Background:

It is customary to provide special numbers for biography in the general materials area under a topic whose class numbers have been expanded to any extent in the classification schedules. Although these numbers are called biography numbers, they are used for classifying various other kinds of works in addition to those that merely present facts concerning the personal life of an individual. Generally, these numbers are used for any work whose purpose it is to relate an individual. Generally, these numbers are used for any work whose purpose it is to relate an individual (or group of individuals) to a topic. Such works may and often do give personal details, but they may also merely discuss the individual’s activities, contributions, views, etc., relating to the topic in question. This instruction sheet presents general guidelines for classifying biographical works. For guidelines on classifying biographies of government officials, such as heads of state, governors, and legislators, see F 605.

For guidelines on assigning subject headings to biographical works, see H 1330. For fixed field coding, see D 145.

Procedures:

1. General rule

2. Establishing biography numbers

3. Form of captions

4. Collective vs. individual biography

5. Individual biography of persons with multi-faceted careers

6. Individual biography in history schedules

7. Individual biography tables

8. Providing information for shelflisting

See also:

Form Captions