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Two Unique SystemsIf you ask a librarian whether he or she prefers the Dewey Decimal System or Library of Congress Classification, be ready for a geeked out discussion on the merits of hierarchical vs. faceted classification schemes and whether capping the number of categorization classes holds peril or potential. . . . If you're a newcomer to library science, a little background on the classification systems might be helpful.

The Dewey Decimal System was developed in 1876 as a means to organize all knowledge - an ambitious endeavor, to say the least. In this sense, the Dewey Decimal System was the Google of the 19th century, minus the fancy technical aspects. Instead, the cataloging system relies on a simple framework that starts with ten subject classes (religion, social sciences, etc.). These classes are broken down into ten divisions, which are then broken down into ten subdivisions. Books and other resources are assigned numeric call numbers based on where content within them falls in this taxonomy of knowledge.

The Library of Congress Classification system differs in its design. Developed at the turn of the 20th century, it was specifically created to categorize books and other items held in the Library of Congress. It features 21 subject categories with resources being identified by a combination of both letters and numbers. For example, books on education are identified with a call number that begins with the letter 'L' and those on political science under 'J.' The number of categorization classes are not restricted, nor are the numerous subclasses included in the system.

Dewey vs. LOC - Clash of Classification TitansSo which system is better? That depends on the person you ask. Proponents of Dewey may suggest that the LOC system is 'impure' because, rather than being based on a taxonomy of knowledge, it was created to classify items from a single library. Some also believe that the letter-number system of identification is laborious and second best to Dewey's all numeric approach. Supporters also cite the system's reliance on facets (or groupings of related subjects) to organize materials.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, people who prefer the LOC have their criticisms of Dewey. Many perceive shortcomings of that system's ability to catalog items covering new subjects. For instance, computers weren't around when Dewey was developed and, as a result, weren't accounted for under the ten subject category headings. While the system has been updated over time, a closed taxonomy has forced computers and other tech topics to be shoehorned into a category labeled 'General.' (The LOC system, on the other hand, has annexed a 'Technology' subject heading.) Detractors of Dewey also suggest that its decimal system for identifying items leads to long call numbers that make identifying resources cumbersome, particularly in academic libraries with groupings of specialized topics.

While some librarians and other bibliophiles have a strong preference for either Dewey or the LOC system, many others concede that both systems have flaws and that libraries should follow practices that are best for their respective collections. Many public libraries, for example, continue to use Dewey while some academic libraries have made the switch to LOC to allow for greater specialization in identifying resources.

Still other librarians are forsaking both systems for more simplistic subject-based taxonomies typically found in bookstores. This move, made in response to perceived consumer habits, has many purists up in arms and has prompted initiatives to develop a hybrid system that is intuitive to users but still allows for detailed classification. Perhaps in the future, then, a new classification system heavyweight will emerge in this battle for categorization supremacy.

Classes[edit]

Main article: List of Dewey Decimal classes

(From DDC 23[41])

000 – General works, Computer science and Information

100 – Philosophy and psychology

200 – Religion

300 – Social sciences

400 – Language

500 – Pure Science

600 – Technology

700 – Arts & recreation

800 – Literature

900 – History & geography

THE MAIN DEWEY DECIMAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM  Numbers Categories

000-099General References or Works (encyclopedias, biographies, periodicals and journalism)

100-199 Philosophy, psychology and logic

200-299 Religion (men’s faith)

300-399Social Sciences (how people live and work in society; law, government and institutions)

400-499 Language (English, grammar and dictionaries)

500-599Natural Science (Mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, geology, paleontology, biology, zoology, and botany)

600-699Technology and Applied Science (medicine, engineering, agriculture, home economics, radio, TV, and aviation)

700-799Fine Arts and Recreation (architecture, sculpture, painting, music, photography and recreation)

800-899 Literature (plays, poems, essays, literature in foreign languages)

900-999History and Biography (history, biography, geography and other related disciplines)

The Dewey Decimal Classification System is the most widely used method for classifying books in the library. This system is a general knowledge organization tool that is continuously revised to keep pace with knowledge.  It is named after Melvil Dewey, an American Librarian who developed it in 1876. This system is a numerical scheme for the arrangement of subjects of nonfiction books, and it classifies books by dividing them into 10 main subject groups   that are called categories. Each category is represented by figures beginning with 000 and going on to 999. In other words, it is a system of numbers used to mark and arrange mostly non-fiction books.

Each number stands for a special topic. Every book is given a number and is put on the shelf in number order. Books with the same number are put in alphabetical order by the author’s last name.  There are three summaries of the DDC.  The first summary contains the ten main classes. The first digit in each three-digit number represents the main class. For example, 500 represents natural sciences and mathematics.  The second summary contains the hundred divisions. The second digit in each three-digit number indicates the division. For example, 500 is used for general works on the sciences, 510 for mathematics, 520 for astronomy, 530 for physics. The third summary contains the thousand sections. The third digit in each three-digit number indicates the section. Thus, 530 is

used for general works on physics, 531 for classical mechanics, 532 for fluid mechanics, 533 for gas mechanic.  A decimal point follows the third digit in a class number, after which division by ten continues to the specific degree of classification needed. A subject may appear in more than one discipline. For example, "clothing" has aspects that fall under several disciplines. The psychological influence of clothing belongs in 155.95 as part of the discipline of psychology; customs associated with clothing belong in 391 as part of the discipline of customs; and clothing in the sense of fashion design belongs in 746.92 as part of the discipline of the arts. 

The Dewey Decimal Classification System is used in most Public School libraries. It is essential for students to understand why books are numbered and how to find the numbers on the shelves, so they can use the library effectively and in a friendly manner. Dewey is also used for other purposes, e.g., as a browsing mechanism for resources on the Web. One of Dewey's great strengths is that the system is developed and maintained in a national bibliographic agency, the Library of Congress.