Page 121 - DLIS002_KNOWLEDGE ORGANIZATION CLASSIFICATION AND CATALOGUING THEORY

Knowledge Organization: Classification and Cataloguing Theory

Notes different manner—the class letters alphabetically, the class number as a whole number (with
possible decimal extension), and the Cutter as a decimal. For example, the following call numbers
are in the order they should appear on the shelves:

M ML ML MT MT MT
1 881 881 1 76 76
.D15 .D2 .D2 .D15 .D29 .D4
1990 1988 1993 v.2 v.1

Implications: Browsing the Shelves. Since books on similar subjects are kept together by class
number you can use the Library of Congress Classification, the first part of the call number, to
browse the library shelves for information in your area of interest. Looking for books in the
same or nearby class number can turn up related material in a particular subject. When looking
for specific materials (a certain author or title, for example) you should use the PBA Library
online catalogue to locate the exact call number of the item, and to check its status. However, if
you would like to see what the Library has available in a particular subject area you may simply
want to browse the shelves, either in the reference or the circulating collection.

Did u know? An online version of the summary tables for the three classes devoted to
music – M Music, ML Literature on Music, and MT Musical Instruction and Study – is
available from the UC Berkeley Music Library. An online subject index to the LC Music
Class is available from Indiana University Music Library. If you have any questions
interpreting a call number or locating an item or area please doesn’t hesitate to ask at the
main library desk.

Self Assessment

State whether the following statements are true or false:

7. LC Classification was originally designed to sort books at the Library of Congress.
8. The basic outline of LC classification does not divide the entire field of knowledge into
main classes.

9. Call numbers generally consist of four or six elements.

6.4 Class Number

Class numbers in the Library of Congress Classification system are alpha-numeric. The letter
portion includes one or more capital letters to indicate the general subject area. The number
portion includes one or more Arabic numbers to subdivide the subject area.

Class M, for music, is subdivided into three main sections:
M notated music (scores)
ML literature of music (books about music, such as biographies, histories, discographies, thematic
indexes, etc.)
MT musical instruction and study (method books, studies and exercises intended for pedagogical
use (as opposed for concert use), treatises, books on music theory, music-appreciation textbooks
(even those with extensive musical examples), etc.; includes scores and books).

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