Author & Call Number Generator
Look up a candidate author mark and assemble a call number from your reviewed bibliographic details. New to the workflow? Follow the worked example.
DDC CALL NUMBER FORMAT
auto_stories Generated Bibliographic Data
This tool supports DDC and LC formatted call number construction. Generated results should still be checked according to your library's local cataloging policy.
Enter the Book Author
Add the author's last name and first name you wish to classify.
Enter Bibliographic Data
Inputs all the details to generate a formatted call number for book spine.
Generate the Author&Call No.
Outputs Cutter-Sanborn Number and formatted Call Number ready to use.
How to use the Author & Call Number Generator
Use this tool after reviewing the book’s filing entry and subject class. It looks up a candidate author mark and assembles the details you enter into a call-number display.
- Select DDC or LC to show the appropriate classification fields.
- Enter the author’s surname and, when appropriate, given name in their separate fields.
- Choose two or three digits. The two-digit option shortens the bundled three-figure code; it does not consult a separate two-figure table.
- Enter a reviewed class number and the required location, title, year, volume, or copy details.
- Generate the number, inspect the Matching Entry, and compare the output with your catalog before copying it.
Understand the result
A Cutter-Sanborn author mark helps arrange entries within a class. It does not determine a book’s subject. With surname Besorio, given name Darwin, and the fictional title Cataloging practice workbook, the current three-digit DDC result is B556c: B is the prefix, 556 comes from the matching table entry Beso, and c is the title workmark.
DDC worked example
025.3
B556c
2026This is a teaching label, not a record for a published book. The class is supplied independently. DDC mode takes the first title character after removing an initial English “a”, “an”, or “the” followed by a space.
LC formatting example
For a structural example, enter QA in LC Letters and 76.73.J38 in LC Number. The form can append its generated author mark and the supplied year. Preserve any class-specific Cutter already in the classification portion.
LC mode is a formatting option. It still uses the Cutter-Sanborn lookup and does not assign an authoritative LC Cutter. Verify the complete number against the LC schedule and local shelflist. If the approved mark differs from this tool’s output, use a label workflow that accepts the reviewed number directly.
Frequently asked questions
Does the tool choose a subject class?
No. Supply a DDC or LC class after reviewing the resource and your classification source.
Why does my catalog show a different author mark?
Your catalog may use another table, a locally adjusted mark, different filing practice, or an established number for an edition. Compare the source and shelf sequence before replacing it.
Why do I see 000?
It can be a fallback when the table has not loaded or the search has no usable match. Check the table browser and input, and do not treat the fallback as verified.
Can two authors receive the same mark?
Yes. This is a filing aid, not a unique personal identifier. Review collisions within the relevant class.
Are title workmarks handled in every language?
No. The current rule recognizes only the initial English articles a, an, and the. Review other languages and titles that share an initial under your local policy.
What should I do with a corporate author or unusual filing entry?
Establish the correct entry using your cataloging rules. The personal-name form cannot decide how every kind of entry should be treated.