CALL NUMBERS
Call numbers are the unique identifying numbers given to each archival manuscript collection, book, and photograph. The collections at the Parkinson Library can be divided into five groups: Manuscripts, Photographs, Film, Books, and Artifacts. Each group has a unique system of call numbers.
Manuscripts
Archival manuscript collections normally consist of letters, documents, diaries, business records, research subject files, advertisement material and any other paper based documentation. The manuscript collections can be divided into two subgroups: large collections and small collections. Both groups have corresponding call numbers.
CWM Mss 1 = large archival manuscript collection (one box or more).
CWM SC 1 = small manuscript collection (one or two folders)
Collections with the CWM Mss call number will often have a finding aid available.
What is a finding aid?
A finding aid is a detailed catalog of an individual archival manuscript collection. A finding aid normally contains a history or biography of the subject or person associated with the collection, a scope and content note providing a description of the kinds of things found in the collection and highlighting the notable items in the collection, and a container list-a complete listing of every folder in the collection. A finding aid will provide date ranges and the most detailed overview of the collection available.
Small collections, or collections with call numbers starting with "CWM SC" will not have a finding aid attached. This is due to the size of these collections-normally only 1 or 2 folders. Small collections are described with a detailed paragraph and/or subject list.
Photographs and Prints
CWM PH = group catalog records for photographs. Given staff time and responsibilities it is impossible to catalog each individual photograph in the collection over a short period of time and there are many occasions when the library will receive photographic collections containing hundreds of images. In this case the group or “lot” of photographs receive a PH number
Individual images receive the CWi number only as they are individually cataloged. CWi numbers can be assigned to images within a CWM ph numbered collection.
Therefore the catalog system for photographs is:
Group or lot= CWM Ph 1 (Circus World Museum--photograph collection--1)
Individual image or negative= CWi 1 (Circus World--image—1)
Film
CWM FM 1 = Call number assigned to individual films.
Sound Recordings
CWM Audio 1 = individual call number assigned to a sound recording regardless of original format (phonograph record, magnetic tape, cassette tape, digital recording).
CWM Audio 70-4 = individual recordings withing a group. Some audio recordings were collected or created in groups but organized under a single catalog entry. In the summer of 2017, for example, a large number of oral history interviews were conducted during a reunion of former employees of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The collection of interviews was cataloged under the call number CWM Audio 70. Sub call numbers such as CWM Audio 70-1, CWM Audio 70-2, CWM Audio 70-3 and so on were assigned for each individual interview.
Books
Book and Serial (periodical) publications are cataloged using a special call number system unique to Circus World.
Call numbers contain three tiers of unique identifying information wind and will appear as follows:
H (Tier 1)
04 (Tier 2)
Stor (Tier 3)
Tier 1 is a letter code representing one of five main classification headings including:
F adult fiction
Hi history and non-fiction
Ho hobbies
J juvenile materials
R professional reference
Tier 2 is a subject code and corresponds to an extensive list of subject headings maintained by library staff.
Tier 3 is an abbreviation of the authors last name.
Artifacts
Artifacts are assigned call numbers based upon the accession number of the collection. 2009.42.1 =42nd item recieved in 2009, item one. Each artifact recieves a unique call number. The catalog record provides a physical decription of the item and the provenance of the item if known.
Call numbers are the unique identifying numbers given to each archival manuscript collection, book, and photograph. The collections at the Parkinson Library can be divided into five groups: Manuscripts, Photographs, Film, Books, and Artifacts. Each group has a unique system of call numbers.
Manuscripts
Archival manuscript collections normally consist of letters, documents, diaries, business records, research subject files, advertisement material and any other paper based documentation. The manuscript collections can be divided into two subgroups: large collections and small collections. Both groups have corresponding call numbers.
CWM Mss 1 = large archival manuscript collection (one box or more).
CWM SC 1 = small manuscript collection (one or two folders)
Collections with the CWM Mss call number will often have a finding aid available.
What is a finding aid?
A finding aid is a detailed catalog of an individual archival manuscript collection. A finding aid normally contains a history or biography of the subject or person associated with the collection, a scope and content note providing a description of the kinds of things found in the collection and highlighting the notable items in the collection, and a container list-a complete listing of every folder in the collection. A finding aid will provide date ranges and the most detailed overview of the collection available.
Small collections, or collections with call numbers starting with "CWM SC" will not have a finding aid attached. This is due to the size of these collections-normally only 1 or 2 folders. Small collections are described with a detailed paragraph and/or subject list.
Photographs and Prints
CWM PH = group catalog records for photographs. Given staff time and responsibilities it is impossible to catalog each individual photograph in the collection over a short period of time and there are many occasions when the library will receive photographic collections containing hundreds of images. In this case the group or “lot” of photographs receive a PH number
Individual images receive the CWi number only as they are individually cataloged. CWi numbers can be assigned to images within a CWM ph numbered collection.
Therefore the catalog system for photographs is:
Group or lot= CWM Ph 1 (Circus World Museum--photograph collection--1)
Individual image or negative= CWi 1 (Circus World--image—1)
Film
CWM FM 1 = Call number assigned to individual films.
Sound Recordings
CWM Audio 1 = individual call number assigned to a sound recording regardless of original format (phonograph record, magnetic tape, cassette tape, digital recording).
CWM Audio 70-4 = individual recordings withing a group. Some audio recordings were collected or created in groups but organized under a single catalog entry. In the summer of 2017, for example, a large number of oral history interviews were conducted during a reunion of former employees of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The collection of interviews was cataloged under the call number CWM Audio 70. Sub call numbers such as CWM Audio 70-1, CWM Audio 70-2, CWM Audio 70-3 and so on were assigned for each individual interview.
Books
Book and Serial (periodical) publications are cataloged using a special call number system unique to Circus World.
Call numbers contain three tiers of unique identifying information wind and will appear as follows:
H (Tier 1)
04 (Tier 2)
Stor (Tier 3)
Tier 1 is a letter code representing one of five main classification headings including:
F adult fiction
Hi history and non-fiction
Ho hobbies
J juvenile materials
R professional reference
Tier 2 is a subject code and corresponds to an extensive list of subject headings maintained by library staff.
Tier 3 is an abbreviation of the authors last name.
Artifacts
Artifacts are assigned call numbers based upon the accession number of the collection. 2009.42.1 =42nd item recieved in 2009, item one. Each artifact recieves a unique call number. The catalog record provides a physical decription of the item and the provenance of the item if known.