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Class PS8000, A Classification for Canadian Literature - Fifth Edition

Preface to the fifth edition

LAC’s Indigenous Heritage Action Plan states that we will adapt the way we describe LAC’s collection items related to First Nations, Inuit and the Métis Nation to enhance access and ensure a culturally appropriate and respectful approach.

Because the language describing Indigenous materials is often not reflective of the terminology preferred by First Nation, Inuit and Métis Nation communities in Canada, in 2019, LAC started a review of subject headings and classification. The direct contribution of First Nations, Inuit and the Métis Nation is an essential part of our efforts to update the vocabulary.

The fifth edition of Class PS8000, a classification for Canadian literature, was revised in 2022-2023 to update the vocabulary describing Indigenous Peoples.

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Preface to the fourth edition

The fourth edition of Class PS8000: a classification for Canadian literature is a revision of the third edition of the schedule which appeared in 2003. The PS8000 schedule was first developed in response to a need in Canada for a more specific treatment of the topic than that provided by the Library of Congress schedules. In particular, a comprehensive classification scheme for Canadian literature regardless of language is considered preferable in the Canadian context to the arrangement provided by the Library of Congress classification which separates Canadian literature by language, placing, for example, Canadian literature in English in PR and Canadian literature in French in PQ.

It is not possible for the Library of Congress to adopt and incorporate PS8000 into its own classification because PS8000 differs in principle from Library of Congress practice, both in its assembling of Canadian literature regardless of language and in keeping novels with the rest of Canadian literature instead of placing them in PZ. The Library of Congress, however, recognizes a need for PS8000 and endorses its use as an official alternate classification scheme. In order to eliminate the danger of a conflict in notation at some future date, the Library of Congress gives assurance that it will never develop the PS8000 area for its own uses.

The fourth edition has been prepared electronically. This will enable Library and Archives Canada to update the schedule on a more frequent basis.

The cataloguing staff of Library and Archives Canada has drawn on its years of experience with the PS8000 schedule and the Library’s extensive collection of Canadian literature to prepare the fourth edition. We would like to acknowledge the contributions of the cataloguing staff, and in particular the efforts of Laura May, Paula Van Strien and Michael van Dyk in the preparation of this fourth edition.

Comments from interested users have been most useful in updating the schedule. Library and Archives Canada welcomes further suggestions for future expansion and refinement of the schedule.

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Introduction

The PS8000 schedule for Canadian literature is based on the Library of Congress schedule for American literature in English (PS1-PS3626). PS8000 is uniquely different from the LC literature schedules in that it brings together all Canadian literature regardless of language. Not only does the Canadian schedule replace the Library of Congress number ranges for English Canadian literature (PR9180-9199.4) and French Canadian literature (PQ3900 – PQ3919.3), but also Canadian literature that would fall into all of the other language groupings in the LC schedules.

Even though PS8000 classifies Canadian literature together in one sequence, provisions have been made to allow libraries to provide separate classification numbers for French Canadian literature. To do this PS8000 uses only odd numbers, leaving even numbers optional for the separate classification of French Canadian literature. Some libraries have classified all Canadian literature together, some have used odd and even numbers for English and French respectively, but many more have adopted the practice (not even contemplated in the original schedule) of simply converting PS8000 to PS9000 for French Canadian literature. Provisions have also been made within the schedule for distinguishing history and criticism as well as collections of the literature of the many heritage languages of Canada.

We are often asked by cataloguers across the country to provide them with guidelines as to who is a Canadian author. Often authors whose work we catalogue make this obvious by stating their nationality. The question becomes more complex, when, as is often the case, many new Canadians start their writing careers in another country. In general, at Library and Archives Canada, our practice is to use the PS8000 schedule for new Canadians based on an author’s residence in Canada and apparent intent to remain here.

As has been stated, the PS8000 schedule follows the general structure of the Library of Congress schedule for American literature in English. The schedule starts with generalities, followed by history and criticism, then collections of Canadian literature and finally works by individual authors. The Canadian schedule provides for more time periods than the LC schedules for English and French Canadian literature. In general, PS8000 provides the following time periods:

Pre-Confederation

1867-1913

1914-1967

1968-2003

2004-

The fourth edition covers new time periods and new concepts in literary forms and studies. These are illustrated in the examples provided throughout the schedule.

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General PS8001-8039

General

8001 Periodicals
Only periodical devoted exclusively to creative literature and literary history and criticism are classed here.
Includes periodicals devoted to special forms of literature (e.g., Poetry).

8003 Yearbooks

8005 Societies
Includes societies devoted to special forms of literature (e.g., Poetry).
Societies devoted to literature in general are classed in PN21-29.

8007 Congresses

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Collections of monographs, studies, etc.

8011 By several authors

.5 By individual authors, .A-.Z

8015 Encyclopaedias. Dictionaries

8021 Theory and principles of the study of Canadian literature

8023 History of Canadian literary history

8025 Biography of historians and critics of Canadian literature

.A1, Collective

.A2-.Z, Individual

8027 Philosophy, relation to other subjects, etc.
Including relation to Canadian history
Cf. PS8093-8097

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Study and teaching

Cf. PN171.4-239, Technique. Literary composition. Rhetoric

8031 General works

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Study and teaching during the period

8033 By period

.1 Pre-Confédération

.2 1867-1913

.3 1914-1967

.4 1968-2003

.5 2004-

8035 By place, .A-.Z

8037 By school, college or university, .A-.Z

8039 By form, .A-.Z

e.g.,

.D7, Drama

.E8, Essays

.F5, Fiction

.O7, Oratory

.P6, Poetry

.P7, Prose

.W5, Wit and humour

.5 Literary research

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Canadian Literary Criticism PS8041-8057

Canadian literary criticism as a subject

8041 General works

8043 Minor works

8045 History of Canadian literary criticism

8047 Special topics, by topic, .A-.Z

e.g., .B6, Book reviewing

By period
8051 Pre-Confederation
8053 1867-1913
8055 1914-1967
8057 1968-2003

.1 2004-

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History and Criticism of Canadian Literature PS8061-8227

General

8061 General works History and criticism of Canadian literature in general
Cf. PS8071, 8073, 8075

8065 Compends

8067 Outlines, syllabi, tables, charts, questions and answers, etc.

8069 Juvenile literature

8071 English Canadian literature

.1 Pre-Confederation

.2 1867-1913

.3 1914-1967

.4 1968-2003

.5 2004-

8073 French Canadian literature
If using PS9000 for French Canadian literature prefer PS9071.
If using even numbers for French Canadian literature prefer PS8072.

.1 Pre-Confederation

.2 1867-1913

.3 1914-1967

.4 1968-2003

.5 2004-

8075 Canadian literature in languages other than English or French
Including history and criticism of special forms, poetry, drama, etc.,
e.g., of Canadian poetry in Polish, PS8075.P6, not PS8141

.A1, General

.A5-.Z, By language

e.g.,

.G3, Gaelic

.H4, Hebrew

.I8, Italian

.P6, Polish

.U5, Ukrainian

.5 Canadian literature in Inuktitut

.7 Canadian literature in First Nations languages and Michif

.A1, General

.A2-.Z, By language

e.g., .C7, Cree

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Collected essays, lectures, etc.

8077 Early to 2000

.1 2001-

8079 Individual essays, lectures, etc.

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Collected biography

Biography of an individual author is classed with the author’s works

8081 Early to 2000

.1 2001-

8083 Collected memoirs, letters, etc.
Memoirs, letters, etc., of an individual author are classed with the author’s works

8087 Literary landmarks. Homes and haunts of authors, etc.
Works devoted to an individual author are classed with the author’s works

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Particular subjects

8089.5 Special classes of authors, by class, .A-.Z
Works about the literary productions of authors associated by a common characteristic such as religion or profession. Works about an individual author are classed with the author’s works

e.g.,

.C5, Clergymen

.F5, First Nations

.I5, Immigrants

.I6, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis)

.I65, Inuit

.I8, Italians

.J4, Jewish

.L3, Lawyers

.M45, Mennonites

.M48, Métis

.M55, Minorities

.P4, Physicians

.S68, South Asians

.W6, Women

8091 Anonymous literature
Works about an individual anonymous work are classed with the individual work

8093 Relation of English and French Canadian literatures to one another

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Relation of Canadian literature to other literatures

8095 General

8097 By country, .A-.Z

e.g.,

.A4, Relation to American literature

.F7, Relation to the literature of France

.H3, Relation to Haitian literature

.1 By language, .A-.Z

To be used when subdivision by country is inadequate

e.g., .A7, Relation to Arabic literature

8099 Translations of Canadian literature into languages other than English or French

.A1, General

.A5-.Z, By language

8101 Treatment of special topics, by topic, .A-.Z

e.g.,

.A48, Animals

.A5, Anti-Americanism

.N67, North

.P68, Postcolonialism

.R36, Regionalism

.R4, Religion

.W37, War

.W5, Winter

8103 Treatment of special classes of persons, by class, .A-.Z
Works about classes of persons as they have been treated in literature
Cf. PS8089.5, Works about the literary productions of particular classes of authors

e.g.,

.C5, Children

.F5, First Nations

.I6, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis)

.I65, Inuit

.L8, Lumberjacks

.M48, Métis

.M5, Miners

.N8, Nurses

.W6, Women

8105 Literary movements. Literary schools, .A-.Z

e.g., .R6, Romanticism

8107 Literary prizes and awards, .A-.Z

e.g., .G6, Governor General’s Literary Awards

By period
History and criticism of the literary productions of the period

8111 Pre-Confederation
8113 1867-1913
8115 1914-1967
8117 1968-2003
8119 2004-

By region, province, city
8131 By region, province, etc., .A-.Z

e.g., .M2, Manitoba

8133 By city, .A-.Z

e.g.,

.M6, Montréal

.V3, Vancouver

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Particular genres

Poetry

Periodicals, see PS8001
Societies, see PS8005

8139 Dictionaries

8141 Treatises. General works

8143 Minor works. Essays, lectures, etc.
Study and teaching, see PS8039.P6

8145 Special forms, by form, .A-.Z

e.g.,

.A4, Allegories

.L9, Lyric poetry

.S6, Sonnets

8147 Special topics, by topic, .A-.Z

e.g.,

.F45, Feminism

.N3, Nature

.P3, Patriotism

.P58, Poets and poetry

.R4, Religion

.S4, Sea, The

By period
8149 Pre-Confederation
8151 1867-1913
8153 1914-1967
8155 1968-2003

.1 2004-

8159.5 By region, province, etc., .A-.Z

.7 By city, .A-.Z

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Drama

Periodicals, see PS8001
Societies, see PS8005

8161 Dictionaries

8163 Treatises. General works

8165 Minor works. Essays, lectures, etc.
Study and teaching, see PS8039.D7

8167 Special forms, by form, .A-.Z

e.g.,

.C6, Comedies

.O5, One-act plays

.T7, Tragedies

8169 Special topics, by topic, .A-.Z

e.g.,

.D4, Depression era

.S4, Separatism

By period
8171 Pre-Confederation
8173 1867-1913
8175 1914-1967
8177 1968-2003

.1 2004-

.5 By region, province, etc., .A-.Z

.7 By city, .A-.Z

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Prose

Periodicals, see PS8001
Societies, see PS8005

8179 Dictionaries

8181 Treatises. General works

8183 Minor works. Essays, lectures, etc.
Study and teaching, see PS8039.P7

8185 Special topics, by topic, .A-.Z

e.g., .C4, Characterization

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Prose fiction

8187 Treatises. General works

8189 Minor works. Essays, lectures, etc.
Study and teaching, see PS8039.F5

8191 Special forms and topics, by form or topic, .A-.Z

e.g.,

.D4, Detective and mystery stories

.H5, Historical fiction

.W5, Winter

By period
8193 Pre-Confederation
8195 1867-1913
8197 1914-1967
8199 1968-2003

.1 2004-

.5 By region, province, etc., .A-.Z

.7 By city, .A-.Z

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Oratory

8203 General works
Study and teaching, see PS8039.O7

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Diaries

8205 General works

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Letters

8207 General works

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Essays

8211 General works
Study and teaching, see PS8039.E8

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Wit and humour. Satire

8215 General works
Study and teaching, see PS8039.W5

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Miscellany. Curiosa. Eccentric literature

8219 General works

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Folk literature

Cf. GR, Folklore

8223 General works

8225 By region, province, etc., .A-.Z

8227 Special topics, by topic, .A-.Z

e.g.,

.S2, Satan

.W4, Werewolves

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Collections of Canadian Literature PS8231-8379

General

8231 General collections

8233 Minor collections. Selections, anthologies, etc.

8235 Special classes of authors, by class, .A-.Z

e.g.,

.A44, Aged (See also, S45, Seniors)

.C4, Children

.C6, College, University and Cégep students

.F5, First Nations

.G38, Gay men

.I6, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis)

.I65, Inuit

.K67, Korean Canadians

.L47, Lesbians

.M48, Métis

.M56, Minorities

.P7, Prisoners

.S3, School students

.S45, Seniors (See also, A44, Aged)

.T45, Teenagers

.T73, Transgender

.W6, Women

.5 Collections in languages other than English or French, by language, .A-.Z

e.g.,

.G3, Gaelic

.H4, Hebrew

.H85, Hungarian

.I8, Italian

.P6, Polish

.7 Collections in Inuktitut

.9 Collections in First Nations languages and Michif, by language, .A-.Z

e.g., .C7, Cree

8237 Special topics (prose and verse), by topic, .A-.Z

e.g.,

.C57, Christmas

.F67, Forests

.G5, Ghosts

.H6, Hockey

.M43, Medicine

.N3, Nationalism

.N35, Nature/Naturalism

.S6, Sport

8241 Translations of Canadian literature into languages other than English or French, by language, .A-.Z

By period
Collections of the literary production of the period

8245 Pre-Confederation
8247 1867-1913
8249 1914-1967
8251 1968-2003

.1 2004-

By region, province, city
8255 By region, province, etc., .A-.Z
8257 By city, .A-.Z

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