Appendix P. Library of Congress Card Numbering System
(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 |
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 |
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 |
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See also: