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TSD / Cataloging and Metadata Management: Fundamentals of the NLM® Classification

General Principles

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Biography and Autobiography

  • For works that are biographical or autobiographical in nature, consider the emphasis of the work:
    • If it is primarily an account of a person (or two persons or a family) in a given medical or scientific field, generally classify in WZ 100
    • If it is not an account of a person in a medical or scientific field, class in the appropriate LCC number
    • If it is a personal narrative relating to an individual's experiences with a disease, specialty, etc., or, if there is generally a heavier emphasis on the subject than on the person, classify with the subject
  • For collective biographies of medical or scientific personnel, prefer classification by:
    • Specialty (WZ 112-150)
    • Locality (WZ 140) if the specialty is not applicable
    • Special groups, e.g., African-American physicians (WZ 150) if the specialty is not applicable
  • For non-medical or scientific personnel, class in the appropriate LCC number


Last Reviewed: April 16, 2021