare procedure above for dealing with forenames).

1951 Classification Procedure: Entry under initial(s) entered in direct order. Assign a Cutter for the first initial in the dirst Cutter line. Do not assign a Cutter for the second initial, or any other initials. Instead, begin the line with the letter A, adding numbers within the range 1 through 19 (compare procedure above for dealing with forenames.

The last two examples above were actually classed as 1976 J1 K1a and 1976 D1 M1i respectively. The reason for the changes when processing new titles is to make the practice for entry under initials consistent with practice for other categories. Now consider the following example where the name consists of one initial:

Note that many writers whose names were established according to earlier cataloging rules continue to be classed differently. An example is Marvin X, formerly entered as such, but now entered as X, Marvin, 1944-; he is still classed as 1951 M3914 X12 in accordance with the earlier procedure.

6. Treatment of corporate authors

In Harris these mainly occur when a poem or play is issued in the form of an advertisement for a business or product.

Old and New Classification Procedures: Assign a Cutter number as if the name of the author represented a person identified by a phrase (see section 4 above).

When adding a title by a corporate author already established, continue to use a call number established under earlier cataloging rules.

1951 Classification Procedure: Assign a Cutter number based on the first word not an article in the corporate name, and usually no other word. Where necessary, place a corporate author after the last person with a surname identical with the first word of the corporate name. On a rare occasion, class the corporate author in the same sequence as a compound surname, a phrase, or a sequence of forenames with the same first word. Unlike a compound surname, however, a comma in a corporate name is ignored for purposes of filing.

Begin the second Cutter line with the letter A in all cases, adding numbers within the range 1 through 19. This is similar to the practice for authors entered under forenames or a phrase.

This example is partly made up. Should the collection receive a work by a law firm such as Charles, Jones, Bartlett, and Evans, assign a number like 1951 C4755 A13, placing it between Charles, Melba, and Charles Schwab Corporation.

7. Treatment of titles as classification devices

All Classification Procedures

Where authorship of a work is not known, so that entry must be made under title, class the item so that it interfiles more or less logically with the author and other entries. In general, follow the guidelines set up for the classification procedure being applied. Occasionally a title may be identical with the name of an author, or there may be two or more different works with the same title. Try adding a Cutter letter or letters to resolve the conflict; if this cannot be easily done because of the nature of the title or for some other reason, apply any of the schemes outlined in the treatment sections, or any other differentiating device, to put one entry ahead of another.

When classing a work where the first "word" is a number, class as if the number were spelled out.

Here the 3 has been spelled out for classification purposes. To use the "3" in the call number would be very confusing!

For an example of titles interfiling with other categories, see above, section 4, Treatment of authors entered under forename(s) or a phrase, examples under John.

Examples:
76 A116
Abadie, Paul. The fireman
followed by:
76 A117
The abandoned : a sketch
followed by:
76 A124d
Abbey, Henry. The dream of love

In a case such as this, one would be somewhat reluctant to use Cutter letters to distinguish the titles. If imprint information is available, and it differs, this can also be used.

Translations of Individual Titles

This section applies to translations of individual titles in all Harris classes, using any of the classification procedures described above, or the Whitman Classification. This includes books consisting of two or three titles published together. The section does not apply to translations by American or Canadian authors of works by authors foreign to those countries; these are classed and Cuttered as if the North American writer were the author. For more information, see section above, Arranging and Cuttering systems.

Note that an adaptation of a work by a foreign author is classed as if it were the original work of the adapter. It is not treated as a translation.

Literature

Example:
1926 LA1133s
La Barre, Julia. Stories of Shakespeare's popular comedies told in rhyme

Give a translation the same basic call number as the work has (or would have) in the original language (most commonly English or French). Then add a capital letters or letters denoting the language of translation to the end of the last Cutter line. Add the date of publication on the following line.

Example:
Original language:
1901 F9396p
Frost, Robert. Collected poems. New York, 1930

Translation into German:
1901 F9396pG 1952
Frost, Robert. Gesammelte Gedichte. Mannheim, [1952]

Translation into Yiddish:
1901 F9396pY 1965
Frost, Robert. Lider un poemes. Nyu-York, 1965

The last two call numbers were slightly modified from what actually appears in the shelflist by the addition of the date of publication.

Original language:
1951 K2144 B62so
Kaufman, Bob. Solitudes crowded with loneliness. [New York, 1965]

Translation into English:
1951 K2144 B62soF 1966
Kaufman, Bob. Solitudes. [Paris, 1966]

Where the text is present in the original language as well as in translation, two different practices have been used. One practice was to Cutter for the original language and ignore the translation. The other was to add the letter for the language of translation, just as is done when only the translation is present; the original language is ignored. For the sake of consistency, class by the first alternative: class a work published in the original language and in translation as if only the original language were present; do not add a letter for the language of translation.

Examples:
f1951 M4739 J45o
Mayoux, Jehan. L'oiseau est un défi et autres textes = The bird is a challenge and other texts

If this work were also published in translation only, it would be classed:
f1951 M4739 J45oE [date]

Note that capital letter L, formerly used for Latin, is also used in the Cutter line for all occurrences of that letter in the first word of a title. See section above, The letter "l" in the Cutter line.

Examples:
1-SIZE fMusic GA8154 1923
Vieilles chansons françaises du Canada / [compiled] par Margaret Gascoigne. [Quebec]: Cie du Chemin de Fer Canadian Pacifique, [1923, c1920]
Text translated as:
1-SIZE fMusic GA8154E 1925
Chansons of old French Canada / script by James Kennedy. Quebec : Chateau Frontenac, 1925.
The classic treatment of translations in the Harris Collection. For a different approach, see next example.

fMusic R2332q
Barbeau, Charles, Marius. Folk-songs of old Quebec. [Ottawa, 1935]
First edition, with text in French. Ten years earlier Barbeau had co-authored Folk songs of French Canada, with Edward Sapir.
fMusic R2332q 1935
Barbeau, C.M. Chansons populaires du vieux Quebec. [Ottawa, 1935]
First edition, with text in English.
fMusic R2332q 1964
Barbeau, C.M. Folk-songs of old Quebec. [Ottawa, 1964]
Reprint of the English language edition.

This is an alternative way of handling titles that are published in editions where the music is the same, but the text differs depending on the language of the text. After all, the music doesn't change-not i n essentials, anyway.

Use of Dates in Harris Call Numbers:
Addition of Date of Publication, Date of Printing, or Dates of Coverage
To Distinguish Editions, or for Other Reasons

A. Addition of date of publication

A publication date is usually added in Harris only where there is a need to distinguish and/or identify editions. Do not routinely add a date to monographic call numbers, as is done for all books currently classed by LC. When it appears necessary to add a date, follow the instructions contained in the LC Subject Cataloging Manual: Shelflisting (G140). Part 4, Music classes, describes the application of G140 in considerable detail, with special reference to music. This section deals with general principles without specific reference to G140. For a different approach to the shelflisting question, and more examples, see Harris Classification: Pt. 4 Music classes, pages 8-11.

Add an additional line to the call number containing the publication date of a newly-added edition.

Example:
1926 M3154w
March, Joseph Moncure. The wild party. Chicago : P. Covici, 1928
Already in the collection. Newly added:
1926 M3154w 1928
March, Joseph Moncure. The wild party. London : M. Secker, 1928

If a third 1928 edition had been published, it could have been treated as follows: 1926 M3154w 1928b. Do not add the letter a to the date; this letter is currently restricted in use in Harris (see below in this section).

Where the final digit is missing from a date, for example, 199- or 199-?, supply a zero in place of the hyphen, and add the letter z after the date, as in 1990z.

Where two digits are missing, for example, 18-- or 18--?, supply two zeroes before the letter z to create 1800z.

With few exceptions, do not use the small letter a as a means of distinguishing editions, printings, etc. In Harris, as in LC, that letter has special functions, which are outlined below.

There is little in LC's guideline sheet G140 on this particular question, except the cryptic instruction under 2.b.: "Photocopy or facsimile editions. Add the date from the 260 field." Instead, turn to G60 in the same instruction source for much fuller information on how to handle facsimile editions or photocopies of the separate works of an author, both the original work and editions or reprints, including the basic "date from the 260 field" mentioned in G140.

In G60, LC gives its preferred shelflist order for individual authors, when the works of such an author are filed in a single class number.of the manual. A major concern is the arrangement of separate works. " First, separate works a re arranged by date; original works are assigned a Cutter and a date (e.g. .L55 1952), while facsimiles or photocopies of an original work receive a Cutter and date of edition with a (e.g. .L55 1952a) or combination of letters including an a (e.g. .L55 1952aa, ab, etc.) [Not true of Brown's Harris procedure.]

This takes care of reproductions of original works. But how about facsimiles or photocopies of an edition? New editions including photocopies are assigned a Cutter and the date of the edition (e.g. .L55 1967). Facsimiles or photocopies of an edition receive a Cutter and date of edition with a (e.g. .L55 1967a) or combination of letters including an a (e.g. .L55 1967aa, ab, etc.)

Does Harris have different procedures for any of the above? Yes; for the original work, where a date is not usually added. See above at head of section, under Addition of date of publication. In all other respects, Harris at Brown follows LC.

An example of one kind of material handled in this fashion is a photocopy of a fragile book, made so that a patron will not have to look at the original work unless absolutely necessary for his/her research. Where the original does not already have a publication date in the call number, assign a date, followed by a. Where the original does have a date in the call number, repeat that date and follow it with the a.

Examples:
Hayes, Bruce. Dark joy
Original edition: 1951 H418 B78d 1968
Photocopy of original edition: 1951 H418 B78d 1968a

Griffin, G.W.H. The ticket-taker
Original edition (if Harris owned it): p76 G8516t 1880z
Photocopy: 1-SIZE p76 G8516t 1880za

In this last example, the photocopy was made from the copy at Ohio State University Library. The library does not possess the original edition.

Hansberry, Lorraine. A raisin in the sun
Original edition: p1951 H2482 L74r 1959a
Photocopy: p1951 H2482 L74r 1959aa

Note that the original edition was classed using the a in what is now an obsolete manner. This a is included in the call number for the photocopy.

A different use for the date of publication can occur when two or more issues of a serial or a newspaper are being cataloged separately. Consider the following example:

The balance, and Columbian repository. Vol. 6, no. 1 ... January 6, 1807
1-SIZE 76 BA3193 1807
[same title] Vol. 6, no. 2 ... January 13, 1807
1-SIZE 76 BA3193 1807b
[same title] Vol. 6, no. 3 ... January 20, 1807
1-SIZE 76 BA3193 1807c

Here the publication date in the call number is used to identify individual issues. There may well be other possibilities for use of the date in call numbers. Note that the letter a is not used as a distinguishing feature.

For other examples, see G140, section 2, Special situations. Also, when confronted with what looks like a difficult situation, such as a supplement to another work, consult section 3, Exceptions to adding a date, and the examples given.

B. Addition of date of printing

In general avoid using the date of printing in a call number. Current practice (as of July 2002) is to combine similar printings in one record wherever possible. One possible exception is the existence of an OCLC record for the very item under consideration, including any restrictive factor, possibly indicating that this printing or issue may really be a separate bibliographic entity (information from Barbara Spaulding.) This kind of question has to be resolved on a case-by-case basis. In this case, if there is no separate OCLC record of any kind, then the items should be combined.

Where the item is to be regarded as a printing, prefer the date of printing to the date of publication in the call number, assuming these are different.

The date 1959 in the first example may or may not be the date of publication as well as of printing. The second date 1965 may also be the date of some kind of new edition. If the later printing in this case is really a variant issue or edition, do make a separate record. There may in addition be other reasons for treating the two "printings" as separates. For instance, the new issue may include illustrations not included in the regular edition, or it may be indicated as a "limited edition," the information sometimes being hidden away in the colophon. A good example of a series of printings as separate issues is to be found in the 1923 "printings" of the title, It can be done, collected by Joseph Morris and St. Clair Adams.

Note that G140, section 1, contains an excellent list of examples of dates of imprint added to monographs. All examples are valid for Harris practice.

C. Addition of date of coverage

This is seldom needed when classifying works for the Harris dated classes. All examples are drawn from the music classes.

For works covering a period of consecutive years, record the first and last dates in the same line, repeating the first two digits only where they vary, and linking them with a hyphen.

Example as it appears in the public mode:
1-SIZE Music D547c 1955-65
Dick Clark's American Bandstand gold : 1955-1965

For works covering a period of overlapping years, record the first and last dates in the same line, repeating the first two digits only where they vary, and linking them with a vertical slash.

Examples as they appear in the public mode:
1-SIZE Music BI244h 1989/90
Biggest hits of 1989/90

1-SIZE Music BI244h 1990/91
Biggest hits of 1990/91

Notes on Earlier Practices for Distinguishing Editions

At one time dates were not used to distinguish editions. One of the editions would be distinguished from the other by the addition of a number following the Cutter letter(s). If no Cutter letter had been used to denote the title, the number portion of the Cutter line was followed by a decimal point and a number.

Example:
1-SIZE 76 L853mi
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. Michael Angelo. London, [n.d.]
followed by:
1-SIZE 76 L853mi2
[Same work] Boston, 1884

Example:
1926 M1373
McDougall, Joseph Easton. If you know what I mean. New York, 1930
followed by:
1926 M1373.2
[Same author and title] Toronto, 1929

Note that no attention was paid to the actual number of the edition: the only interest was in distinguishing the editions.

A series of undated editions of major authors was sometimes distinguished by a letter on an extra line. This was done for Longfellow's Poems as follows:

Example:
76 L853p a
Chicago, [n.d.]
76 L853p b
[S.l., n.d.]
76 L853p c
London, [n.d.]
76 L853p d
London, [n.d.]

The order of the editions is arbitrary. A German translation is also included in the sequence:

Other Additions to the Call Number

The most common addition other than a date is a term indicating that the work is not a typical monograph.

Such additions are rare outside the music classes, from which most of the following examples are derived.

Works About an Author

Class works about an author based on whether the chief emphasis is on biography, on criticism, or on bibliography of the author. Since many authors have more than one class number, select the class which best represents the author. For instance, if the writer is known primarily as a poet, class works about him in his poetry number. If on the other hand he is known primarily as a playwright, class in the appropriate p class. When in doubt, class reference books on individuals in the poetry classes; if clearly inappropriate, however, class the author in Ref.

Examples:

Class works about this author in his poetry number, 76 L853. Longfellow also wrote plays, classed in p76 L853; however he is of course much better known as a poet, and that is where he should be classed.

Since this author is known primarily as a playwright, works about him are classed in the drama classes--even though he also wrote poetry, for instance his Androgyne, mon amour, classed with poetry. However a work about Androgyne would be classed with the poem.

Works about persons who are not primarily known as literary authors are classed in Ref. This includes books on composers, song and hymn writers, musical performers, illustrators, publishers, printers, and bibliographers.

This author is a special case in Harris. He is primarily known as a writer of mystery and horror stories; however he is classed as if he were primarily considered a poet (76 PO27). Class works about Poe and his tales in this poetry class. For more information about the classification of Poe, see separate section below, Special Classification for Edgar Allan Poe.

Note that in the manual shelflist, reference material about an author files out of order behind the works by an author.

Whitman has his own classification scheme outside the dated classes. See special section, Special Classification for Walt Whitman.

A. Biographical works about an author

Old and New Classification Procedures: If a book is a biographical work about an author, first assign the two-line author number for the person who is the subject of the biography.

Then add a third line for the author of the biography, preceding the Cutter letter(s) with a lower-case x.

Example: xL99r for Lyons, Louis Martin
So we have the complete number:
1901 F9396 xL99r
Lyons, Louis Martin. Robert Frost, 1874-1963

When constructing the third line, use either the Old or the New Classification Procedure, generally without regard to the procedure already in use in the second line. On the other hand, where there is already an example of a third line under this author in the shelflist, usually follow this earlier practice when deciding whether to use one or two letters in the line. As a rule of thumb, where there is no earlier practice to guide one, use the Old Procedure.

In this example, both Cutter lines have been constructed using the New Procedure. Note that there is no need to add a Cutter letter to the end of the third line unless the author has written two or more items on the subject; the letter is needed for the second and subsequent items only in order to distinguish them.

Examples:
1-SIZE 1901 F9396 xL35
Lathem, Edward Connery. Robert Frost, his 'American send-off,' 1915

1-SIZE 1901 F9396 xL35f
[same author] Freshman days : Robert Frost '96

Former System for Indicating Biographical Works

Previously a lower-case x was added to the second line of the call number to indicate that the work was a biographical one. If more than biography was added, or the classifier just wanted to be more specific, a lower-case initial of the author (or the title if there was no author) was added, such as lower-case xb in the second part of the example.

Example:
76 B915x
Wilson, L. G. Bryant and his friends
followed by:
76 B915xb
Bigelow, John. William Cullen Bryant

76 L853evxt
Thomson, Jay Earle. The land of Evangeline

This last example has been classed as a biographical work about its subject; the ev comes from Longfellow's poem, Evangeline. Nowadays it would be classed: 76 L853ev xT482. See T.S. Eliot example below (a work about a specific title) in the section on Critical works about an author.

Be sure to check the manual shelflist filing rules when assigning numbers where this earlier practice is still in use.

1951 Classification Procedure: The only essential difference between the treatment of biographical material by the 1951 Classification Procedure and the treatment by the Old and New Procedures is the presence of the second Cutter line. Construct a third Cutter line for the author of the biography, or other selected entry feature. Otherwise build call numbers on the same principles.as with the other procedures. So for biographical material, precede the Cutter letter on the third Cutter line with a lower-case x.

Remember that only single letters are ever used in any Cutter line when using the 1951 Procedure.

Examples:
1951 G4936 A53 xK902
Kramer, Jane. Paterfamilias : [a profile of Allen Ginsberg]

1951 G4936 A53 xK902a
[same author] Allen Ginsberg in America

Note that there is no earlier practice to be concerned with when working with reference material classed by the 1951 Procedure.

B. Critical works about an author

Old and New Classification Procedures: If a book is a critical work about an author, again first assign the two-line author number for the subject, and then add the third line for the author, this time preceding the Cutter letter(s) with a lower-case y.

Examples:
1901 F9396 yE465
Elliott, G. R. An undiscovered America in Frost's poetry

1926 LE9319 yW34
Critical essays on Denise Levertov

1901 E424Ls yH66
Hirsch, David Harry. T.S. Eliot and the vexation of time

Note that a critical work on a specific title by an author is classed with that title, not in the general sequence. The title in this case is Eliot's poem, The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock.

In this last example, the first Cutter line was constructed using the Old Procedure, and the second line using the New Procedure. While there is nothing basically wrong with the number, there was in fact no need to use the slightly more complicated New Procedure here; earlier practice indicated use of the Old Procedure.

Example of earlier practice:
76 B915yh
Hall, Fitzedward. A letter to the editor of the New York Nation

Similar to the case of biographical works, earlier practice used the lower-case letter y to indicate the presence of a critical work.

1951 Classification Procedure

Construct the third Cutter line in the same way as for biographical material, except for preceding the Cutter letter with a lower-case y.

Examples:
1951 G4936 A53 yH993o
On the poetry of Allen Ginsberg / edited by Lewis Hyde

Note that this collection of writings on Ginsberg is classed by a number representing the editor. To have classed by title here would have been clumsy since the first word consists of only two letters.

Note here that Harris still uses the class number for Baraka's former name Leroi Jones. As with LC, Harris does not reclass authors who change their names, unless there has been an error, or there is some good reason other than a simple name change.

C. Bibliography of an author

Old and New Classification Procedures

If a book is a bibliography of an author, again first assign the two-line author number for the subject, and then add the third line for the author, this time preceding the Cutter letter(s) with a lower-case z.

Examples:
1901 F9396 zC64
Clymer, William Branford Shubrick. Robert Frost, a bibliography

1926 LE9319 zS158
Sakelliou-Schultz, Liana. Denise Levertov

1951 Classification Procedure

Construct the third Cutter line in the same way as for biographical material, except for preceding the Cutter letter with a lower-case z.

Examples:
1951 G4936 A53 zD745
Dowden, George. A bibliography of works by Allen Ginsberg ...

1951 J78 L46 zP4144a
Amiri Baraka : bibliography, biography, playography

Lists of Codes for Languages Used in Cutter Lines

1. Common languages in Harris

Other languages

A	Arabic	J	Japanese
Af	Afrikaans
Arm	Armenian	K	Korean

B	Bulgarian	La	Latin
Be	Bengali	Li	Lithuanian
		Lv	Latvian
C	Chinese
Ca	Catalan	M	Malay
Cam	Cambodian (Khmer)
Cz	Czech	N	Norwegian

D	Dutch	P	Polish
		Ph	Phonetic (English)
Da	Danish	Po	Portuguese

Es	Esperanto	Ro	Romanian
Est	Estonian
		Se	Serbo-Croat
Fi	Finnish	Sw	Swedish
		Swa	Swahili
Ga	Gaelic (Scots)
Gr	Greek	T	Turkish
		Th	Thai
H	Hebrew
Ha	Hawaiian	U	Ukrainian
Hi	Hindi	Ur	Urdu
Hu	Hungarian
		V	Vietnamese
Ic	Icelandic
In	Indonesian	W	Welsh
Ir	Irish

Keywords: Harris / Classification / Poe / Whitman / Music / Non-book materials / Foreign language

Document: #042

Examples:
1926 DE1048x	Dean, Abner. Wake me when it's over
1926 DE109f	DeArana, Juanita. Fairy steel
1926 DE1754	DeCelles, L.T. Echoes from Main Street
1926 DE19	Decker, Della West. Through young eyes
1926 DE3106s	DeGeorge, Fred. Spaghetti ballads
1926 DE33v	Delafosse, F.M. Verses grave and gay
1926 DE37	DelVecchio, Thomas
1926 DE5606s	Denby, Edwin. Snoring in New York

Examples:
1976 L4144 S74L	LaVoie, Steven P.
1976 L416 R62t	Law, Robert
1976 L438 B48a	Learn, Beth. Alice Springs
1976 L4412 A68c	LeBaron, Anthony. Chamber music
1976 L4422 R53b	Le Beau, Richard E. The balance
1976 L4426 J85w	Lebentritt, Julia. Woman in the apples

Example:
76 JO376	John	[single forename? could also be single surname without qualifiers]
76 JO3764	John, Saint	[single forename, qualified]
76 JO3768	John, Henry	[single surname]

76 JO3784	John Kelly ...	[title]
76 JO3804	John of the Score	[title]
76 JO3806	John Peter	[multiple forenames]
76 JO3807	John-Thompson, Fred	[compound surname]
76 JO3808	John Watson Company	[corporate name]
76 JO3809	John William	[multiple forenames]

Example:
1951 C475 M45	Charles, Melba
1951 C4757 A14	Charles Schwab Corporation
1951 C4758 H46	Charles-Thomas, Henry
1951 C4788 R45	Charlip, Remy

ABC		class perhaps at 76 A12
	followed by different work
ABC		class perhaps at 76 A123

Brown University Library Cataloging Services
Document created by:	David Rich
Last updated:
If you have questions, please contact:	Rock_Catalog@brown.edu

MANUAL OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES