4.2 Classification of Reader Collections

Last reviewed June 2026
Maintained by Bob Maxwell

The BYU Library collects readers in most languages taught at the university. Some of these are brought together as formal collections near the help desks on the fourth and fifth floors of the Library. This policy covers these reader collections. Other readers are classified according to normal LC classification rules.

The fourth-floor collections contain Chinese, Japanese, and Korean texts (CJK); the fifth- floor collections contain texts from the most common European languages (French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish) as well as Classical and Middle-Eastern languages (Arabic, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew).

Fourth-Floor Collections (Asian Languages). The CJK readers are organized by location codes that designate language and reader level. The reader levels are determined by the subject selector. Within each location the books are simply classified using their normal LC classification number.

• CHINESEL0 through CHINESEL6
• JAPANESEL0 through JAPANESEL6
• KOREANL0 through KOREANL6

Fifth-Floor Collections (Modern and Classical Languages). The Modern and Classical reader collections are divided between two locations, with two location codes.

• READ-MOD (French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish)
• READ-CLA (Arabic, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew)

Within each of these locations the books are organized using a locally-modified LC classification scheme which keeps them grouped by language. This modified scheme has been designed to allow for expansion in case other languages are added in the future. If the final cutter for the basic “reader” subtype (see 1c and 2c below) is not an LC-assigned cutter, add “x” to the cutter. Do not add “x” to other numbers (1b, 1d-f; 2b, 2d-f below).

Each language in the LC scheme has a classification number or a range of numbers for readers. The local modification is based on this number or numbers.

1. Languages with one classification number for readers. Begin with the base classification number (a) and add extensions (b-f)

   1. Base classification numbers

      Arabic – PJ6311 [note: do not use PJ6119, an alternate number for Arabic readers]
      Greek – PA260
      Latin – PA2095
      

   2. Scriptures

      [Base classification number] + .A2 + cutter for the scripture + year of publication

      Bible: B4
      Bible Old Testament: B5
      Bible New Testament: B6
      Book of Mormon and combinations: B7
      Doctrine and Covenants: D6
      Pearl of Great Price: P4

      Class selections with the larger grouping (e.g. class Psalms in B5 for Old Testament; class selections from both the Old and New Testaments in B4)
      

   3. Readers

      [Base classification number] + .A5-.Z4 [representing cutter for principal author or title as appropriate] + year of publication
      

   4. Reader’s editions of literary and other works originally written in the target language

      [Base classification number] + .Z5 + cutter representing principal author and title + year of publication
      

   5. Works translated into the target language from a modern language

      [Base classification number] + .Z6 + cutter representing principal author and title + year of publication
      

   6. Graphic novels
      [Base classification number] + .Z7 + cutter representing principal author and title + year of publication

      Examples based on Latin language

      PA 2095 .A2 B5 2005
      A Vulgate Old Testament reader (Goins). 2005. (Scripture)

      PA 2095 .O94 1997
      Balme, Maurice and James Morwood. Oxford Latin reader. 1997

      PA 2095 .Z5 A783 2015
      Apuleius. Cupid and Psyche (Nimis, Hayes ad Krumpak). 2015. (Reader’s edition of a work originally in the target language)

      PA 2095 .Z5 A843 2026
      Augustine. Confessiones (Lee). 2026 (Non-scriptural religious work [reader’s edition])

      PA 2095 .Z6 A877 2014
      Austen, Jane. Superbia et odium (Pride and prejudice) (Literary work translated into the target language)

      PA 2095 .Z7 G6335 1986
      Goscinny & Uderzo. Asterix Gallus. 1986 (Graphic novel)
      

2. Languages with a range of classification numbers for readers. Begin with the base classification number (a) and add extensions (b-f).

   1. Base classification numbers

      French – PC2112.9-2117.2
      German – PF3112.9-3117.2
      Hebrew – PJ4567.9-4571
      Italian – PC1112.9-1117.2
      Portuguese – PC5069-PC5071
      Russian – PG2112.9-2117.2
      Spanish – PC4112.9-4117.2
      

   2. Scriptures

      [First classification number in the range] + .A2 + cutter for the scripture + year of publication

      Bible: B4
      Bible Old Testament: B5
      Bible New Testament: B6
      Book of Mormon and combinations: B7
      Doctrine and Covenants: D6
      Pearl of Great Price: P4

      Class selections with the larger grouping (e.g. class Psalms in B5 for Old Testament; class selections from both the Old and New Testaments in B4)
      

   3. Readers

      [Appropriate number within the range] + .A4-.Z4 [representing cutter for principal author or title as appropriate] + year of publication

      Note: Do not assign a cutter lower than .A4 to the first number in the range; do not assign a cutter higher than .Z4 to the last number in the range.
      

   4. Reader’s editions of literary and other works originally written in the target language

      [Last classification number in the range] + .Z5 + cutter representing principal author and title + year of publication
      

   5. Works translated into the target language from a modern language

      [Last classification number in the range] + .Z6 + cutter representing principal author and title + year of publication
      

   6. Graphic novels

      [Last classification number in the range] + .Z7 + cutter representing principal author and title + year of publication

      Examples based on German language

      PF 3112.9 .A2 B4 2020
      Gute Nachricht Bibel

      PF 3112.9 .A2 B7 2003
      Das Buch Mormon

      PF 3117 .M8 1925
      Glückauf : a first German reader

      PF 3117.2 .Z5 K374 1968
      Kästner, Erich. Emil und die Detektive (Literary work in the target language; this one has English vocabulary)

      PF 3117.2 .Z6 A877 1997
      Austen, Jane. Stolz und Vorurteil (Pride and Prejudice) (Literary work translated into the target language)

      PF 3117.2 .Z7 G6335 2015
      Goscinny & Uderzo. Asterix der Gallier (Graphic novel)

Additional policies for readers

Include the following subject and genre terms for all readers and reader’s editions [texts with English vocabulary].

650 #0 [Target language] $v Readers.
655 #7 Readers (Publications) $2 lcgft