Page 138 - DLIS002_KNOWLEDGE ORGANIZATION CLASSIFICATION AND CATALOGUING THEORY

Unit 7: Library Classification Canons and Principles

Explain the Work of Classification in Three Planes Notes
Describe the Canons/Principles of Ranganathan
Explain the Recent Developments in Classification

Discuss the New Trends in Classification
Describe the International Research Groups for Library Classification

Introduction

Each book in the library has a unique call number. A call number is like an address: it tells us
where the book is located in the library. It is written from top to bottom, left to right. The
purpose of this Unit is to enable the students to comprehend basic expressions. Even today,
scientists during their research work find new plants, insects and micro-organisms. The first
true faceted system was the Colon classification of S.R. Ranganathan. In the age of explosion of
information science, the task of fulfilling the reader’s expectations totally depend upon the
skilful librarian.

7.1 Purpose of Library Classification

In simple words classification is the grouping or categorization of things on the basis of similar
characteristics. Just as in biological sciences Carolous Linnaeu and others classified animal and
plant kingdom into class, order, phylum, family, genera and species and gave nomenclature to
animal and plant species. They identify and classify them on the basis of some specific anatomical
and morphological characteristics, bionomics, habits etc. and gave them scientific names. In the
same manner library classification for documents is done. The basic purpose of library
classifications is as follows:
1. Helpful Sequence: The basic purpose of any library classification is service oriented. Library
should arrange the document in a method most convent to the users and to the library
staff.

Notes The document should be arrange in classes and based on the mutual relation between
them. In other word related documents could be grouped in close proximately.

2. Correct Replacement: Document after being taken out from the shelves by the users or by
the library staff should be replacing in their proper places. It is essential that library
classification should enable the correct replacement of document after this happened
return from use.
3. Mechanized Arrangement: It is decided that a particular arrangement is suitable for the
library materials. Ordinarily it should not be changed by the help of new document with
the help of allocating notation, classification enable us to mechanize the arrangement.
4. Addition of new Document: A library should acquire new document from time to time.
Therefore library classification should help in finding the most helpful place among the
existing collection of the library.

5. Withdraw the document from Stock: In case the need arise to withdraw a document from
stock for some reason. Library classification should facilitate such a withdrawn.

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