Translation Numbers. When the bibliographic record has a 240 or 130 field that includes a ‡l for language of translation, additional digits (translation numbers) are usually added to the book number of the original to indicate that the item is a translation and to distinguish it from the call number of the edition in the original language. See PDF: G 150 Translation table
As indicated in section 3., it is not required to base the call number of the translation on the call number of the original expression, but if the call number for the original is readily available, use it. On the other hand, if we don't own a copy of the original with an LC number, it is not necessary to search OCLC or LC for a record for the original with a call number.
Note that the translation table has been considerably modified, with additions for Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Vietnamese.
Note that we should be following current LC policy (per CSM Shelflisting G 150): do not assign a translation number if no 240 or 130 is present.
CAUTION: See the translation section in G 150 (link above) for a list of categories where the translation table should NOT be applied, for handling editions with 2 or more languages, for earlier practice that dropped the 1, for By language A-Z in the schedules, for serials, and for two translations into the same language published in the same year.
Languages not listed in the table
Use of .x19 for languages not provided in the table is no longer current practice.
G 150 states:
If a language is not listed on the Translation Table, select a number for that language that would agree alphabetically with the table and any translation(s) previously shelflisted in the same class.
Previously, LC practice was to repurpose a number in the translation table if it had not already been claimed. For example, if an Estonian translation was being cataloged, and no English language translation had been cataloged up till that point, the .x13 number was used for the Estonian translation. Locally, YUL practice was never to repurpose a number from the table. In the latest iteration of G 150, LC has dropped the repurposing practice, so now our local practice is consistent with LC practice. Under current guidelines, even if an English language translation was never cataloged, the cataloger should add digits to the appropriate number from the table so that the language of the translation being cataloged fits into alphabetical sequence. So the Estonian translation would use, for example, .x138 rather than .x13. If a repurposed number has already been assigned, however, the cataloger should modify the translation number for the resource being cataloged rather than reclassify the previously assigned number.
Copy Catalogers: generally do not add translation notation or what appears to be translation notation to source copy call numbers. Some LC classes use different notation or even separate numbers to identify the language of translation. This is particularly true when the uniform title (now called "preferred title") is entered in 130, e.g. Bible headings. It is not worthwhile checking every such number against ClassWeb. EXCEPTION: If the call number for the translation appears to be conflicting with the call number for the original, consult with your supervisor or a staff member with access to ClassWeb.