Single Number Authors & Author with More than One Number

Single Number Authors

As indicated above, a twentieth- or twenty-first century author will have a unique Cutter number but will share the same class number (first line of call number) with many other 20th/21st century authors (e.g. PR6023: all twentieth-century British authors with the last name "L.") Many pre-20th century literary authors, on the other hand, are assigned a unique class number. The P-PZ40 table is generally not applied to these authors.

Example. Emily Dickinson has a single number: PS1541. For biography and criticism of Emily Dickinson, LC adds a second line Z5, and a third line Cuttered to the main entry:

SML call number

Since most single number authors will have been established in Orbis and enough time has passed for at least one or two books to have been written about them, the lack of an author Cutter will usually be the clue that the P-PZ40 table should not be applied. Since SML did not deviate from LC for pre-20th century authors, if there is already a pattern set up for the author in Orbis, follow the pattern, adjusting the book number if necessary. When in doubt, refer member copy for pre-20th century authors to staff authorized to check the number in ClassWeb. For works (collected or separate) by the author, it is generally a good idea to have the number checked on ClassWeb.

Author with More than One Number

A voluminous author or an author whose works have appeared in many editions will have a range of numbers. Such an author will have separate numbers assigned to each major work, as well as separate numbers for other aspects of the author’s work. Search Orbis and compare LC 050 treatment of the following titles:

The second part of King Henry the Fourth. Edited by Samuel B. Hemingway. (PR2811.A2=Edition; H45=editor, Hemingway)

The second part of King Henry the Fourth. Edited by Norman N. Holland (PR2811.A2=Edition; H6=editor, Holland)

A critical commentary on Shakespeare’s King Henry IV, part 2. By Peter Hollindale. (PR2811.H65)

Henry V. Edited by Gary Taylor, an edition published 1982. (PR2812.A2=Edition of Henry V; T28=editor)

William Shakespeare : an introduction to his life, times, and theatre. By Irving Ribner. (PR2894=Criticism and biography of Shakespeare; general works)

Shakespeare’s early comedies. By E.M.W. Tillyard. (PR2981=Shakespeare’s comedies)

The wheel of fire : interpretations of Shakespearian tragedy. By G. Wilson Knight. (PR2983=Shakespeare’s tragedies)

The structure of Shakespearean scenes. By James E. Hirsch. (PR2997=Shakespeare, special topics)

Since voluminous authors will have specific numbers assigned to separate works, determining a pattern based on past practice may be misleading. Refer member copy for pre-20th century voluminous authors to staff authorized to check the number in ClassWeb.