LC Classifications

Each book has a call number that consists of letters, whole numbers, and sometimes a decimal number. Each call number is arranged into at least two lines. The first line is referred to as the top line. The second line always begins directly after the cutter symbol. A cutter symbol is a period followed by a letter.

Alma takes LC classification information from the holdings record for the Physical Items subject area and from the bibliographic record for the LC Classifications field in other subject areas. Alma stores four levels in the LC classification dimension. For example:

PS American literature
- PS501-689 Collections of American literature
- PS537-574 By region
- PS538-549 North

This is presented in Alma Analytics as follows:

Each level is referred to by a numbered group (Group1, Group2, Group3, and Group4).

Using this dimension, the user can drill down from Group1 to Group4. In each level, the user can see measures accumulated to the relevant group.

For Physical Items, Alma takes LC classification information from the holdings record level. For all other subject areas, it is taken from the bibliographic record level.

Ex Libris works with content providers worldwide to enrich the metadata available in the Alma Community Zone. To enrich the journal/serial content in the CZ, we work directly with the Library of Congress CONSER feed for electronic serials, which we match against our knowledge base to enrich with all of the relevant metadata fields that they supply (for more details, see Community Zone Serial Records Enrichment). We receive weekly updates from CONSER and enrich the CZ records with all relevant metadata, including the 050 fields (when available).

In the case of book content, we work with multiple providers who are willing to share their metadata with the Alma community globally (for more details, see Community Zone Monograph Records Enrichment). If you have local access to these classifications, you may want to consider working with the local extension for these records whenever an update is not available. (For more details, see Working with Local Extension Fields for Community Zone-linked Records)

LC Classifications
Field	Description	Additional information
Start Range	Stores the start range of the group such as PS501
End Range	Stores the end range of the group such as PS689
Classification Code	Stores the letters in the beginning of the range such as PS	If there is more than one classification code, the last one appears. The Classification Code comes from the bibliographic record, except for in the Physical Items subject area where it comes from the holdings record.
Start Range Number	Stores the numbers that come after the letter in the start range
End Range Number	Stores the numbers that come after the letter in the end range
Group1	Stores the name of the first level
Group2	Stores the name of the second level
Group3	Stores the name of the third level
Group4	Stores the name of the fourth level
Group5	Stores the name of the fifth level
Classifications	Stores the Hierarchy column that allows the user to drill down from the first level of the classification to the fourth level. Using this column provides the user with the option to view the accumulative measures. Note that the fifth level is not included in this field.

For a Knowledge Article related to LC Classifications, see Analytics LC Classification code shows Unknown even though a call number is present in Alma.