GEN: Call numbers

[Elizabeth Hart <ehart@supreme.cde.ca.gov>]

When I first started working in this library two years ago, I found out
there was no card catalog, no shelf list, and no inventory of any kind that
was not at least 15 years out of date.  Even when the card catalog was
"current" it  listed approximately one third of the holdings, and the
majority of the cards were not done in any kind of standard format.  We
recently purchased an automation system (Winnebago), but have not had a
chance to install it yet.  We can't even have a restrospective conversion
done because there are no cards to send to a company.

Essentially, we are starting from scratch.

So, one of the things we are doing is starting to label our books with call
numbers.  So far, we have been labeling them with format type, call #, and
the first 3 initials of the author's last name.  For example:

BRL
551.5
ASI
Non fiction book in braille by Isaac Asimov

CAS
FIC
CLE
Fiction book on cassette by Beverly Cleary

Any suggestions on what is the best way this information should be entered
into the call number section of the computer?  Should the call number be
listed first, then the format, or will putting the format first work?  Or,
is there some other format that others have used successfully?

I've worked in libraries for many years, but this will be the first
cataloging I have done.  Any help would be appreciated!

Elizabeth Hart
Library Technical Assistant
California School for the Blind
ehart@csb.cde.ca.gov