Background: Biography G 320 (excerpted from Subject Cataloging Manual: Shelflisting)
The cataloger classes biographical works under the topic with which the biographee, the person about whom a biography is written, is most closely identified. For example, works written about Henry Ford are usually classed in HD9710, which represents the history of the automobile industry. However, when an individual who has contributed to several different fields is the subject of a biography, the work is assigned a classification number determined by the topic covered in that particular work. For example, a book about Thomas Jefferson as an architect is classed in NA737, which represents the history of American architecture, whereas Jefferson as a musician is classed in ML429. If a biography treats multiple aspects of an individual's life, the cataloger classes the work with the topic with which the biographee is most commonly associated. Thus, works that present several aspects of Jefferson's career are classed in E (American history). For the purposes of this instruction sheet (G 320, Subject Cataloging Manual: Shelflisting), it is important to recognize the different areas where a biography may be classed:
General class numbers. Any class number
other than a biography class number.
Biography class numbers. Any class number established specifically
for biographical works. A biography class number can include a collection
of an individual's letters or compilation of a person's speeches.
Individual biography, A-Z. The caption Individual biography,
A-Z or similar captions may include materials such as collected works,
selected works, autobiographical works, letters, and speeches of the biographee.
For individual biography, the cataloger lists the name of the biographee as the first subject heading. In addition, fixed field box 12 (008/34 ) should contain a code for autobiography (a), biography (b), collective autobiography (c), or partial collective biography (d). This instruction sheet (G 320) provides guidelines on shelflisting procedures for biographies. For instructions on the assignment of subject headings, see H 1330, Subject Cataloging Manual: Subject Headings. For classification instructions, see F 275 , Subject Cataloging Manual: Classification .
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