ClassificationThe Librarians’ Numbers Game

or Doing the Dewey Thing

Spring 2012

LIB 630 Classification and Cataloging

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What is Classification?

ClassificationThe process of dividing objects or concepts

into logically hierarchical classes, subclasses, and sub-subclasses based on the characteristics they have in common and those that distinguish them. Also used as a shortened form of the term classification system or classification scheme. See also: Cataloging and Classification Section and cross-classification.

Online Dictionary of Library and Information Science

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Classification system? classification system A list of classes arranged according to a set of pre-

established principles for the purpose of organizing items in a collection, or entries in an index, bibliography, or catalog, into groups based on their similarities and differences, to facilitate access and retrieval. In the United States, most library collections are classified by subject. Classification systems can be enumerative or hierarchical, broad or close. In the United States, most public libraries use Dewey Decimal Classification, but academic and research libraries prefer Library of Congress Classification. See also: Classification Society of North America, Colon Classification, and notation.

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The Wikipedia version

Library classification– A library classification is a system of coding and

organizing library materials (books, serials, audiovisual materials, computer files, maps, manuscripts, realia) according to their subject and allocating a call number to that information resource. Similar to classification systems used in biology, bibliographic classification systems group entities that are similar together typically arranged in a hierarchical tree structure.

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More of the Wikipedia definition

Library classification (cont.)

– In terms of functionality, classification systems are often described as• enumerative: produce an alphabetical list of

subject headings, assign numbers to each heading in alphabetical order

• hierarchical: divides subjects hierarchically, from most general to most specific

• faceted or analytico-synthetic: divides subjects into mutually exclusive orthogonal facets

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Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress

Where do these systems fit?

The most common classification systems, LC and DDC, are essentially enumerative, though with some hierarchical and faceted elements, (more so for DDC), especially at the broadest and most general level. The first true faceted system was the Colon classification of S. R. Ranganathan.

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Library of Congress classification

Library of Congress classificationThe Library of Congress Classification (LCC) is a

system of library classification developed by the Library of Congress. It is used by most research and academic libraries in the U.S. and several other countries; for example, Australia[1][2] and Taiwan, R.O.C.[3] .

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More about LCC

Library of Congress Classification (LCC) A system of classifying books and other

library materials developed and maintained over the last 200 years by the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. In LCC, human knowledge is divided into 20 broad categories indicated by single letters of the roman alphabet, with major subdivisions indicated by a second letter, and narrower subdivisions by decimal numbers and further alphabetic notation.

Example: LC call number: PE 3727.N4 M34 1994

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LCC example explained

LC call number: PE 3727.N4 M34 1994In the example given above (assigned to the

book Juba to Jive: A Dictionary of African-American Slang edited by Clarence Major), P represents the main class “Language and literature,” PE the class “English language,” 3727 the subclass “English slang,” and N4 African Americans as a special group. M34 is the Cutter number for the editor’s surname and 1994 is the year of publication.

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More about LCC

Understanding Call Numbers

For an overview of the Library of Congress classification system, see the Library of Congress Classification outline, which shows the letters and titles of main classification classes and is offered online by the Library of Congress Cataloging Policy and Support Office.

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Is LCC just used by LC?

Used by most other academic and research libraries in North AmericaThis system is in use at the Library of

Congress and at many academic and research libraries in Canada and the United States.

Few, if any, K-12 schools use LCC, except perhaps college prep schools, like Riverside Military Academy (grades 7-12, with about 100% college acceptance)

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Any other common systems?

SuDocsThe Superintendent of Documents

Classification System (a system for government documents)

SuDocs call numbers begin with letters which stand for the issuing government agency

For a list of classes in the SuDoc department classification system, click HERE.

After the department, other codes are added which represent agencies, the specific item, and date.

E.g. C 3.134/2 : C 83/2/994 C=Dept. of Commerce, 3=Census Bureau, 134/2 : means

Statistical Abstract Supplement, C 83/2/994 shows this is the County and City Data Book, 1994

Adelaide R. Hasse

Developer of the Superintendent of Documents Classification

System in (1895)

Another commonly used system13

Universal Decimal ClassificationThe Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) is the world's

foremost multilingual classification scheme for all fields of knowledge, a sophisticated indexing and retrieval tool. It was adapted by Paul Otlet (Rayward’s Otlet page; Wikipedia entry ) and Nobel Prizewinner Henri La Fontaine from the Decimal Classification of Melvil Dewey, and first published (in French) between 1904 and 1907. Since then, it has been extensively revised and developed, and has become a highly flexible and effective system for organizing bibliographic records for all kinds of information in any medium (it is well suited to multi-media information collections). [Used mostly in Europe or Anglophone countries outside North America]

What is the UDC? See also UDC Flyer 2001(Word document)

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What do we do with Dewey?Who is Dewey?

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No, the dead one

– Melville Dewey (1851-1931) invented the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) while he was working as a student-assistant in the library of Amherst College in 1873. He published the Dewey Decimal Classification system in 1876.

– His original name was Melville Louis Kossuth Dewey. He dropped his middle names and changed the spelling of his first name, and he even spelled his last name “Dui”!

• Biography of Melville DeweyDewey Decimal in the UIUC Bookstacks

Melville Dewey, founder of the Lake Placid Club

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Other accomplishments of Dewey

Spelling reformerIn 1876 Dewey was involved in the

foundation of the Spelling Reform Association of which he was Secretary for almost all his life.

About the English language Dewey writes:

“Speling Skolars agree that we hav the most unsyentifik, unskolarli, illojikal & wasteful speling ani languaj ever ataind.”

http://www.childrenofthecode.org/code-history/dewey.htm

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Let's Do Dewey Click on the appropriate Dewey to begin the Library exercise on the Dewey Decimal Classification System

• From a tutorial by Middle Tennessee State University Todd Library 3/97 Murfreesboro, TN 37132

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Dewey Call numbers vs. LCC

What Is a Call Number? A unique identification number

Each book (or other item) has its own unique call number which is taped to the lower outside edge of the book's spine. The call number is also written or taped inside the book, usually on the reverse side (verso) of the title page.

A miniature subject formulaBooks written about the same subject have similar call

numbers, which groups them together on the shelf, making it easier for you to browse the library's holdings on a specific topic.

A location code

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There are 2 basic parts to a call number

The SUBJECT part and the AUTHOR part.

In the Library of Congress Classification...

Subject - This part is made up of 2 letters plus 1 to 4 (or more) digits.

Author - This part begins with a letter that corresponds to the first letter of the author's last name, followed by a series of numbers.

For example, if you had a book by Jeffrey Pfeffer entitled The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First,

The Library of Congress call number might be HF 5386 .P5468

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In the Dewey Decimal Classification...Subject – This part is made up of all numbers, ranging from 3 to 10 or more

digits (depending on how narrowly focused the topic of the book).

Author – This part begins with a letter that matches the first letter of the

author's last name, followed by 2 or 3 numbers, and then usually another letter that matches the first letter of the first word of the title.

For the book by Jeffrey Pfeffer entitled The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First:The Dewey call number might be 658.314 P524h

http://www.emu.edu/library/tutorials/Tutorial_dist/Mod1Bdewey.htm

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How do these numbers work?

Library of Congress: HF = The section for books about commerce

5386 = Books about success in business.P5468 = Represents the author’s last name [This is the Cutter number]

Dewey: 658.314 = The number for books about motivating employees

P524h = P524 stands for the author's last name (Pfeffer); “h” for the first word of the title (Human) [This is the Cutter number]

Adapted from Making Call Numbers Work For You

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How DDC works

Organization of knowledgeThe DDC attempts to organize all knowledge into

ten main classes that, excluding the first class (000 Computers, information and general reference), proceed from the divine (philosophy & religion) to the mundane (history & geography). DDC’s cleverness is in choosing decimals for its categories; this allows it to be both purely numerical and infinitely hierarchical.

– Older version of Dewey Decimal Classification article, section 1 Design

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Dewey’s main classes

The system is made of up ten categories:

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Subdividing from the main classes

From the general to the specific:Each of the above classes each have ten divisions.

These divisions are further divided--and then further divided. Each division becomes more specific. The more numbers, the more specific the subject. In this way, the Dewey classification system progresses from the general to the specific. For a detailed summary for each number see the Dewey Decimal Classification System. The decimal place is used to make the number even more specific.

Let’s do Dewey

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Try catching a butterfly with Dewey!Start with the class for natural sciences, the 500’s This means that the first number of the call number

will be a 5

The 10 divisions of the 500 class are:510 Mathematics

520 Astronomy

530 Physics

540 Chemistry

550 Earth Sciences

560 Paleontology

570 Life Sciences

580 Botanical Sciences

590 Zoological Sciences

FromLet's Do Dewey, What is a call number?

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Butterflies in Dewey

Butterflies will be classified under the Zoological Sciences 590 Now we know that the second number

of the call number will be a 9

Let's see the divisions of the 590’s to find the next number. 

The Zoological Sciences, the 590’s, are divided into ten divisions also

Insects, including butterflies would be under 595.

The 595’s are further divided by the use of decimals to specify what type of insects

FromLet's Do Dewey, What is a call number?

FromLet's Do Dewey, What is a call number?

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Begin to get the picture?500--Natural Science

590--Zoological Sciences

595--Other invertebrates

595.7--Insects

595.78--Lepidoptera

595.789--Butterflies

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Ways to remember the main Dewey classes

1.

2. A STORY ABOUT THE DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM OF CLASSIFICATION

                

  

Who made me? RELIGION AND MYTHOLOGY (Man thinks about God.)More . . .

200's

                 

 

Who am I? PHILOSOPHY AND PSYCHOLOGY (Man thinks about himself.)

100's

One day, while Melvil Dewey was walking in Central Park, he saw a UFO.  He became terrified of it, and ran to take cover.More . . .

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What does the call number mean?

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Cutter numbersCutter? Among his other contributions to the

wonderful world of librarianship, Charles Ammi Cutter devised a way to assign an alpha-numeric code for authors’ last names. Use of this system allows all books within a particular Dewey Decimal number to be arranged alphabetically on the shelf, usually by title.

The Cutter Number from Dewey Decimal in the UIUC Bookstacks

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Let’s go Cuttering!Cutter numbers The cutter number for a book usually consists of the

first letter of the author's last name and a series of numbers. This series of numbers comes from a table that is designed to help maintain an alphabetical arrangement of names.

Conley, Ellen C767 Conley, Robert C768 Cook, Robin C77 Cook, Thomas C773

What if the library has several works by the same author? How do we keep the call number unique? To do that a work mark or work letter is used to distinguish the various works of a single author.

Cook, Robin Acceptable Risk 813.54 C77a Cook, Robin Fever 813.54 C77f

http://frank.mtsu.edu/~vvesper/dewey2.htm#Cutter

Several books by the same author32

Be aware that cutter numbers can differ from library to library! Some use 3 numbers as here, others (especially school libraries)

may only use the first letter of the author’s last name

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How do you create a Dewey number?Classifying a work properly depends first upon determining the

subject of the work in hand. A key element in determining the subject is the author’s intent.

The title is often a clue to the subject, but should never be the sole source of analysis. For example, Who Moved My Cheese? is a work on coping with change, not a work related to the culinary arts.

The table of contents; chapter headings or subheadingsPreface, introduction and/or forewordScanning the textBook jacket blurbsBibliographic references, index entriesOutside sources, such as reviews, reference works and subject experts

DDC 22 Introduction, paragraphs 5.1 and 5.1, with slight modifications

A PowerPoint about creating DDC numbers34

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ExampleSaltwater Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico by James Ferguson This book is about fishing, which is included as a part of

the 700 class. In fact, the class subdivision 799 is designated as Fishing, Hunting, and Shooting. Within this class, there are more decimal subclasses that provide a very detailed Dewey description of this book. The Dewey number 799.166 describes the subject matter of the book.

Major Dewey Class 700 The Arts Dewey SubClass: 790 Recreational & Perf. Arts Dewey SubClass: 799 Fishing, Hunting, Shooting Subdivision 799.1 Fishing Subdivision 799.16 Saltwater Fishing Subdivision 799.166 Saltwater Fishing in Specific

Bodies of Water

Where does the Dewey Decimal Number come from?No longer available online

How do you create the number?You build it!1. Determine what the book is about

2. Decide which main class it fits under• i.e. is it General (000-099), Philosophy (100-199), Religion (200-299), etc.?

3. Does it fit into one of the subdivisions in the main class?• e.g. if it’s religion (200s), is it related to the Bible (220-229), or is it the Koran (290-299

Other religions and sects)

4. Decide the more specific area it’s related to (i.e. the third number before the decimal

• e.g. We’ve decided it’s related to the Bible (220s). Is it a general Bible reference or encyclopedia? Then it’s 220. something. Is it related to the Old Testament? Then it’s 222. something. The New Testament is 225 and up. If it’s from the Gospels, it’s 226. something. Matthew’s gospel is 226.2 See this list of Bible-related call numbers.

5. If you need additional detail, to indicate more specific aspects, like geographical, historical, or other details, use the Subdivision tablesSee the following slides!

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Additional additions to Dewey NumbersStandard subdivisionsA standard subdivision represents a recurring physical

form (such as a dictionary, periodical, or index) or approach (such as history or research) and thus is applicable to any subject or discipline that covers or approximates the whole of the meaning of the number.

Introduction to Dewey Decimal Classification, para. 8.3

For example, if the item being cataloged is a magazine, the Standard Subdivision –05 could be used with the notation for the subject to indicate this.

Or an agricultural dictionary can be indicated by using the correct notation for the subject from the schedules, and adding the notation –03 from Table 1 to indicate a dictionary.

Examples from http://www.lili.org/forlibs/ce/able/course7/34subdivisions.htm

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Other examples of Standard Subdivisions150.5 Periodical on psychology230.003 Dictionary of Christianity340.02573 Directory of lawyers in the U.S.401 Philosophy of language507.8 Use of apparatus and equipment in

the study and teaching of science, e.g., science fair projects

624.0285 Computer applications in civil engineering

796.912092 Biography of a figure skater808.0071 Teaching of rhetoricSome examples have added a 0 after the decimal, because of instructions in schedulesIntroduction to DDC, para. 8.3

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Where do you find these subdivisions?

In schedules or Table 1 of the Dewey schedules (book or series of books that are the Dewey reference)

Standard subdivisions may be listed in the schedules when the subdivisions have special meanings, when extended notation is required for the topic in question, or when notes are required. The rest of standard subdivisions from Table 1 may be used with their regular meanings.

DDC Introduction, para. 8.4

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Other subdivisions

Table 2: Geographic Areas, Historical Periods, Persons

The major use of Table 2 is with notation 09 from Table 1, where it can be added to every number in the schedule unless there are specific instructions to the contrary.

For example, reading instruction in the primary schools of Australia is 372.40994 (372.4 reading instruction in primary schools + 09 Historical, geographic, persons treatment from Table 1 + 94 Australia from Table 2).

DDC Intro, para.8.12

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Tables 3-6Table 3 Subdivisions for the Arts, for Individual Literatures, for Specific Literary Forms

These subdivisions are used in class 800 as instructed

Table 4 Subdivisions of Individual Languages and Language Families

These subdivisions are used as instructed in class 400, following numbers for designated specific languages or language families in 420 – 490

Table 5 Ethnic and National GroupsMay only be added when specified in a note

Table 6 LanguagesThe major uses of Table 6 notation are to provide the

basis for building a specific language number in 490 . . . and to provide the basis for building a specific literature number in 890.

DDC Intro, paras 8.14-8.18

What about letters BEFORE the numbers?

Prefixes– Libraries sometimes add letters before the numbers

to indicate if the item belongs to specific collection (like R or REF for reference) or a particular size (some libraries might use OS for oversized), or the level ( J or JUV for juvenile, for example, or E for easy or early reader), or type of material (VIDEO or DVD, etc.).

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A complete call number could look

like this:See

Anatomy of a Call Number

Prefix

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Where should we get the schedules?

Recommendation:Dewey, Melvil and J. S. Mitchell.  Abridged Dewey Decimal Classification and Relative Index.  14th ed. Albany, NY:  Forest Press, 2004. For libraries with collections of 20,000

titles or fewer, the abridged edition of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system provides the level of detail needed to classify the materials in those collections.

Dewey services : Latest versions : Abridged Edition 14

http://www.oclc.org/dewey/versions/abridgededition14

DDC Abridged Edition 15 is now available!

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If you’re a bigger library?Four printed volumes help keep your collections organized– DDC 23, the four-volume unabridged edition of the Dewey

Decimal Classification (DDC) system, reflects the many changes to the body of human knowledge that have occurred since DDC 22 was published in 2003. Published in mid-2011, DDC 23 includes helpful tools that make the classification easier to use.

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Is it available online?

Abridged WebDeweyEven if your collection holds fewer than 20,000 titles, you can

experience the power of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system on the Web. Abridged WebDewey gives you access to an enhanced version of the Abridged 14 database. Abridged WebDewey is part of the OCLC suite of cataloging and metadata services that OCLC offers through the OCLC Connexion service. Logon at http://connexion.oclc.org.

Let our demo show you how WebDewey works! WebDewey 2.0: an overview

See also Abridged WebDewey User Guide

Websites to learn Dewey47

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