(1)On December 1, 1968, the Library of Congress initiated a new card numbering system. Numbers assigned before that date are in the "old" system. On February 1, 1972, another card numbering system was initiated. Numbers assigned after that date are in the "new" system. The numbers assigned between December 1968 and January 1972 are referred to as the "interim" numbering system.

The number is fixed in length at 12 characters, but the data elements making up the number vary, depending upon which system is being used. The three systems are described as follows:

1. Old Numbering System:

Name of data element

No. of characters

Alphabetic prefix

3

Year

2

Number

6

Supplement Number

1

Suffix and/or Revision date

Variable

Example:

Prefixes:

Numbers in the old system may contain an alphabetic prefix, which is carried in the machine-readable record as lowercase alphabetic characters. Prefixes can be from one to three characters in length. Prefixes containing more than three characters have been redefined for use in the machine-readable record.

Prefix as it appears on printed card

3-char. equivalent input to MARC record

Mic A

mid

Micp

mie

MicpA

mif

PhoM

php

Suffixes:

Numbers in the old system may contain suffixes and/or a revision date. Such data are carried as variable length data and do not affect the uniqueness of the LC card number.

Suffixes appear below the card number on a printed card on the same slug as the "Library of Congress" legend. When input into machine-readable form, suffixes are separated from the last numeral of the card number by a slash. If multiple suffixes occur, they are separated from one another by a slash. Suffixes are carried in the MARC record as uppercase characters.

Revision dates:

The revision date always consists of at least three characters: a lowercase "r" followed by two numbers which stand for the last two digits of the year of latest revision (e.g., 669). The revision date is found in the printing symbol area on the printed card; an area to the right of the hole on the card enclosed in brackets. When input into a MARC record, a revision date, when occurring alone, immediately follows the card number, separated from the last numeral of the number by two slashes. When occurring in conjunction with suffixes, a revision date immediately follows any suffixes, separated from them by one slash.

2. Interim Numbering System:

Name of data element

No. of characters

Unused

3

Initial digit

1

Check digit

1

Number

6

Supplement number

1

Alphabetic identifier and/or revision date

Variable

Example:

Prefixes:

No alphabetic prefixes are used in the interim numbering system. Numbers in the interim numbering system are distinguished by the initial digit "7", which is followed by a check digit (these two digits take the place of the year portion of the card number in the old system.) The year is not part of the card number but may be determined from the "Date Entered on File" in the MARC record (008/0-5).

Alphabetic identifiers:

Information that was expressed by prefixes and suffixes to the card number in the old system is expressed by symbols called "alphabetic identifiers" in the interim system. For example, A (cooperative copy); AC (annotated card); NE (Near East); MAP (map); SA (South Asian). Such data do not affect the uniqueness of the number and are carried as variable length elements, separated from the last numeral of the card number by a slash. If multiple alphabetic identifiers occur, they are separated from one another by a slash. A revision date, when occurring alone, immediately follows the card number, separated from one another by a slash. A revision date, when occurring alone, immediately follows the card number, separated from the last numeral of the number by two slashes. When occurring in conjunction with any alphabetic identifiers, the revision date is separated by one slash. Alphabetic identifiers are carried in the MARC record as uppercase characters. Alphabetic identifiers appear below the card number on a printed card on the same slug as the "Library of Congress" legend.

3. New Numbering System:

Name of data element

No. of characters

Unused

3

Year

2

Number

6

Supplement number

1

Alphabetic identifier and/or revision date

Variable

The structure of the regular LC card numbers in the new system as in the interim system, with the exception that the last two digits of the year are given as in the old system.

Prefixes:

Under the new system, pseudo LC card numbers, containing a specific two-digit alphabetic prefix, are being used on CONSER records authenticated by various CONSER participants. For more information and examples, see field 010.

LC CARD NUMBER PREFIXES AND AN EXPLANATION OF THE PREFIXES

Prefix

Explanation

Prefix

Explanation

"Regular" (year of letter only)

Books in the general classified collections of LC: received by copyright since July 15, 1898; other accessions since January 1901 and books since January 1901

a

Copy supplied by other American libraries, 1909-

ac

New foreign books and analytical entries in series for which copy was prepared by cooperating libraries under the auspices of the ALA Committee on Cooperative Cataloging, 1932-1942

ac

Annotated cards for juvenile books, 1966-

af

Foreign acquisitions for which copy was supplied by other American libraries, 1946-1950

agr

Copy supplied by the Library of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1902-

bs

Copy supplied by the Library of the U.S. National Bureau of Standards, 1913-1938

c

Copy supplied by the Library of the U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission, 1915-1916

c

Chinese entries cataloged by LC 1949-

ca/cad

Temporary entries for books in the general classified collections of LC, 1905-1937

cd

Analytical entries for sets and series in LC prepared by the Card Division, 1916-1940

cd

Cards printed for card sales. Copy prepared by LC

cs

Copy prepared by the Cooperative Cataloging and Classification Service, LC, 1934-1939

cx

Cross reference cards used in LC catalogs for Chinese entries, 1958-

do

Copy supplied by the Library of the U.S. Superintendent of Documents, 1913-1916

e

Copy supplied by the Library of the U.S. Office of Education, 1908-1958

es

Copy supplied by the Library of the U.S. Engineers School, 1913-1935

f

Copy supplied by the Library of the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, 1910-1940

fi

Films cataloged by LC, 1951

fia

Films for which cataloging data was supplied by film producers, 1951

fie

Films for which cataloging data was supplied by the Visual Education Service of the Office of Education, and other government agencies, 1951-

gs

Copy supplied by the Library of U.S. National Institute of Health, 1914-1921

ha

Copy supplied by the Library of the U.S. Housing Authority, 1940

he

Hebrew entries cataloged by LC, 1964-

hew

Copy supplied by the Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, 1958-

hex

Cross reference cards used in LC for Hebrew entries, 1964-

int

Copy supplied by the Dept. of the Interior, 1959

j

Japanese entries cataloged by LC, 1949

ja

Japanese entries for which copy was supplied by other American libraries, 1951

jx

Cross reference cards used in LC for Japanese entries, 1958-

k

Korean entries cataloged by LC, 1951

kx

Cross reference cards used in LC for Korean entries, 1958

l

Copy supplied by the Library of the U.S. Dept. of Labor, 1911-

m

Sheet music cataloged by LC, 1953-1962

ma

Sheet music for which copy was supplied by other American libraries, 1953-1961

map

Atlases in the Maps Division of LC, 1901-

med

Copy supplied by the Armed Forces Medical Library, 1946-1948

mic

Microfilms cataloged by LC, 1949

mid

Microfilms for which copy was supplied by other American libraries, 1946-

mie

Microcards and microprints cataloged by LC, 1953

mif

Microcards and microprints for which copy was supplied by other American libraries, 1953

mpa

Sheet music for which copy was supplied by the Pan American Union, 1956-

ms

Manuscripts cataloged by LC, 1959-

ne

Books published in the Near East or in the languages of those countries, 1961-

nex

Cross reference cards used in LC for books published in the Near East or in the languages of those countries, 1961-

no

Copy supplied by the Library of the U.S. Naval Observatory, 1930-1940

pa

Copy supplied by the Library of the Pan American Union, 1930-

pho

Photographic reproductions of books; copy supplied by other libraries, 1927

php

"Collections of Photographic Facsimiles" issued by the Modern Language Association of America; copy prepared by Card Division, 1927-1938

phq

Copy supplied by other libraries for Modern Language Association photographic facsimiles

po

Copy supplied by the Library of the U.S. Patent Office, 1917-1953

r

Phonograph records cataloged by LC, 1953-

ra

Phonograph records for which copy was supplied by other American libraries, 1955-

s

Copy submitted by the Library of the Smithsonian Institution, 1913-1959

sa

Books published in Southeast Asia or in the languages of those countries, 1961-

sax

Cross reference cards used in LC for books published in Southeast Asia or in the languages of those countries, 1961-

sd

Copy supplied by the Library of the U.S. Dept. of State, 1914-

sg

Copy supplied by the Surgeon General's Library, U.S. Army, 1916-1946

ss

Copy supplied by the Social Security Administration, 1944-1958

tb

Talking books

w

Copy supplied by the District of Columbia Public Library, 1905-1942

war

Copy supplied by the Library of the U.S. Army War College, 1907-1932

x

Cross reference cards used in LC catalogs, Jan. 1941

 

 

See also:

Section F. Appendices