| Type of Material | Prefix | Shelf Number | Example | Sirsi Group | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Books | BIG | First three letters of the main entry, all uppercase. | BIG HIL | OVERSIZED | The main entry is the 1xx field in MARC, usually the author's last name. |
| Biography | B | Entire last name of the person the book is about, all uppercase | B BOONE | BIOGRAPHY | |
| Career Collection | CC | Dewey number, followed by the first three letters of the main entry, all uppercase | CC 694 CAR | CAREER | The main entry is the 1xx field in MARC, usually the author's last name. |
| Cassette Tapes | CT | For a non-fiction tape, use a Dewey number, followed by the first three letters of the main entry, all uppercase. | CT 323 AME | CASSETTE | The main entry is the 1xx field in MARC, usually the author's last name. |
| For a fiction audiobook, use the first three letters of the main entry, all uppercase. | CT ARM | ||||
| Collective Biography | 920, followed by the first three letters of the main entry, all uppercase | 920 BRI | COLLBIOG | The main entry is the 1xx field in MARC, usually the author's last name. | |
| Compact Disc | CD | First three letters of the main entry, all uppercase | CD NAT | CD | |
| DVD Videorecording | DVD | For a non-fiction DVD video, use a Dewey number, followed by the first three letters of the main entry, all uppercase. | DVD 323 AME | DVD | The main entry is the 1xx field in MARC, usually the author's last name. Often, there is no 1xx field for videorecordings. If no 1xx, use first three letters of 245 field. |
| For a fiction DVD video, use the first three letters of the main entry, all uppercase. | DVD ARM | ||||
| Easy | E | First three letters of the main entry, all uppercase. | E BER | EASY | The main entry is the 1xx field in MARC, usually the author's last name. |
| Equipment | EQ | Use a brief descriptive term. | EQ VCR EQ OVERHEAD |
EQUIPMENT | EQ is usually used with audio-visual equipment. |
| Fiction | F | First three letters of the main entry, all uppercase. | F ARMSTRONG | FICTION | The main entry is the 1xx field in MARC, usually the author's last name. |
| Graphic Novels | GN | For fiction, use first three letters of the main entry, all uppercase. Optional: Class in 741.5, then use first three letters of main entry. |
GN TAY GN 741.5 WAT |
GRAPHICNOV | Use GN only if you keep graphic novels separate from the rest of the collection. Graphic novels ordered from vendors will probably be classed in 741.5. |
| For non-fiction, use a Dewey number, followed by first three letters of the main entry. | GN 940.53 SPI | ||||
| Kits | KIT | Use Dewey number, followed by first three letters of main entry. | KIT 372.41 DIS | KIT | Kits circulate as one item. |
| For kits of a fictional nature (book & cassette tape), you can use the first three letters of the main entry. | KIT BRI | ||||
| Magazines | MAG | Use the first three letters of the title of the magazine, followed by the date with the year first, then month, then day. | MAG SPO 2006-01-05 MAG ZOO 2006-01 |
PERIODICAL | Each school may determine magazine cataloging/circulating policy. Few schools catalog magazines. |
| Non-Fiction | Dewey number, followed by the first three letters of the main entry, all uppercase. | 027.8 BRI | NONFICTION | The main entry is the 1xx field in MARC, usually the author's last name. | |
| Oversize Books | OV | Dewey number followed by first three letters of main entry. Also possible to prefix another class number (such as biography). |
OV 796.357 LEV OV B KENNEDY |
OVERSIZED | There is no set height to determine what is oversize. Each library should decide what is oversized for their collection. |
| Paperbacks | PB | Entire last name of the author, all uppercase. | PB ARMSTRONG | PAPERBACK | |
| Periodicals | MAG | Use the first three letters of the title of the magazine, followed by the date with the year first, then month, then day. | MAG SPO 2006-01-05 MAG ZOO 2006-01 |
PERIODICAL | Each school may determine magazine cataloging/circulating policy. Few schools catalog magazines. |
| Professional | P | Dewey number, followed by the first three letters of main entry. | P 021.6 SIM | PROFESSNAL | |
| Realia | REAL | First three letters of main entry. | REAL KEY | REALIA | Realia are usually objects, such as puppets or games. Main entry will probably be the 245 field. |
| Reference | R | Dewey number, followed by the first three letters of the main entry, all uppercase | R 031 WOR | REFERENCE | Often with reference books, the main entry is the title. If there is no MARC 1xx tag, use the first three letters of the 245 tag. |
| Story Collection | SC | First three letters of the main entry. | SC ASI | STORYCOLL | If all the stories are by the same person, you'll use the first three letters of
the authors name. If the stories are written by more than one person, use the first three letters of the title. |
| Storyboards | SB | First three letters of main entry, usually the title. | SB THR | MISC | |
| Transparencies | TRA | Dewey number, followed by first three letters of main entry. | TRA 551 STO | TRANSPRNCY | |
| Videocassettes | VC | For a non-fiction video, use a Dewey number, followed by the first three letters of the main entry, all uppercase. | VC 323 AME | VIDEO | The main entry is the 1xx field in MARC, usually the author's last name. |
| For a fiction videocassette, use the first three letters of the main entry, all uppercase. | VC ARM |