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 together that are similar, typically arranged in a hierarchical tree structure. A different kind of classification system, called a faceted classification system, is also widely used which allows the assignment of multiple classifications to an object, enabling the classifications to be ordered in multiple ways.

Dewey decimal classification

The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC, also called the Dewey Decimal System) is a proprietary system of library classification developed by Melvil Dewey in 1876; it has been greatly modified and expanded through 22 major revisions, the most recent in 2003.[1] This system organizes books on library shelves in a specific and repeatable order that makes it easy to find any book and return it to its proper place. The system is used in 200,000 libraries in at least 135 countries. [2][3] A designation such as Dewey 16 refers to the 16th edition of the DDC. The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system is the worlds most widely used library classification system. The 22nd edition of the DDC enhances the efficiency and accuracy of your classification work in ways no previous editions have done. You can use the DDC in several convenient formats. The four-volume print edition includes thousands of updates added to the system over the past seven years. The electronic version, WebDewey, enhances the print updates with online delivery that is updated continuously. And the Abridged Edition 14, also available in print and online, is a simplified version perfect for smaller collections. Whether you choose the print or electronic format (or both), DDC 22 makes it easier than ever to organize your library collections. The DDC evolves continually to keep up with recorded knowledge. You can find news about DDC developments in several ways, including a semiannual DDC newsletter, DDC conferences and workshops, OCLC Newsletter articles and case studies. The Dewey Decimal system is extensively used in United States libraries, and a system based on it, the Universal Decimal Classification, is used around the world. Before the Dewey Decimal system was developed, there was no standard of organizing library books, and most systems in use were quite arbitrary and inefficient. Today, the Dewey Decimal system is used in about 95% of United States school and public libraries, while the Library of Congress Classification system, first developed in 1897, is more widely used in government and university libraries. The call numbers in the Dewey Decimal system provide increasingly specific information about the book when read from left to right. There are three numerals in each, followed by a decimal point, which may be followed by more numerals to more specifically categorize the book. The second line of the call number consists of the first few letters of the author's name, which may be used to alphabetize books with the same numerical classification. Though fictional works are classified in the Dewey Decimal system within the 800 class, Literature, many libraries choose to have a separate section for fiction in which the books are alphabetized by author. In the Dewey Decimal system, literary works are subdivided by their original language and then by form poetry, fiction, or essay, for example so that all works of fictional prose are not in a single place. Making a separate section for fiction both caters to patrons who are only interested in novels and keeps the 800 section from becoming overgrown. The system is made up of ten main classes or categories, each divided into ten secondary classes or subcategories, each having ten subdivisions. 000 Computer science, information & general works 100 Philosophy and psychology 200 Religion 300 Social sciences 400 Language 500 Science (including mathematics) 600 Technology 700 Arts and recreation 800 Literature 900 History, geography, and biography

HOW TO USE THE DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM The Dewey Decimal System organizes information into 10 broad areas, which are broken into smaller and smaller topics. Different topics are assigned numbers, known as "call numbers." For example, "Animals" are given the number 599. To see what books the library currently has in on animals, go to the nonfiction shelves and find the books that have a 599 as part of their call number. A list of some of the information you can find in the different Dewey Decimal areas, appears below. You can learn more about the Dewey Decimal System and how it works in the book The Dewey Decimal System by Allan Fowler. The call number for this book is: J 025.431 Fo. DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM

000 GeneralKnowledge Almanacs, Encyclopedias, Libraries, Museums, Newspapers ... 100 Psychology and Philosophy Death & Dying, Ethics, Feelings, Logic, Making Friends, Optical Illusions, Superstitions ... 200 Religions and Mythology Amish, Bible Stories, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Quakers, and other world religions; Greek, Roman and other myths... 300 Social Sciences and Folklore Careers, Customs, Environment, Families, Folktales, Government, Manners, Money, Recycling ... 400 Languages and Grammar Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Sign Language, Spanish. Includes dictionaries.i...
How to Use DDC

500 Math and Science Animals, Biology, Chemistry, Dinosaurs, Fish, Geology, Insects, Physics, Planets, Plants ... 600 Medicine and Technology Computers, Cookbooks, Engineering, Farming, Health, Human Body, Inventions, Manufacturing, Nutrition ... 700 Arts & Recreation Architecture, Crafts, Drawing, Games, Jokes, Music, Puppets, Songbooks, Sports ... 800 Literature Children's Literature, Plays, Poetry, Shakespeare, Writing ... 900 Geography and History Biographies, Countries, Native Americans, States, Travel, Wars ...

Invented by Melvin Dewey in 1876 to unify library organization, the Dewey Decimal System is now the most-used classification system in the world. A revolution in library science, it makes finding books in vast library collections a simple and easy process. Learning to use the Dewey Decimal system isn't difficult. Just follow these simple steps to understand how the system works Learn the lingo. The Dewey Decimal system organizes books into 10 main classes by category, which together covers the entire range of knowledge. The system utilizes a series of symbols called "notations" to represent the classifications. Each of the 10 main classes is divided into 10 "divisions" and each division into 10 "sections," though not all numbers in the divisions and sections are used by each classification. A book's Dewey Decimal number is termed its "call number." Understand the numbers. The notations in the system are used to represent each specific breakdown in classification. For example, 533 represents the topic gas mechanics. The first number, 5, represents the main class, science. The next number, 3, indicates the division, physics. The last number, 3, the section in physics, gas mechanics. The Dewey Decimal System demands that no item should have fewer than three numbers. Zeros are used when only referring to a category as in 500 for science. For further division a decimal is placed after the third digit and the breakdown continues in tens. Find a book in the library by determining the main (first number) category you are seeking. You can find a list of the ten main categories at the library on online. Go to the aisle or aisles in the library that contain the number you are looking for. Most library aisles are labeled on the end with the range of Dewey Decimal categories featured in that section. Find the aisle with the first digit number you are seeking. Browse the main category isles until you find the precise section you are seeking. If you are looking for a specific book, utilize the library's computer or call system to find the exact Dewey Decimal number for that book.

Library of Congress Classification

The 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 . It is not to be confused with the Library of Congress Subject Headings or Library of Congress Control Number. Most public libraries and small academic libraries continue to use the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC).[citation needed] The classification was originally developed by Herbert Putnam in 1897, just before he assumed the librarianship of Congress. With advice from Charles Ammi Cutter, it was influenced by Cutter Expansive Classification, and the DDC, and was specially designed for the special purposes of the Library of Congress. The new system replaced a fixed location system developed by Thomas Jefferson. By the time of Putnam's departure from his post in 1939, all the classes except K (Law) and parts of B (Philosophy and Religion) were well developed. It has been criticized as lacking a sound theoretical basis; many of the classification decisions were driven by the particular practical needs of that library, rather than epistemological considerations. Although it divides subjects into broad categories, it is essentially enumerative in nature. It provides a guide to the books actually in the library, not a classification of the world. The National Library of Medicine classification system (NLM) uses the classification scheme's unused letters W and QSQZ. Some libraries use NLM in conjunction with LCC, eschewing LCC's R (Medicine). Others prefer to use the LCC scheme's QP-QR schedules and include Medicine R.

Card Catalog
The card catalog is an index to all the books, videos, slides, sound filmstrips, and records in the library. There are three main types of cards in the card catalog: author, title, and subject. An author card has the author's name on the top line of the card. A title card has the title on the top line of the card. A subject card has the SUBJECT IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the top line of the card The need to catalog books in some way has been present since books were invented. A good catalog enables people to know which books a library has, and where to find them, and many catalogs contain additional information which could be assistance to scholars. Early library catalogs were kept on scrolls or in ledgers, and they were often printed and distributed so that distant scholars could know which books a library had. The concept of the card catalog was introduced in the 1800s, and it was a great help to scholars. Card catalogs can be configured in a number of ways, and their organization makes it easy to add or remove books, and to find books. In a card catalog, every time a new book enters a library, a card is created for it, with information like the title, author's name, subject, and location of the book. There are a number of ways to set up a card catalog. For example, a dictionary catalog lists every single book in a library in alphabetical order, so in order to find a book, someone must know what the title is. An author catalog is organized alphabetically by author's name, while a keyword catalog is organized by subject. It is also possible to find systematic card catalogs, also called classified catalogs, which list the books according to the library's categorization system. As anyone who has used a card catalog knows, it can be a challenge to use until one gets the hang of it, especially in a new library. Many patrons were forced to call on the librarian for help while navigating a difficult card catalog, but once one became acquainted with the system, the card catalog was a huge help, allowing patrons to quickly identify the books they wanted and find them on the shelves. Computerized catalogs are the norm at most libraries today, because they have a number of obvious advantages over card catalogs, including space efficiency, searchability with multiple parameters, and the ability to easily update with realtime data. A library catalog (or library catalogue) is a register of all bibliographic items found in a library or group of libraries, such as a network of libraries at several locations. A bibliographic item can be any information entity (e.g., books, computer files, graphics, realia, cartographic materials, etc.), that is considered library material (e.g., a single novel in an anthology), or a group of library materials (e.g., a trilogy), or linked from the catalog (e.g., a webpage) as far as it is relevant to the catalog and to the users (patrons) of the library.

The card catalog was a familiar sight to library users for generations, but it has been effectively replaced by the online public access catalog (OPAC). Some still refer to the online catalog as a "card catalog." Some libraries with OPAC access still have card catalogs on site, but these are now strictly a secondary resource and are seldom updated. Many of the libraries that have retained their physical card catalog post a sign advising the last year that the card catalog was updated. Some libraries have eliminated their card catalog in favour of the OPAC for the purpose of saving space for other use, such as additional shelving.

Types of Card Catalog Cards 3 MAIN TYPES OF CARDS Author Card Title Card Subject Card Traditionally, there are the following types of catalog: Author catalog: a formal catalog, sorted alphabetically according to the authors' or editors' names of the entries. Title catalog: a formal catalog, sorted alphabetically according to the title of the entries. Dictionary catalog: a catalog in which all entries (author, title, subject, series) are interfiled in a single alphabetical order. This was the primary form of card catalog in the Anglo-American world just prior to the introduction of the computer-based catalog. Keyword catalog: a subject catalog, sorted alphabetically according to some system of keywords. Mixed alphabetic catalog forms: sometimes, one finds a mixed author / title, or an author / title / keyword catalog. Systematic catalog: a subject catalog, sorted according to some systematic subdivision of subjects. Also called a Classified catalog. Shelf list catalog: a formal catalog with entries sorted in the same order as bibliographic items are shelved. This catalog may also serve as the primary inventory for the library. 3 MINOR TYPES OF CARDS Illustrator Card Main Character Card Series Card

Call Numbers
F = Fiction E = Easy Fiction J = Juvenile Fiction B = Biography Numbers = Dewey Decimal = Non-Fiction Section There may be 1 to 3 letters under any of the above entries = Authors Last Name except for B = Last name of the person whom the book is about.

ISBN Numbers
Some cards may have the ISBN number on them. If you recall, this number identifies the Publisher, a particular book, the language it is printed in, and if its hardback or paperback. It is a SYSTEM that is used worldwide.

Samples of Catalog Cards

Shown below are samples of typical library catalog cards. The appearance of cards will vary depending on the company or other source that produces them. Author Card E Sendak, Maurice SEN In the night kitchen / Maurice Sendak ; [lettering by Diane Blaine]. -- 25th anniversary ed. -- HarperCollins, [1995] 1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. SUMMARY: A little boys dream-fantasy in which he helps three fat bakers get milk for their cake batter. 1. Fantasy fiction. I. Title. Subject Card FANTASY FICTION E Sendak, Maurice SEN In the night kitchen / Maurice Sendak ; [lettering by Diane Blaine]. -- 25th anniversary ed. -- HarperCollins, [1995] 1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. SUMMARY: A little boys dream-fantasy in which he helps three fat bakers get milk for their cake batter. 1. Fantasy fiction. I. Title.

Title Card In the night kitchen E Sendak, Maurice SEN In the night kitchen / Maurice Sendak ; [lettering by Diane Blaine]. -- 25th

anniversary ed. -- HarperCollins, [1995] 1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. SUMMARY: A little boys dream-fantasy in which he helps three fat bakers get milk for their cake batter. 1. Fantasy fiction. I. Title.

Other Samples
Authors Card F Kee Keene, Carolyn. The Clue of the Velvet Mask/ Carolyn Keene. New York, Grosset, 1969c. p. 177. ill.; 24 cm X 18 cm. (Nancy Drew Mysteries) When a gang that uses parties as a cover for robberies victimizes a masquerade party Nancy is attending, the teenage detective switches identity with her girl friend to solve the case. 1. Mystery and detective stories. 2. Robbery/Fiction. I. Nancy Drew Mystery Series. II. Title Title Card F Kee Keene, Carolyn. The Clue of the Velvet Mask/ Carolyn Keene. New York, Grosset, 1969c. p. 177. ill.; 24 cm X 18 cm. (Nancy Drew Mysteries) When a gang that uses parties as a cover for robberies victimizes a masquerade party Nancy is attending, the teenage detective switches identity with her girl friend to solve the case. 1. Mystery and detective stories. 2. Robbery/Fiction. I. Nancy Drew Mystery Series. II. Title The Clue of the Velvet Mask. Subject Card F Kee Keene, Carolyn. The Clue of the Velvet Mask/ Carolyn Keene. New York, Grosset, 1969c. p. 177. ill.; 24 cm X 18 cm. (Nancy Drew Mysteries) When a gang that uses parties as a cover for robberies victimizes a masquerade party Nancy is attending, the teenage detective switches identity with her girl friend to solve the case. 1. Mystery and detective stories. 2. Robbery/Fiction. I. Nancy Drew Mystery Series. II. Title MYSTERY; TEEN-AGE DETECTIVE; ROBBERY/FICTION Series Card F Kee Keene, Carolyn. The Clue of the Velvet Mask/ Carolyn Keene. New York, Grosset, 1969c. p. 177. ill.; 24 cm X 18 cm. (Nancy Drew Mysteries) When a gang that uses parties as a cover for robberies victimizes a masquerade party Nancy is attending, the teenage detective switches identity with her girl friend to solve the case. 1. Mystery and detective stories. 2. Robbery/Fiction. I. Nancy Drew Mystery Series. II. Title Nancy Drew Mysteries Nancy Drew Mysteries

Whats on the Author Card?

Authors name is listed, last name first. Title/Authors name 3. Illustrators name. 4. Publishing Information Where, Who, When = Year c. 5. Physical Description of Book (# of pages.: type of illustrations; size in cm.; paperback) 6. (Series name) if part of a series 7. Main Character. (if has Main Character Card) 8. Plot Summary. Tells a synopsis of the story 9. May have other information such as the ISBN number 10. Subject/Cross-Reference area Tells: what other cards can be found for this book; what subjects this books deals with; other related topics to look at. 11. Miscellaneous Info about cataloging & company that made the card. 12. Upper Left Corner has Call Number - the address of the book = where to locate it; you can tell if book is FICTION or NON-FICTION or a Biography 1.
2.

Materials found in the Library

Kinds of Materials in the Library 1. Reference books of a general or specialized nature. 2. Books of fiction. 3. Books of biographies and autobiographies. 4. Books which supplement the college courses such as education, business, foreign languages, history, literature , etc. 5. General books not related to specific subjects and books on special fields not included in the college program of instruction. 6. Magazines and newspapers which include current issues and bound volumes. 7. Government reports and publications. 8. Pamphlets and clippings. 9. Audio - visual materials such as pictures, films, plates, slides. 10. Microfilms and microprints which are reduced photographic reproductions of printed materials

How to Use Card Catalog

1. Find the drawer marked with the first letter of the title of the book you would like to find. Drawers are marked with letters and arranged alphabetically. For example, if you are looking for the title "Gone with the Wind," find a drawer labeled with the letter "G" or containing the letter "G," such as "E-H." Remember to not count articles (a, an, the) at the beginning of a title. For example, if you are looking for "The Hobbit," look for it under the letter "H." Open the drawer and search for the title of the book. The cards are arranged alphabetically and are held in place by a metal rod. Usually there is enough room in the drawer to flip the cards and read them easily. The information on the card contains the title of the book, its author, publication dateand publisher. The call number for the book can usually be found on the left side of the card. This is the number you would use to find the book in the library. Follow the same procedure for author and subject searches. Search for an author by finding the drawer marked with the first letter of the author's last name. For example, "King, Stephen," would be in the drawer marked with a "K." Subject searches may be more of an effort if you don't know the controlled language librarians use. For example, if you are searching for "movies," you won't find it under "movies" or "film" but under "Motion Pictures." If you search the other two words first, you'll find a card that reads "For movies, see Motion Pictures." Then you must search for "Motion Pictures" under "M" in an entirely different drawer.

2.

3.