BACKGROUND:  Before the 1970s the volume designation/numbering was separated from the call number in the book and appeared in the right hand lower margin of the page following the verso of the title page.  It was referred to as a small label.  This term is occasionally used today as an abbreviated way of identifying the information that appears as an integral part of the call number in the item and on the label.  This instruction provides guidelines for supplying volume designations for multipart items.

1.  New multipart items (not analyzed)

a.  In English.  For all new unanalyzed multipart items in English, use the appropriate abbreviation for all designations appearing on the title page and/or the contents note, for example, "vol." for volume, "pt." for part, "sect." for section, "sess." for session, etc.  For a list of approved abbreviations see AACR 2, Appendix B.

b.  Other languages.  For languages other than English, regardless of the vernacular terminology appearing on the title page and/or contents note, use only the following prescribed English pattern: "vol.", "pt.", and "no."

2.  Established multipart items (not analyzed)

When a pattern for the volume designation/numbering has already been established in the vernacular for a particular call number, continue to use this volume designation/numbering for all added volumes.  This will insure that the volume information on the labels of each volume will be uniformly presented and will facilitate the retrieval of individual volumes.

3.  New and established multipart items (analyzed)

For both new and established analyzable multipart items, use the volume designation/numbering provided in the series area of the bibliographic record ( 440 / 830 fields) (cf. ILS Supplement Workflow #8).

4.  Serials

a.  Not analyzed.  For all serial entries, new and established, that are not analyzed, use the volume designation/numbering determined by the Serial Record Division and indicated in field 362 (Dates of Publication and/or Volume designation) of the cataloging record.

b.  Analyzed.  For all analyzed serial entries, new or established, use the volume designation/numbering provided in the series area of the bibliographic record ( 440 / 830 fields).

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