14. Geographic Cutters

Geographic cutters are assigned in three ways:

Type 1. The locality is assigned a specific cutter or cutter range in the schedules, e.g. DC611.B848. See LC Classification Call Numbers (Overview) example 2 [1].

Type 2. The locality is assigned a cutter from the SCM 300 table when the schedule says to use "By region or country A-Z " under a given call number. See the FIRST cutter I73(2) in LC Classification Call Numbers (Overview) example 5 [2]. There are also tables for states and Canadian provinces to be used for the schedule caption "By state, A-Z" or "By province, A-Z" (SCM 302).

Type 3. The locality is not assigned a specific cutter and is smaller than a "region or country;" the schedule usually says "Local A-Z." The local cutter is usually a second cutter; it is constructed like any other cutter from the LC Cutter Table and adjusted to the local file. See the SECOND cutter D83(5) in LC Classification Call Numbers (Overview) example 5 [2].

The Yale shelflist is unlikely to be in conflict with Type 1, and the expectation is that most cataloging copy sources will use the assigned Type 1 cutter.

Type 3 arrangement in the Yale shelf is often uneven; it is not clear that there was ever a general expectation that the locality subarrangement was to be maintained by copy cataloging. The effect of this unevenness on file integrity and browsers is relatively small.

On the other hand, there has been an expectation that the Type 2 "region or country" (and probably the similar state/province) arrangement generally would be maintained, since this often affects relatively large file ranges and probably has a significant effect on browsing. The shelflisting procedures in 14. are intended to address procedures for Type 2 geographic cutters.

14a. Call numbers assigned by LC (050 00). LC Call numbers with geographic cutters are accepted as is; no attempt is made to adjust the geographic cutter.

14b. Call number assigned by non-LC library (050 _4), including PCC. These call numbers are shelflisted, so:

1. If a cutter for the location has been previously assigned, use the Yale geographic cutter in 852.
2. If the cutter for the location has not been previously assigned, accept the number as given if it is not in conflict with the alphabetical arrangement in Orbis, but adjust otherwise. (However, if upgrading to PCC level, see special instructions following 14c.)

14c. New call numbers (original or member copy without call number):

1. If a cutter for the location has been previously assigned, use the Yale geographic cutter in 852.
2. If the location has not been previously assigned, use the number assigned in the geographic cutter table as given if it is not in conflict with the alphabetical arrangement in Orbis, but adjust otherwise. However, if upgrading to PCC level, see special instructions following:

For cataloging contributed as new PCC (original or upgraded member), the geographic cutter in 050 _4 should be shelflisted against the Library of Congress online catalog call number index. Use the LC cutter if already established at LC; otherwise use the geographic cutter table as the basis, but adjust it if necessary to maintain file integrity within the LC call number file. Source: BIBCO Participants' Manual, E6.2. Library of Congress Classification (LCC [3]). Adjust cutter in 852 to local file if necessary. Note that these procedures do not apply to the second cutter; PCC standards only apply to 050 ‡a.

Key elements of LC practice on use of the region and country table (SCM 300):

1. Apply the table to new entries in the shelflist when the form caption in the schedule reads "By region or country, A-Z"
2. If a cutter has been used in the shelflist or established in the classification schedule, use that number even if it conflicts with the table
3. "If a Cutter for a specific region or country is being applied for the first time in a particular class, and there is no conflict with adjacent Cutter numbers, use the Cutter indicated in the regions and countries table. If a conflict exists with adjacent Cutter numbers, continue the existing Cutter arrangement, adjusting the new Cutter to maintain the proper alphabetical arrangement."

The SCM 300 Region and Country table is on the Cataloger's Desktop and also on the web at:

http://staff.library.mun.ca/staff/toolbox/tables/regcoun.htm [4]

The same practice is used for the states and provinces tables (SCM 302). The SCM 302 States and Provinces table is on the Cataloger's Desktop and also on the web at:

http://staff.library.mun.ca/staff/toolbox/tables/provstat.htm [5]

Or use the Cataloging Calculator [6].