ALPHABETIC STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM
rule one
personal names
surname
key unit
given name or initial
second unit
middle name or initial
third unit
if determining the surname is difficult
consider the last name written
as the surname
business names
index business names
as written using letterhead
trademarks as guides
each word
in a business name
a separate unit
business names contains
personal name
index the name in the order it is written
rule two
articles, prepositions, conjunctions and symbols
considered separate indexing units
articles: A, AN, THE
prepositions: AT, IN, OUT, ON, OFF, BY, TO, WITH, FOR, OF, OVER
conjunctions: AND, BUT, OR, NOR
symbols are considered as spelled in full
symbols: &, ₵, $, #, %
AND, CENT, DOLLAR, NUMBER OR POUND, PERCENT
when "the" appears as a first word of a business name
it is considered the last indexing unit
rule three
all punctuation is disregarded when indexing personal and business names
commas, periods, hyphens, apostrophes, dashes, exclamation points, questions marks, quotation marks, underscores, and diagonals
close up the letters or words and index the names as one units
names
index as written
rule seven
numbers spelled out (Seven Lakes Nursery)
business names
business names
numbers written in digits
filed
before
alphabetic letters
words
names with numbers
written in digits in the first unit
filled in ascending order (lowest to highest number)
before alphabetic names (229 Club, 534 Shop, First National of Chicago)
arabic numerals
filed before Roman numerals (2,3.ll,lll)
names
inclusive numbers (20-39 singles club)
arranged by the first digit(S) only (20)
names with numbers appearing in other than the first position (Pier 36 Cafe)
filed alphabetically
immediately before a similar name without a number (Pier and Port Cafe)
when indexing names with numbers
written in digit form that contain st, d and th (1st, 2d, 3d, 4th)
ignore the letter endings and consider only the digits (1,2,3,4)
rule six
a foreign article or particle in a personal or business name
combined with the part of the name following
to form
single indexing unit
the indexing order
not effected
a space between
a prefix
the rest of the name
the space is disregarded when indexing
rule five
personal names
a title before a name, a seniority suffix or a professional suffix
the last indexing unit
example
title before a name
DR., MR., MS., PROF.
seniority suffix
ll, lll, Jr., Sr.
professional suffix
CRM, DDS, Mayor, Ph.D
rule four
personal names
initials
personal names
considered separate indexing unitd
abbreviations of personal names and nicknames
indexed
as they are written
do not
spell out abbreviations
try to outguess shortened names
cher
may or may not be short for Chery!
business names
single letter
business and organization
names are indexes as written
separated
spaces, index each letter as a separate unit
an acronym (ARMA or GMAC)
indexed as one unit
regardless of punctuation or spacing
abbreviated words and names
indexed
one unit regardless punctuation or spacing
radio and television station call letter
indexed
one unit