Superintendent of Documents Classification System SuDocs Basics

1
Superintendent of Documents Classification
System (SuDocs) Basics

• Created by Jesse Silva
• for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
• San Jose State University
• July, 2004

2
Key SuDocs Facts Part 1

• SuDocs always have a colon ( ) in the call
  number.
  
• SuDocs numbers are always hand or machine printed
  on one or two lines they are NEVER printed
  vertically.
  

3
SuDocs vs. LC
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

• LC Number
• KF
• 70. A3

• SuDocs Number
• AE 2.106/321/

4
SuDocs vs. Dewey
Honduras A Country Study

• SuDocs Number
• D 101.22550-151/2

• Dewey Number
• 972.83
• Honduras

5
Key SuDocs Facts Part 2

• SuDocs are arranged by the agency that issued the
  document, not by subject. Unlike LC and Dewey,
  it is difficult to browse the SuDocs collection
  by subject.
• In SuDocs, the . in the call number is not read
  as a decimal point. The . is read as a stop
  when shelving.
  

6
SuDocs Numbers Broken Down
Official Gazette of the USPTO, Vol. 1282, Issue 3
C 21.5/61282/3 C 21. 5/6 1282/3 Comm
erce Dept US Patent and Number
Designating Volume and (Issuing Tradem
ark the Title Issue
Agency) Office (Sub-agency)
7
Popular Agency/Dept Classifications
C - Commerce (C 3. - Census) D - Defense ED - E
ducation HE - Health and Human Services J - Jus
tice PREX - Office of the President T - Treasur
y (T 22. - IRS) X,Y - Congress
8
SuDocs Numbers Broken Down
Blackout in the Northeast and Midwest Senate
Hearing 108-444

• Y 4.EN 2 S.HRG.108-444
• Y 4. EN 2 S.HRG. 108- 444
• US Congress Committee Senate
  The Hearing
  
• (Issuing on Energy Hearing
  Congress Number
  
• Agency) and Natural
• Resources

9
. Is not a Decimal Point
Unlike call numbers in the rest of the King
Library, the . in a SuDocs number is NOT read
as decimal.
10
What is the . then?
The . is a stopping point.
11
More Explanation
The numbers before and after the . are read as
whole numbers and this aids in shelving and
searching for documents.

12
Example - HS 1.107 HS 1.12
HS 1.107 is thought of as
H-S-one-STOP-one-hundred-seven-colon HS 1.
12 is thought of as H-S-one-STOP-twelve-col
on SO WHICH WOULD COME FIRST? (Hint its nume
rical)
13
HS 1.12 comes before HS 1.107

WHY? 12 comes before 107.