Other_Numbers field
Guidance on the correct formatting to use with the other_numbers field
Field explanation
Flexi-field used to record any numbers associated with an object, beyond the Mimsy ID number (the "WELL-" number). This can include accession numbers, library catalogue references, Sierra system numbers and loan numbers (for external material)
The type of number is specified in the other_number_type field
All Core Collection material should have a unique identifier (i.e. reference number) and all Mimsy records for Core Collection material should include that correctly formatted unique identifier in the other_number field with the type of number specified in the other_number_type field
Core Collection material covers the following sub-collections, each of which have their own unique identifiers
Core: Archives
Core: Manuscripts
Core: Visual and Material Culture
Core: Printed and Published Rare Materials
Core: Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Unique identifiers for Core: Archives
Archive unique identifiers are recorded in the Calm PublicRef field (previously called the AltRefNo field). They are also know as the archive reference and are written on archival packaging.
Do not confuse the PublicRef with the Calm RefNo field. Whilst the two are often similar, they are not the same.
The RefNo constructs the hierarchical tree structure for archive collections. The PublicRef is the reference used publicly.
Conventions have changed over the years, and some legacy catalogues have PublicRefs that do not follow modern practice. However, current formatting is as follows:
Broad collection category: prefix used to broadly categories archives into Personal Papers (PP) or the corporate papers of Societies, Organisations and Associations (SA). Other legacy prefixes include GC (general collections), WA (Sir Henry Wellcome archives) and ART (art and health collections)
Unique 3-letter code: the prefix is followed by a three letter code to specify the precise archive. They aim to relate to the name of the archive (e.g. SUL = John Sulston), but the priority is that the code is unique. Note, GC and GP collections use a running series of numbers, rather than 3-letter codes.
Letters and numbers to denote levels of hierarchy: convention is to use letters for section levels and numbers for all lower levels of hierarchy, including the item level.
Forward slash: levels of hierarchy are denoted by a forward slash
Examples
PP/SUL/A/1/1
SA/NCT/E/1/2/11
Legacy reference examples
SA/NBT/U.13/1
GC/108/45/48
Unique identifiers for Core: Manuscripts
Manuscript references are formatted in one of two ways, due to previous management of the material.
Western manuscripts
"Western" manuscripts were previously catalogued in Calm and follow the formatting:
MS + . + [number] (Example: MS.801)
Occasionally, a manuscript may have been sub-divided into multiple items, thus the reference will include a forward slash and number. For example: MS.9157/4
The exceptions to this are the American collection and Medical Society of London collection. These are formatted as follows:
MS + . + [Amer/MSL] + . + number (Examples: MS.Amer.35 ; MS.MSL.1)
Global manuscripts
These manuscripts were previously managed separately as the "Oriental" or "Asian" collection. Some are catalogued in Sierra, some where in Sierra but have been superseded by TEI records, some are listed in printed catalogues that may or may not be available digitally, and some are only noted in unpublished documentation that circulates in digital formats or sits in various cupboards. Moreover, some manuscripts await inventory to attain even minimum viable description
MS + [Identifier] + [number] (Example: MS Arabic 101)
In many cases, the identifier is a language (e.g. Persian, Japanese, Hindi). But sometimes it is not (e.g. Raghavan, Indic)
Note: the Sanskrit collection has been sub-divided into groups with Greek letter names (alpha, beta, gamma etc.)
Examples
MS.801
MS.9157/4
MS.MSL.10
MS Chinese 71
MS Thai 25
MS Batak 331834
MS Sanskrit alpha 267
Global manuscripts in Sierra
Some manuscripts have stub records in Sierra to allow online ordering. These records are very sparse, with a title that looks like a manuscript reference but is not correctly formatted (e.g. "[Wellcome MS Sanskrit alpha 267]")
Unique identifiers for Core: Visual and Material Culture
Most visual items have an "icon" or "i" number which is formed of a string of numbers with an "i" on the end.
This applies to both digital and "analogue" works.
AV items
Core: Visual and material culture includes stand-alone audio-visual items that are not acquired as part of an archive collection (these are Core: Archives) and are not off-air recordings (these are Support: Printed and Published reference collection).
The existing Shelfmarks should be used as the unique identified as each title & format combination has a unique shelfmark.
If there are multiple copies, they will share the shelfmark and thus the identifier. These items will need to be part numbered to create a unique identifier.
Examples
BMA952
RSM064.1
Unique identifiers for Core: Printed & Published Rare Materials
The sub-collections encompasses early printed books, ephemera and zines
Early Printed Books
EPB shelfmarks have been repurposed as unique identifiers. See the table of shelfmarks in the Printed & Published Rare Materials Inventory GitBook for the full list of correct formatting.
Examples
EPB/A/1234
EPB/INC/1.e.23
EPB/A/10752.1
EPB/A/1234.v1
Ephemera
Once inventory is complete, all ephemera items will have correctly formatted individual unique identifiers. For now, some items will only have a box number and some items will still be formatted in the old style
Correct formatting: EPH / [Box number] / [Item number]
The old formatting uses colons instead of forward slashes.
Examples
EPH/1/18
EPH/130/2
Zines
The Z control number is the zine's unique reference. It is a running number prefixed by a "Z". Zines may be part numbered.
Examples
Z176
Z1450.1
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