Shelfmarks

The numbering system for the Rare Printed Materials at Wellcome and how it is being adapted to meet Museum Accreditation standards.

What are shelfmarks?

Although the numbers associated with the early printed books (EPB) and ephemera (EPH) at Wellcome are called shelfmarks, they do not indicate a location on a shelf. Instead the numbers represent a book’s place within the wider collection, as separated by size, and then ordered, usually A to Z by author. The smallest format books form part of the EPB/A collection while the giant folios are part of EPB/F.

Over Wellcome’s history shelfmarks have been used to signify locations. Before being placed into numbered sequences in the 1950s, books were given literal shelfmarks indicating their location on a bookcase. The only EPB collection that retains this historical numbering is the incunabula, books printed between 1450 and 1500. Here the book with shelfmark 3.c.5 could be found at bookcase 3, shelf c, 5 along. As a special case, given the number of bibliographies in which the incunabula are referenced, the shelfmarks have never been changed even though the numbers no longer represent their current location or layout.

Adapting shelfmarks into unique object numbers

Museum accreditation requires each item to have a unique object number which means modifying current shelfmarks. The rare materials inventory covers all the pre-1851 printed books and ephemera held by Wellcome, excluding serials.

The overall structure of the shelfmarks has been formed into a hierarchy to make them clearer and easier to search on Sierra:

Overall collection [EPB] / individual collection [A] / number in sequence -> [1234] / any additional relationships e.g. copy number, volume = EPB/A/1234/1.v2

The inventory also provides an excellent opportunity to make shelfmarks more consistent, building on changes that were already being put in place at Wellcome. Suffixes have long been used to indicate multiple copies e.g. /1 and /2, and in the Tracts collection e.g. .1, .2. These changes are simply being extended to cover other aspects of the collection. For example, under the old system each item within an eight-volume set would have the same shelfmark e.g. 1234/B. Under the new system each item will be numbered separately as EPB/B/1234.v1, EPB/B/1234.v2 etc.

Best practice requires object numbers to be separate from a physical location. This provides consistency, allowing items to be moved without the need to change the item number every time and separating the item from any information associated with it. While the large numbered sequences represent an order and a specific part of the stacks to staff, they are not indicative of a specific physical location. The only rare material collection with numbers tied directly to current location is the ephemera. Each item is numbered based on its position within a subject-based box. It is only once we are back in the building and able to survey the ephemera in situ that a final decision can be made concerning these shelfmarks, although the team have already accessed what is needed to meet both accreditation and the needs of the collection.

Shelfmarks are always added to the shelfmark note in the item record. This will not change as part of the inventory. However, where a shelfmark has been radically changed i.e. the main sequential numbering is different, the former shelfmark will be recorded in the former location note on the item record. We would want to make the former shelfmark or location available to the public to ensure the history of the material is not lost.

Changes completed or in progress

A global update is used to make wholesale changes to the shelfmark i.e. adding EPB/ to the shelfmark and moving the letter from the end to the beginning of the number. The team then change individual numbers on the Sierra item record as they go along and, where feasible, on the object itself. This includes changing numbers on a box or replacing flags.

For the majority of the items, these are simple modifications and half of the shelfmarks have already been updated on Sierra and on the books as part of the inventory.

It is important to change the shelfmarks collection by collection as we inventory them rather than all at once. That way the number on Sierra reflects the number on the flag with the book and reduces the likelihood of LE&E trying to retrieve a book with a shelfmark that does not link to an item in the stores.

Problematic shelfmarks

Smaller collections outside of the main numbered sequences are more complicated, although they represent only a small percentage of the items being inventoried.

Collections such as ‘Cattle Plague’ which did not have any shelfmarks were given new ones. This was a large part of the work on the EPB American collection where only a small percentage of the North American imprints had any form of shelfmark. Now they all have unique object numbers.

Other collections such as the ‘Crawford’ had shelfmarks based on author which needed to be changed as they prevented the creation of unique object numbers. For example, a search on Sierra in 2021 showed there were 154 items in the library with the shelfmark /SMI, three of which were from pre-1851.

Some individual items also have physical locations added to their shelfmarks which need to be removed for both security reasons and as part of best practice. This is most apparent in the (SR) put at the end of some shelfmarks indicating that an item is in the Strong Room.

Most of these smaller collections contain fewer than twenty items or have no real need to be separate and it is likely that many will be added to the larger sequences as part of the inventory. If this occurs, any former location or shelfmark will be recorded and additional subject tags will be added to ensure certain themes remain highlighted. The team have already discussed the best ways to deal with these collections, which will fit the needs of both accreditation and the collection, although any final decision will be made once we are able to survey the material back in the building.

Table of Shelfmarks

The table below demonstrates how and where changes have been made to the shelfmarks.

Type	Previous Shelfmark	Improved Shelfmark
EPB A/Supplementary A	1234/A	EPB/A/1234
EPB B/Supplementary B	1234/B	EPB/B/1234
EPB C/Supplementary C	1234/C	EPB/C/1234
EPB D/Supplementary D	1234/D	EPB/D/1234
EPB giant O/S	F.1234	EPB/F/1234
EPB Incunabula	1.e.23	EPB/INC/1.e.23
EPB Tracts	T.1.2	EPB/T/1.2
EPB American (Central/South) (North)	M.1 [No shelfmark]	EPB/AM/M.1 EPB/AM/USA.1
Boundwith	10752/A 10752/A	EPB/A/10752.1 EPB/A/10752.2
Volume/Part	1234/A 1234/A	EPB/A/1234.v1 EPB/A/1234.v2
Multiple copy	1234/A/1 1234/A (a)	EPB/A/1234/1 EPB/A/1234/1
Multiple copy and volume/part	1234/A/2 1234/A/2	EPB/A/1234/2.v1 EPB/A/1234/2.v4
Multiple copy and boundwith	1234/A/2 1234/A/2	EPB/A/1234/2.1 EPB/A/1234/2.2
Multiple volume which is also a boundwith	1234/A 1234/A	EPB/A/1234.v1.1 EPB/A/1234.v1.2
Multiple volumes bound together / volume within a boundwith	1234/A 1234/A	EPB/A/1234.1.v1 EPB/A/1234.2.v2 EPB/A/1234.1.v26 EPB/A/1234.2.v27
Volume in parts	1234/A 1234/A	EPB/A/1234.v3.I EPB/A/1234.v3.II

Guidance for assigning shelfmarks

When numbering, a multiple copy number should always come before a volume, part or boundwith e.g. EPB/C/1234/1.2.v2.

Where there is a set a volumes but one or two have an additional item bound in, the volume number in the shelfmark should be prioritised e.g. EPB/D/12345.v2.1 and EPB/D/12345.v2.2.

Use the physical description (300 field) to work out if volumes are separate items. If the physical description says '2 volumes in 1', then only one item record is needed. If the description says '2 volumes' then an item record will be needed for each volume and the suffixes v.1 and v.2 will be used. If the set of volumes are bound together, the boundwith number should be used and take precedence e.g. EPB/D/12345.1.v1 and EPB/D/12345.2.v2.

Use part numbering where a physical description shows a volume in multiple parts. For example, the description of EPB/B/12345 may say '5 volumes in 6'. The title pages should show how the volumes have been laid out. In this instance, volume 5 is in two parts so the shelfmark would contain part numbers e.g. EPB/B/12345.v5.I and EPB/B/12345.v5.II. If there is a volume field in the item record, make sure it matches the shelfmark e.g. Vol. 5, part 1.

No shelfmark should contain a range of numbers e.g. EPB/T/18.8-9. If you come across one of these, correct the shelfmark to a single number and try to ascertain why the range was given. For the example EPB/T/18.8-9, the physical description suggested that .9 was actually issued with .8 and not a separate item. In this case, add a Bibliographic Enhancement Required macro. Do not adjust succeeding numbers to account for the fact that .9 does not exist as a separate item. If the Sierra record had suggested that .9 was a separate item, it should be added to the uncatalogued spreadsheet. Add the previous shelfmark as a former location.