Library Book Classification - Librarians Portal

 

Library Books classification in India

Classifying books means identifying each book according to its subject, the books on similar subjects can be grouped together on the shelves.  If any Classification schemes follow the Library leads to users

To direct users to the material that they need

To enable users to find out their related subject materials

To save the time of users to find out their related materials

To enable Library staff to know where to replace the books appropriate place

Whatever the size of the Library, Books need to be classified in some way.  A very small Library may need a simple classification scheme.  But in Big size Library should follow any systematic classification 

 

Usually classification scheme used in India

Mostly there are four main types of classification schemes are used in India

Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) In most of the Academic Libraries

Universal Decimal Classification (UDC)  In most of the special Libraries and Polytechnic Colleges 

Colon Classification (CC) In some Public Libraries, and 

National Library of Medicine (NLM) In most of the medical libraries.

Some Libraries that specialize in a particular subject habitually develop their own specialized classification scheme.

Asking a suggestion from renowned institution will help you to identify a suitable classification scheme 

For academic Library you may contact state universities, National Universities and International Universities.

For Public Library you may contact  District Central Library, State central Library, Anna Centenary Library and National Library. 

Key method for classifying materials 

(Before you classify the materials you should keep in mind the following tips)

To classify materials, ask yourself 

1.  As a classifier think over where it can be placed 

2. Is the material about a particular subject or general?

If it is a book and other print materials:  you must see the title page, list of contents and introduction, preface or foreword to confirm the subject.  If it is an audiovisual material:  you must see the title, description and any accompanying materials, and by watching a video, listening to an audio cassette, or looking at slides.

3. If the material is about a subject, does it deal with one subject or several subjects?

4. If the material deals with one subject, use that subject to classify it. Find the subject in the classification scheme and assign the corresponding classification number to the material.

5. If the material deals with several subjects, can all these subjects be regarded as part of one broad subject? If so, use the broad subject to classify the material.

6. If the material deals with several subjects that are not part of one broader subject, use the subject that is either most thoroughly covered by the material, or of main interest to users of the Library, to classify the material.

7. Check that you are classifying materials on similar subjects consistently, by looking at several materials to which you have assigned the same classification number. You can do this by going to the shelves and looking at the materials that are already there.

8. If the material is for general reference such as a dictionary or atlas, you do not need to classify it. Place it in a section of the Library for general reference materials.

9. If you have a lot of materials with the same classification number, you can distinguish them by putting the first three letters of the author’s name or putting the first three letters of the editor’s name after the classification number. If there is no author, use the first three letters of the title. For audiovisual materials, use the producer’s name. 

 This is up to your wish, if you want to put local variation you can add after the first three letters of the author’s name.  For example you have 3 copy of the same title eg.

The God of small things Written by Arundhati Roy 

First copy 823. 914 ARU; 1

Second copy 823. 914 ARU; 2

Third copy 823. 914 ARU; 3