EAR Cataloging Standards

Because this project is about cataloging processes as well as esotericism (one might say they’re two sides of the same coin), I want to share the current standards I’m using. These are all subject to change, but future changes will be posted on this blog.

Digital File Naming Standards

The entire digital collection conforms to a single file naming standard, ensuring that the collection can be easily shared, sorted, and read by humans or machines.

Official: LastName_FirstInitial-Title-Volume-Year-PubLoc

– = term separator
_ = space within term

An example: Thompson_R-The_Devils_and_Evil_Spirits_of_Babylonia-v2-1904-London.pdf

Notes

• In most cases, the “year” represents the publication year as noted on the title page.
• If a given value is not known, it is omitted completely.
  • Example: Dobbin_F-Gods_and_Devils_of_Mankind-1897.pdf
    (No publication location listed)
• If there is not a listed author (or editor or translator), but the object is published under a named organization, that organization may be used in place of an author.
  • Example: Watch_Tower_Society-What_Say_the_Scriptures_About_Spiritualism-1897-Allegheny_PA.pdf
    (Published by the Watch Tower Society, no author listed)

Guerrilla Collection (Lending Library) Cataloging Standards

The EAR uses a modified Library of Congress classification system.

Currently, members of the EAR can browse the collection using our TinyCat system, but in the future, you may be able to browse the shelves in person!

Here’s what an EAR call number might look like:

BF1311 .F8 R36 2015

BF = Subheading. This subheading contains both Psychology and Parasychology.

1311 = Class Number. This represents special topics in [Spirit messages, inspirational records, etc. Including writings by “spirit authors”] which is sorted within [Spiritualism. Communication with discarnate spirits].

.F8, R36 = Cutter Numbers. These are further specializations. In this case, F8 represents the topic of “future life,” and R36 is a code created from the author’s last name. If there is only one cutter number (a letter and number combination following a period), it is most likely an author cutter number.

2015 = Publication year. In most cases, the “year” represents the actual publication year. In cases where the title is a modern reprint, or when the title went through many printings, the printing year is used instead.

Internally, we format call numbers with spaces between values: BF1311 .F8 R36 2015

On shelf labels, the numbers are broken up like this:

BF
1311
.F8
R36
2015

Notes

• General LOC Customizations
  While we mostly comply to the Library of Congress system, the following modifications have been made:
  • A4673 Vol.xxx = custom cutter cumber representing titles in the AMORC library (a numbered series of unrelated titles). This cutter number takes the place of the author, who is likely far less well-known than the group AMORC.
    • Example: BF1623 .R7 A4673 Vol.12 1958
  • Year: The year of publication or printing, whichever is more recent, is always included in the call number. The year of printing differentiates, at a glace, different editions, versions, and printings.
  • Standardized Author Cutter Numbers
    An author can only ever have one number associated with their name in a given collection. Here are some notable examples in our collection:
    • R36 = Paschal Beverly Randolph
    • W3 = Arthur Edward Waite
    • C37 = Paul Foster Case
    • C86 = Scott Cunningham
    • Y38 = Frances Amelia Yates
• Subheading X – Divination Tools
  This subheading is officially unused by LOC. At the EAR, we’re experimenting with classes based on types of divination tools. Call numbers under this subheading don’t currently include years, instead being much shorter: X112 HT = The Herbal Tarot deck
  • 100 – Tarot
    • 110 – Rider Waite Smith (general)
      • 111 – Occult
      • 112 – Nature and Plants
      • 113 – Animals
      • 114 – Fantasy
      • 115 – Queer
      • 116 – Historic
      • 117 – Abstract
      • 118 – Angels/Biblical
      • 119 – Other
    • 120 – Thoth
      • 121 – Standard size Crowley
      • 122 – Large size Crowley
      • 123 – Other
    • 130 – Marseilles (general)
      • 131.1-9 – Thematic
    • 140 – Etellia (general)
    • 150 – Other
  • 200 – Lenormand
    • 201 – Occult
    • 202 – Nature and Plants
    • 203 – Animals
    • 204 – Fantasy
    • 205 – Queer
    • 206 – Historic
    • 207 – Abstract
    • 208 – Angels/Biblical
    • 209 – Other
  • 300 – Oracle
    • 301 – Occult
    • 302 – Nature and Plants
    • 303 – Animals
    • 304 – Fantasy
    • 305 – Queer
    • 306 – Historic
    • 307 – Abstract
    • 308 – Angels/Biblical
    • 309 – Other
  • 400 – Other Card Decks
  • 500 – Ouija/Spirit Boards
  • 600 – Other Board Games/Tools
  • Unique Name Code
    • 2-4 letter code for item name
      • HT = Herbal Tarot
      • OB = Ouija Board
      • GTT = Golden Thread Tarot
• This is very much a work in progress by a self-taught nerd. In writing this post I found SEVERAL authors who have multiple cutter numbers. It’s this process of refining and rethinking that makes the whole project feel truly alive.
  

Further Information

If you’re also a library nerd and want to learn more about how to do it, here are the free resources I’ve used so far:

• Library of Congress Classification: Online Training
• ABLE & LiFT Courses