Page 22 - DLIS405_INFORMATION_STORAGE_AND_RETRIEVAL

Unit 2: Library Classification

Upon examining all the facets, Ranganathan notices that there are five main groups into which the Notes
facets fall, and he calls these the fundamental categories, represented by the mnemonic PMEST in
an order of decreasing concreteness.

Facets
CC uses five primary categories, or facets to further specify the sorting of a publication collectively
called “PMEST”.
Fundamental categories Index
, personality B Mathematics
; matter-property C Physics
: energy D Engineering
. space E Chemistry
’ time F Technology
Time isolates G Biology
... H Geology
’M 1800 to 1899 I Botany
’N 1900 to 1999 J Agriculture
’N5 1950’s K Zoology
’P 2000 to 2099 L Medicine
... M Useful arts
z Generalia ∆ Mysticism
[material] , [kind] , ... N Fine arts
1 Universe of knowledge O Literature
2 Library science P Linguistics
[library] ; [material] : [problem] Q Religion
R Philosophy
S Psychology
T Education
U Geography
2;45:6 circulation of newspapers V History
234:81 book selection in university library W Polytical sc.
234;45:81 newspaper selection in university library X Economics
Y Sociology
3 Book science Z Law

4 Journalism

2.4 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 23 major revisions, the most recent in 2011. 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.

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