Introduction | ||
Non-Literature | Literature |
The “ow” level of copy is for books catalogued using the Full-Level OCLC-Member Editing Guidelines (Books Format) that meet one or more of the criteria listed below. It also applies to OCLC-member serials records that meet one or more of the relevant criteria listed below, as clarified further in the "Serials Cataloging with OCLC Member Level Copy" guidelines.
Terminology:
DS 495 | (Nepal: general works on its history to 1768) | |
QL 76 | (zoos: general works about them) | |
F 2849.22 .G85 | (Argentina: history from 1955 to the present; biographies about Ernesto “Che” Guevara) |
call number | HX 315.7 .A8 $b K47 1997 | |
main entry | Snyder, Timothy | |
subject: | Kelles-Krauz, Kazimierz, 1872-1905 |
HX 315.7 | socialism or communism in Poland | |
A8 | individual biography | |
K4 | (second cutter, first part) | the subject of the biography |
7 | (second cutter, end) | the main entry |
For literature, in place of topic, the class number may represent an aspect of literature such as a literary genre common to all works in that number, literature of a particular place, or works by and about the same literary author. Some examples:
PS 555 | U.S. literature: collections of literature of the Gulf states | |
PQ 7503 | Honduran literature: history and criticism of Honduran drama | |
PQ 4835 .I7 | Pirandello, Luigi, 1867-1936: works by and about him |
Please note: Specific classification numbers are usually not included in the examples below, because the examples are intended only as illustrations of general principles.
Use "ow" for:
E.g. The book is about the history of travel in Austria.
E.g. The book is about Mexican political history of the late 19th century.
E.g. Title: Women of Kerala : costume and ornamentation among peasants in a south Indian state.
If there is little difference in the relative importance of multiple subject areas, the classification should generally not be changed, so the level of copy should not be coded as “ow.”
E.g. The book traces the history of Italian and Greek immigrants in early 20th-century Egypt. The Italian immigrants are discussed first,
Similarly, if no classification number available reflects all aspects of the topic and the one already in the record reflects one aspect, the class number should generally not be changed to reflect another aspect of roughly the same importance, because there would simply be a “trade-off” in coverage of the topic. Therefore, the level of copy should not be coded as “ow.”
E.g. The book is about shamans in a particular town in Colombia.
E.g. The book is about the history of trade associations in Brazil.
If the classification number is only slightly more general than the focus of the subject, the classification should generally not be changed, so the level of copy should not be coded as “ow.”
Please note that a decision in this type of case may be affected by the number of books that we have already classified under particular numbers -- and thus how far apart books may end up on the shelves. Fine-tuning the classification may be more worthwhile if we have a large number of books (e.g., 50 or more) under the general number
E.g. The book is about visitations as an aspect of the administration of Catholic monastic orders.
On the other hand:
E.g. The book is about economic status among the Mayas.
E.g. The book covers the U.S. Civil War, both generally and in the Southern States. About 30-35% (roughly one-third) of the book
If the class number, while more specific than the overall topic, does reflect the level of specificity of a considerable proportion of the work, the classification should generally not be changed, so the level of copy should not be coded as “ow.”
E.g. The book covers the U.S. Civil War, both generally and in the Southern States. About 65-70% (roughly two-thirds) of the book
Multi-volume monographs: It is not uncommon for an incomplete multi-volume work to have been catalogued based on the specific topic of one volume rather than the broader topic of the work as a whole. In such a case, the class number should be changed to reflect the broader scope of the overall work, when it can be determined. (The scope may be clearer if we have more volumes than were available when the original cataloguing was done, but it can also sometimes be determined from the first volume.)
E.g. Title: History of nineteenth-century photography in Europe
If only the main entry or work cutter of a call number is changed, not the class number itself, the level of copy should not be coded as “ow.”
E.g. The book is a collection of the paintings of Armand Quiberonnais (from his one-week exhibition).
E.g. The book is about the history of travel in Austria.
E.g. The book is about Mexican political history of the late 19th century.
Please note that the application of these criteria may often involve the use of judgement. If you are not certain in a given case whether a classification number or subject heading should be changed or whether a record should be coded as “ow,” please consult with the Principal Cataloguer or with your trainer.
[to be expanded further]
Use "ow" for:
or
E.g. The book is an English translation of Victor Hugo’s novel Les misérables.
E.g. The book is a critical study of Geoffrey Chaucer’s treatment of his characters.
** Do not use "ow" for records in which you added or corrected the LC call number using the class number found in an 053 in an authority record in Voyager or OCLC.
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HTML document last reviewed: 18 September 2002