LIBRARY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS
WHAT ARE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS?
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Libraries store and manage thousands materials.
These materials need to be organized in a manner
that allows the easiest possible access for the end
user.
Classification Systems are the tools Libraries use to
organize books and other library materials.
Classification Systems consists of subjects that can
be located by call number.
CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS CONTINUED
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There are several different kinds of classification
systems
LC ( Library of Congress Classification System) used
mostly in Academic and research libraries. Meant for
large libraries.
DDC (Dewey Decimal System) most widely used
classification system. Used in small, medium public
and school libraries.
CLASSIFICATION CONTINUED
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SuDocs ( Superintendent Documents Classification) a
specialized system of classification for Government
Documents.
ANSCR( Alpha-Numeric System for Classification
Recordings) Specialized system for classifying sound
recordings.
NLM ( National Library of Medicine Classification) A
Specialized classification system used in medical
libraries.
HOW DO CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS WORK?
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Classification systems work by organizing like
materials together by subject and author.
Within a subject area, materials are further classified
by more specific information such as time period, or
location.
Each Classification systems utilizes a call number
which identifies the location of the book in the library
CALL NUMBERS
Classification Systems all use a system of
letters and numbers to denote a particular
subject.
 All call numbers utilize the author’s last name
as an access point
 Call numbers can also contain the copy
numbers, copyright date,
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LC Call Number
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
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The Library of Congress Classification (LCC) is a
classification system that was first developed in the
late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to
organize and arrange the book collections of the
Library of Congress. Over the course of the twentieth
century, the system was adopted for use by other
libraries as well, especially large academic libraries in
the United States. It is currently one of the most widely
used library classification systems in the world.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
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LCC call number is made up of three elements
1. Subject ( based on 21wide subject classes).
2. These classes are then further broken down by subject.
3. author initial and numeric determination based on
alphabetic placement
WHY DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS?
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Although all classification systems provide access to
information. Some systems work better with specific types of
information or in specific types of Libraries.
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Libraries choose a classification system based on three factors
1. Collection Size
2. Subjects/ Materials in the Collection
3. End User
WHY DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS
For example, The DDC is a broad with
classification system.
 DDC categories encompass many subjects that
are loosely related, but easy to search.
 This system works well in library that have
general subjects, or specific Academic
subjects.
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WHY DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS?
Libraries with Small to Medium collections,
generally Public Libraries or School libraries
favor this system for its ease of use of their
patron base.
 The Library of Congress Cataloging system is a
much narrower system meant for use in
libraries that have multiple subcategories.
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WHY DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS?
Not all classification systems classify books.
 Many Libraries use classification systems to
classify:
 Music
 Art
 Government Documents
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ANSCR
Stands for Alpha-Numeric System for
Classification of Recordings (ANSCR)
 This system is used for sound recordings in
Music Libraries and some academic and public
libraries.
 Like LCC and Dewey ANSCR is a Hierarchical
system that uses 46 different subjects that
encompass all sound recordings.
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ANSCR
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ANSCR call number composition
ANSCR call number composition consists of four lines of information. Each item of
information is explained below. Term One Term Two Term Three Term Four
Term One
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Term Two
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Based on the ANSCR category specified in Term One, Term Two will be the first four
consecutive letters of the composer's surname, performer's surname, author's surname, title,
or topic
Term Three
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Letter or letters representing one of the ANSCR categories
Initial letters of the first three significant words of the title, or the first three consecutive letters
of a one-word title
Term Four
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First letter of the performer's surname (or production company if a children's recording)
followed by the last two digits of the recording company's production number
ANSCR
Sample ANSCR call number:
B
 PUCC
 BOH
 S82
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ANSCR
Term One:
 Opera (B)
 Term Two:
 Puccini (PUCC)
 Term Three:
 La Boheme (BOH)
 Term Four:
 Tullio Serafin, Decca 0082 (S82)
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SUDOCS
The Superintendent of Documents
classification system was developed in the
Library of the Government Printing Office
between 1895 and 1903.
 SuDocs is a classification system created for
the many articles that are published by the US
Government.
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SUDOCS
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The Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs)
classification system is designed to group together
publications by the same government author. Within
an agency or department, publications are grouped
according to the subordinate organization. The
purpose of this system is to uniquely identify, logically
relate, and physically arrange each publication so that
all publications of a single agency or department may
be found together.
SUDOCS
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Each executive department and agency, the Judiciary,
Congress, and other major independent
establishments are assigned a unique alphabetical
identifier, based on the name of the organization, e.g.,
"A" for Agriculture Department, "JU" for Judiciary, and
"NS" for National Science Foundation. However, the
letters "X" and "Y" are reserved for Congress. The
designation "Z" is not used.
SUDOCS
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Unlike other classification systems, SuDocs
does not use the author’s name as a
classification tool. Further since government
documents are rarely in book form, each
individual document has its own call number.
SUDOC
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SuDoc call numbers are divided into two parts:
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1.) The stem (the part of the call number to the left of the colon), and
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2.) The individual item or book number (the part of the call number to the right of the colon).
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For example: I 19.3:1565
SUDOCS
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I 19.3:
1565
is the stem
is the book number for this item
I
Interior Department
19. U.S. Geological Survey
3:
Bulletins
1565 1565
[Department]
[Sub-agency]
[Series Designation]
[Book number]
CALL NUMBERS AGAIN
Call Numbers are the primary access point for
finding library materials.
 Call numbers provide a lot of information to
patrons and Library staff members that help
each successfully locate books and other
library materials.
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CALL NUMBER AGAIN
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No matter what type of classification system
your library uses, if materials are not put back
in the proper order materials can be lost
forever!
CALL NUMBERS AGAIN
For example:
 What will happen if the catalog says a books
call number is 398.2 CAY, but the label reads
389.2 CAY?
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CALL NUMBERS AGAIN
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Example:
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A thin book, who’s spine is too small for the
label is incorrectly shelved. The book is now
missing. How will the library staff members
find this book?