Library of Congress Basic Cutter Table

Cuttering for Words

After initial vowels
for the second letter:
use number:

b
2

d
3

l-m
4

n
5

p
6

r
7

s-t
8

u-y
9

After initial letter S
for the second letter:
use number:

a
2

ch
3

e
4

h-i
5

m-p
6

t
7

u
8

w-z
9

After initial letters Qu
for the second letter:
use number:

a
3

e
4

i
5

o
6

r
7

t
8

y
9

For initial letters Qa-Qt,
use:

2-29

 

After other initial consonants
for the second letter:
use number:

a
3

e
4

i
5

o
6

r
7

u
8

y
9

For expansion (ie. 3rd and
subsequent cutters) for the letter:
use number:

a-d
3

e-h
4

i-l
5

m-o
6

p-s
7

t-v
8

w-z
9
  • Adjust the cutter, if necessary, to file an entry correctly and to allow room for later entries.
  • Continue to cutter so as to keep items together by author, title, country, etc.
  • Ignore items cuttered by the old tables if they do not conflict and do not reclass items unless absolutely necessary.
  • Mac, Mc, M' are no longer treated exceptionally.
  • Cutter includes a range of letters up to the next one listed.
    e.g. After initial vowels: b=2 applies to a-c; d=3 applies to d-k.

Do not end a cutter with the numeral 1 or 0.

Cuttering for Numerals

When cuttering for Roman or Arabic numerals, use the cutters .A12-.A19. Because of the infinite range of numbers, choose a cutter toward the center of the available span when cuttering for the first numeral in a class. This will allow room for both smaller and larger numbers.

Source: Library of Congress. Subject Cataloging Manual: Shelflisting.