Definition |
The Library of Congress control number (LCCN) and/or canceled or invalid LCCNs. The LC control number was formerly called the LC card number, and they were first issued in 1898. Before January 2001, LCCNs consisted of a three-character prefix (often containing blanks), a two-digit year, a six-digit serial number, and a trailing blank. This number was often displayed with a hyphen separating the year and the serial number. After December 2000, LCCNs consist of a two-character prefix (often containing blanks), a four-digit year, and a six-digit serial number. |
Guidelines |
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Data entry |
Use the following guidelines to enter LCCNs in subfields ǂa, ǂb, or ǂz:
Post-2000 LCCNs. Enter a new LCCN or edit an existing LCCN with or without blanks in the prefix followed by the four-digit year, an optional hyphen, and the serial number. OCLC displays the LCCN without a hyphen.
Example |
Enter post-2000 LCCNs |
Display |
No prefix |
2001-234 or 2001-000234 or 2001000234 or __2001000234 |
__2001000234 |
1 character prefix |
a2002-3456 or a2002-003456 or a2002003456 or a_2002003456 |
a_2002003456 |
2 character prefix |
sn2003-45678 or sn2003-045678 or sn2003045678 |
sn2003045678 |
Note: The underscore represents a blank space in this table. |
Pre-2001 LCCNs. Enter a new LCCN or edit an existing LCCN with or without blanks in the prefix followed by the two-digit year, an optional hyphen, the serial number, and an optional trailing blank at the end. OCLC displays the LCCN without a hyphen.
Example |
Enter pre-2001 LCCNs |
Display |
No prefix |
34-5678 or 34-005678 or 34005678 or ___34005678 |
___34005678_ |
1 character prefix |
e45-67 or e45-000067 or e45000067 or e__45000067 |
e__45000067_ |
2 character prefix |
sn85-678 or sn85-000678 or sn85000678 or sn_85000678 |
sn_85000678_ |
3 character prefix |
agr25-3 or agr25-000003 or agr25000003 |
agr25000003_ |
Note: The underscore represents a blank space in this table. |
Prefixes. Enter alphabetic prefixes with or without trailing blanks as lowercase letters immediately preceding the number. Do not enter LCCNs with the prefix nuc. Prefixes can be no longer than three characters in pre-2001 LCCNs and no longer than two characters in post-2000 LCCNs.
LC copy |
Enter LCCNs |
Display |
E25-20 |
e25-20 or e25-000020 or e25000020 |
e__25000020_ |
SA68-11761 |
sa68-11761 or sa68-011761 or sa68011761 |
sa_68011761_ |
Agr22-346 |
agr22-346 or agr22-000346 or agr22000346 |
agr22000346_ |
Note: The underscore represents a blank space in this table. |
Prefixes with four or more characters. Alphabetic prefixes with four or more characters are not valid. If such a prefix is found in LC copy, substitute the corresponding three-character equivalent in place of the original prefix as shown.
Original prefix |
Enter prefix |
AFLN |
afl |
CA Dupl |
cad |
MicA |
mid |
Micp |
mie |
MicpA |
mif |
PhoM |
php |
PhomA |
phq |
Single-digit years. If a pre-2001 LCCN contains a single-digit year, enter an initial 0 to produce a two-digit year. If you do not enter an initial 0, but do add a hyphen following the year, the system supplies the initial 0 in LCCNs without a prefix. If the LCCN contains an alphabetic prefix and a single-digit year, you must enter the initial 0 to produce a two-digit year.
LC copy |
Enter LCCNs |
Display |
2-8520 |
2-8520 or 02-8520 or 02-008520 or 02008520 |
___02008520_ |
Agr3-1285 |
agr03-1285 or agr03-001285 or agr03001285 |
agr03001285_ |
Note: The underscore represents a blank space in this table. |
Leading zeros following the hyphen. When the hyphen is present, you may enter or omit leading zeros in the serial number following the hyphen. If you do not enter the leading zeros, the system supplies them. If you do not enter the hyphen, you must enter the leading zeros.
LC copy |
Enter LCCNs |
Display |
74-01513 |
74-1513 or 74-001513 or 74001513 |
___74001513_ |
2001-34 |
2001-34 or 2001-000034 or 2001000034 |
__2001000034 |
Note: The underscore represents a blank space in this table. |
- Entering pre-1902 LCCNs. Before 1902, LC used various styles for LCCNs. For information about pre-1902 LCCNs that are not described here, contact the Library of Congress (LC Policy and Standards Division) or OCLC.
Cards issued in 1898. Some LCCNs issued in 1898 lack the year or have the prefix C and no year. Enter such LCCNs with the prefix and year as c98.
LC copy |
Enter LCCNs |
Display |
398 |
c98-398 or c98-000398 or c98000398 |
c__98000398_ |
C-245 |
c98-245 or c98-000245 or c98000245 |
c__98000245_ |
Note: The underscore represents a blank space in this table. |
Cards issued in 1901. Some LCCNs issued in 1901 have no year but have alphabetic prefixes other than C. Others may be preceded by 1. Enter the alphabetic prefix in lowercase letters followed by 01, the optional hyphen, and the rest of the number.
LC copy |
Enter LCCNs |
Display |
F-3144 |
f01-3144 or f01-003144 or f01003144 |
f__01003144_ |
Rc-2100 |
rc01-2100 or rc01-002100 or rc01002100 |
rc_01002100_ |
1-Rc-990 |
rc01-990 or rc01-000990 or rc01000990 |
rc_01000990_ |
D-245 |
d01-245 or d01-000245 or d01000245 |
d__01000245_ |
1-Z-245 |
z01-245 or z01-000245 or z01000245 |
z__01000245_ |
Note: The underscore represents a blank space in this table. |
Suffixes printed after or below the LCCN. Do not enter suffixes.
Alphabetic or phrase identifiers. Do not enter the alphabetic identifier CD or phrases such as Additions, Exception, Provisional, Cancel, and Brief Cataloging.
LC copy |
Enter LCCNs |
Display |
64-7345CD |
64-7345 or 64-007345 or 64007345 |
___64007345_ |
2-10372 Additions |
02-10372 or 02-010372 or 02010372 |
___02010372_ |
Note: The underscore represents a blank space in this table. |
Trailing asterisks, single daggers, or double daggers. Enter the LCCN only.
LC copy |
Enter LCCNs |
Display |
8-30156* |
8-30156 or 08-30156 or 08-030156 or 08030156 |
___08030156_ |
4-26834 † |
4-26834 or 04-26834 or 04-026834 or 04026834 |
___04026834_ |
63-29455 ‡ |
63-29455 or 63-029455 or 63029455 |
___63029455_ |
Note: The underscore represents a blank space in this table. |
Additional hyphens and slashes with trailing characters. The LCCN may be followed by a second hyphen and a single digit, by a second hyphen with an M and a single digit, or by a slash and a single digit. Do not enter second hyphens, slashes, or any of the characters following second hyphens or slashes.
LC copy |
Enter LCCNs |
Display |
1-6360-1 |
1-6360 or 01-6360 or 01-006360 or 01006360 |
___01006360_ |
F-795-7 |
f01-795 or f01-000795 or f01000795 |
f__01000795_ |
2-2628-M2 |
2-2628 or 02-2628 or 02-002628 or 02002628 |
___02002628_ |
3-1444/4 |
3-1444 or 03-1444 or 03-001444 or 03001444 |
___03001444_ |
Note: The underscore represents a blank space in this table. |
- Revision information. Do not enter:
LC copy |
Enter LCCNs |
Display |
74-237323 rev |
74-237323 or 74237323 |
___74237323_ |
74-5491 74[r75]rev |
74-5491 or 74-005491 or 74005491 |
___74005491_ |
F-1260 Revised [r35b2] |
f01-1260 or f01-001260 or f01001260 |
f__01001260_ |
1-1238 rev2 |
01-1238 or 01-001238 or 01001238 |
___01001238_ |
68-3612 R [r77]rev4 |
68-3612 or 68-003612 or 68003612 |
___68003612_ |
46-16977 rev2* ‡ |
46-16977 or 46-016977 or 46016977 |
___46016977_ |
CA8-3172 Unrev'd |
ca08-3172 or ca08-003172 or ca08003172 |
ca_08003172_ |
Note: The underscore represents a blank space in this table. |
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CONSER LCCNs |
Records for serials and integrating resources that are part of the CONSER database (field 042 subfield ǂa coded as pcc, msc, nlc, nsdp, etc.) must contain a valid LCCN. CONSER uses some special prefixes for LCCNs in some records. Pseudo LCCNs LC and CONSER participants used LCCNs prefixed with sc, sf, and sn, referred to as pseudo LCCNs, as follows:
- LCCNs with the prefix sc were used prior to 2000 in records for serials authenticated by LC, but not held by LC.
- LCCNs with the prefix sf were used prior to 2000 in records for serials authenticated by LC and held by LC, but given less-than-full cataloging.
- LCCNs with the prefix sn were used prior to 2000 in records for serials authenticated by CONSER participants and the National Serials Data Program (NSDP). LCCNs with the prefix sn were also used prior to 1984 for serials authenticated by LC and held by LC, but given less-than-full cataloging. LCCNs with the prefix sn are currently used by LC and the United States Newspaper Program (USNP) for cataloging newspapers.
Prior to May 1999, LC assigned unprefixed LCCNs to records for serials previously authenticated with pseudo LCCNs. The unprefixed LCCN would be added to subfield ǂa and the pseudo LCCN moved to subfield ǂz. LC now retains the pseudo LCCN in previously authenticated records it uses for cataloging. LAC LCCNs Library and Archives Canada (LAC) records for serials that are part of the CONSER database use LCCNs prefixed with ce, cf, and cn as follows:
- LCCNs with the prefix ce are used in records for bilingual serials cataloged in English
- LCCNs with the prefix cf are used in records for bilingual serials cataloged in French
- LCCNs with the prefix cn are used in records for non-bilingual serials cataloged in English or French
The LAC LCCNs used in the CONSER database are derived from the LAC control number in field 016. When a bilingual serial is cataloged in both English and French the same number will appear in each LCCN following the ce and cf prefixes. |
1st Indicator |
Undefined. The 1st indicator position is undefined and contains a blank.
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Undefined |
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2nd Indicator |
Undefined. The 2nd indicator position is undefined and contains a blank.
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Undefined |
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Subfields |
A canceled or invalid LCCN must be entered in subfield ǂz, not subfield ǂa. If in doubt, use subfield ǂz. |
ǂa LC control number |
Assume that the LCCN on LC cataloging copy or in a publication is valid unless one of the circumstances described in subfield ǂz applies.
010 |
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51016967 ǂz sn 90000198 |
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ǂb NUCMC control number |
A valid number for the item as found in the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC). The form printed in NUCMC contains the prefix ms, two-digit year, hyphen, and serial number, e.g., ms70-491 or ms68-2403. The NUCMC control number is entered and displayed like all other LCCNs. Any canceled or invalid NUCMC control numbers are in subfield ǂz. Pre-1988 records may have NUCMC control numbers in subfield ǂa.
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ǂz Canceled/invalid LC control number |
Canceled or invalid LCCNs. Use also if the accuracy of the LCCN is in doubt. If one of the following conditions exists, the LCCN is invalid:
- The item is a new edition but is printed with the LCCN of a previous edition.
- The item is cataloged separately but is printed with the LCCN of the multipart monograph or series of which it is a part.
- The printed LCCN has an obvious typographical error (e.g., the printed LCCN differs from the LCCN found in the LC catalog), but the LCCN is still structurally correct (e.g., a two- or four-digit year followed by a serial number of up to six digits).
- LC used the same LCCN in a record for a different item.
OCLC also uses subfield ǂz to record the LCCN of former LC or CONSER records when they are deleted in merging records.
010 |
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ǂz 82022174 |
[LCCN for an earlier edition in a record for a later edition] |
010 |
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ǂz 68013470 |
[LCCN for a print version in a record for a photocopy reproduction] |
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ǂ8 Field link and sequence number |
For information about subfield ǂ8, see Control Subfields. |
Indexing |
For indexing and searching information, see Searching WorldCat Indexes, field 010. |
MARC 21 |
For more information, including content designator history, see MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data, field 010. |