The Superintendant of Documents classification system. Patricia Amador, Sarah Davis, Jim Holmes and Susan Mayer. LI804XO – Theory of Organization of Information

What is it?

What is it? The Superintendent of Documents Classification system (SuDocs) is an organizational system for government publications to help with retrieval and storage in the Library of Congress, regional depository libraries and other information institutions. Classification by provenance (government department) Alphanumeric call number divided into two sections

Adelaide Hasse Worked at the Los Angeles Public Library. Organized government documents by agency. Became the first librarian of the Superintendent of Documents office in 1895

Government Printing Office Printing Act of 1895 – gathering, codification and distribution of government documents. Established first iteration of SuDoc classification scheme SuDoc classification officially adopted in 1903 by Superintendant of Documents William Post

How are they used? Government Printing Office – Each item produced by the GPO is given a SuDoc call number. GPO is responsible for disseminating its information to federal depository libraries, Library of Congress and the National Archives and Record Administration. Libraries are responsible for maintaining collection. SuDocs numbers connect bibliographies, indexes, and document classification systems together.

SuDocs disadvantages Browsing is difficult compared with traditional classification. Call number is confusing. Most library’s collections on microfiche Government agencies change name and affiliation Government offices currently publishing online docs without SuDoc classification or call number

Reading a call number SuDoc numbers are divided into 2 parts, Class Stem and Book Number. GP 3.29:P 88 (The SuDoc number for the GPO Classification Manual: A Practical Guide to the Superintendent of Documents Classification System) Series Designation Book Number Author Symbol Class Stem

Reading a call number – class stem Author symbol – 1 st letters of department name A – Department of Agriculture LC – Library of Congress NAS – NASA X & Y – Congress. Z is not used. Subordinate offices – Originally alphabetical, new offices assigned the next number as added A 1 – Department of Agriculture, Main Office A 21 – Department of Agriculture, Information Office A 68 – Department of Agriculture, Rural Electrification Administration

Reading a call number – class stem Series Designation – separated by period NOT decimal.1 – Annual report.2 – General publication.3 – Bulletin… Slash descriptors further identify documents /2 – related series /rev – revision /a – preprints and separates For instance – “Preprints from Mineral Yearbook” – I 28.37/a: The “Mineral Yearbook” – I 28.37:

Reading a call number – book number Follows colon (no space) using volume, series, bulletin number or similar numerical designation L 2.41/2:29/6 - call number for Employment and Earnings, vol. 29, # 6 Annuals - last 3 numbers of year are used A 1.1:990 - call number for Annual Report of Secretary of Agriculture (1990) Unnumbered publications use a subject cutter table NAS 1.2:R 11 – call number for “Radioactive Heating of Vehicles Entering the Earth’s atmosphere

How to build a SuDoc number Hypothetical Bulletin #80 from the Government Printing Office, main office, published in 1956 Class Stem – GPO, main office, bulletin Department GP 1 Subordinate office Series designation.3: Book number – numerical designation, year 80 numerical designation Publication year /956

Shelving SuDocs SuDocs IS NOT a decimal system Shelve by year, then letters, then non-year numbers

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Arthur Lakes Library. (2009). Government Publications Classification – U.S. (SuDocs) and State of Colorado. Retrieved February from Beck, C. (2006). The new woman as librarian: The career of Adelaide Hasse. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. Government Printing Office. (n.d.). An Explanation of the Superintendent of Documents Classification System. Retrieved Feb. 2, 2007 from Government Printing Office. (1978). Guidelines for the Depository Library System: as adopted by the Depository Library Council to the Public Printer, October 18, 1977: with minimum standards for the depository library system, as adopted October 22, Washington, D.C: United States Government Printing Office. Hasse, A. R. (1997). An Explanation of the Superintendent of Documents Classification System. Washington, D.C.: Depository Administration Branch, Library Division, Library Program Services, U.S. G.P.O. J. Robert Van Pelt and Opie Library. (2008, October 18). The Superintendent of Documents Classification System. Retrieved February 10, 2009, from Miller, L.(2001). What document is this? An explanation of Superintendent of Documents Classification, Mississippi Libraries, 65(2), 55-56&64, Retrieved February 5, 2009, from Wilson Web database. Robinson, J. (1998). Tapping the Government Grapevine: The User-Friendly Guide to U.S. Government Information Source. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press.