Understanding Normalized Call Numbers in Analytics
Normalized call numbers.
In Analytics, the "normalized call number" column in the Holdings Details folder is a handy tool for correctly sorting a call number list (see here). It can also be useful if you want to get a report of everything in a call number range - such as QA24-QA27. Alma treats the "permanent LC classification top line" as a decimal, so M3 is "greater than" M245. Also, if your library uses call number prefixes (852 $k in the holdings record), they will appear at the beginning of the "permanent LC call number."
The following guide describes how to assemble a normalized call number, specifically a Library of Congress call number in the MARC 21 standard.
Each row describes consecutive character(s) in the string. All letters are lower case.
- 852 Indicator 1 (0 for LC call numbers)
- LC classification code
- Normalizing character (see table below)
- LC class number
- [space]
- Cutter without preceding period
- [space]
- Title code
- [space]
- Date
- [space]
- Call number prefix
- [space]
- 0 (only if the string will end in a letter*)
*If the normalized call number will end in a letter (either a date like 1900z or a call number prefix), a [space] and 0 are added at the end.
Digits in class number |
Normalizing character |
1 |
[space] |
2 |
! |
3 |
” |
4 |
# |
Example call number: Folio QA24.D56 T72 1958
Normalized: 0qa!24 d56 t72 1958 folio 0
This can be useful in querying specific ranges by using the "is between" operator in a filter. For example, to find all titles in the range PC5401-PC5499, you would use the following: