Comparison of Dewey and Library of Congress subject classification

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Template:SHORTDESC: The Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress library classification systems are the two most common systems in the United States and among the most popular world-wide.[1] These systems organize resources like books or other media by concept and assign call numbers that are, in part used to shelve and retrieve materials.[2] The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) is used predominantly in public libraries in the United States while the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) is used primarily in academic libraries.

Characteristics

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The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) was first published by Melvil Dewey in 1876,[3][4] and included a detailed justification for his use of decimal notation.[5] DDC decimal notation id can be expanded or reduced as needed by libraries.[3] It was designed for medium and small sized collections,[6][7] including those found in public libraries, school libraries, and small academic libraries.[8][9][10] It consists of ten numeric classes that represent broad fields of study.[9][8][11] Using numbers, each class is divided into ten divisions or subclasses.[1][11] During the cataloging process, each item is assigned a three-digit DDC number that represents class, division, and section, followed by a cutter number that identifies the author.[12] For example, the call number 813.54 M37 includes 800 for the main class of literature, 810 for the division of American literature in English, 813 for American fiction in English, and the cutter M37 for the author.[12]

The Library of Congress Classification (LCC) was introduced in 1900, based on the collection of the Library of Congress, the largest library in the world.[3][13] LCC was adopted by other institutions with larger or specialized collections, such as those found in academic libraries and research libraries.[14][3][8][10] In 2019, 81 percent of US academic libraries and 93 percent of Nigeria's academic libraries used the Library of Congress Cataloging system.[15] LCC has 21 main classes, each designated with a letter of the alphabet, excluding I, O, W, X, and Y which are used to accommodate special needs of libraries that use the classification scheme.[2][9][16] Its alpha-numeric call numbers include four parts: class/subclass, topic, cutter number, and publication date.[8][1] For example, HV4708 .R83 2011, where HV stands for social sciences, 4708 is the topic social welfare, .R83 is the cutter number which represents the author, and 2011 is the year of publication.[8]

Both classification systems are used to create a functional topical order of the resources on the library shelves.[4] They vary in their notation: DDC is a numeric classification system, while LCC is an alpha-numeric system.[17][13] LCC was developed specifically for the Library of Congress collection, while DDC was created as a system that could be adapted to a variety of library sizes and specialties.[13] D. Kent Halsted noted, "Neither scheme is perfect nor will ever be."[4] As with any classification system, both DDC and LCC include the bias of their creators; in this case, both systems were developed by white, Christian, male academic scholars in late 19th century America.[18]

There are various factors that determine which classification system a library uses.[4] The global library cooperative OCLC notes that "A library should base its decision on close versus broad classification on the size of its collection and the needs of its users."[19] Usually, the size of a library's collection determines whether it selects DDC or LCC.[9] While DDC was designed for medium-sized libraries,[6] LCC allows libraries with larger collections to be more specific or precise with classifications.[9][8][4] Thus, DDC is preferred by institutions with collections under 200,000, while LCC is recommended if the collection includes more than 500,000 items.[4][20] In the 1960s and early 1970s, many larger academic libraries changed from Dewey Decimal Classification to Library of Congress Classification.[21][4] After converting the college's library from DCC to LCC in 2021, West Coast Baptist College's director of library services Alyssa Sultanik concluded,

LCC tends to divide resources into smaller subclasses and may be more suitable for larger collections. Several factors can play a part in the success of LCC, such as the practicality of LCC for academic libraries, the ease of use in a specialized collection, and the ability to grow for expanding libraries and the ability to easily add new topics as needed. The collection size, depth of the materials, and intended use of the library collection should be considered when choosing between classification systems...Smaller collections may be more suited for DDC because of the classification's more generalized nature.[16]

Comparison

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The following table compares the organization of resources by the Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress classification systems.[11][22][23][24][25][26][27] It includes all 99 second-level (two-digit) Dewey Decimal classes (excluding 040), and all second-level (two-digit) Library of Congress classes.

Dewey Decimal Library of Congress Description Ref.
000 A, AZ, QA, TA, Z4–659 Computer science, knowledge, and general works; history of scholarship and learning [28][29][30]
010 AI, Z1001–8999 Bibliography, indexes [30]
020 Z4–1000.5 Library and information sciences [30]
030 AE, AG, AY General encyclopedic works, yearbooks, almanacs, dictionaries, directories [29]
040 Unassigned
050 AN, AP General serials and their indexes, periodicals, journals [29]
060 AM, AS, AY General organization and museology, academies and learned societies, museums, collectors and collecting, associations, organizations [29]
070 AN, PN, Z278–549 News media, journalism, publishing, newspapers [29][31][30]
080 AC Quotations, collections, collected works, series [29]
090 Z4-115 Manuscripts, rare books, history of books [30]
100 B Psychology and philosophy, philosophy history [32]
110 B, BD, BH Philosophy history, metaphysics, speculative philosophy, aesthetics [32]
120 BD143–237 Epistemology, speculative philosophy [32]
130 BF1001–1999 Parapsychology, occult sciences, astrology [32]
140 B, BD Philosophical schools of thought, speculative philosophy, philosophy history [32]
150 BF1–940 Psychology [32][33][28]
160 BC Logic [32]
170 BJ Ethics [32]
180 B, BL, BQ Ancient philosophy, medieval philosophy, Eastern philosophy, religions, mythology,rationalism, Buddhism, philosophy history [32]
190 B Modern Western philosophy, philosophy history [32]
200 BL Religion, mythology [32]
210 B, BL Philosophy of religion, theory of religion, philosophy history, religions, mythology [32]
220 BS The Bible [32]
230 BR Christianity and Christian theology [32]
240 BR, BT Christian practice and observance, doctrinal theology [32]
250 BR, BT Christian pastoral practice and religious orders [32]
260 BR, BT Church organization, social work, worship [32]
270 BR, BT Christian church history [32]
280 BR, BX Christian denominations, religions [32]
290 BL, BM, BP, BQ Other religions, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Theosophy, Bahism [32]
300 H, HM, HN, HQ, HS, HT Social sciences, sociology, anthropology, human ecology, anthropogeography [33][34]
310 HA Statistics [33]
320 HX, J, JA, JC, JF, JK, JL, JN, JQ, JS, JV, JX Political science, socialism, communism, anarchism, political theory, theory of the state, Constitutional history, local government, colonies and colonization, emigration and immigration, international law, international relations [35]
330 HB, HC, HD, HE, HF, HG, HJ Economics, economics theory, economics history, transportation, communication, commerce, finance, public finance, environmental sciences [33]
340 JX, K, KD, KE, KF, KG, KH, KJ Law, international law, law of the United Kingdom, law of Ireland, law of Canada, law of the United States, law of Latin America, law of South America, law of Europe [36]
350 JF, JS, U, V Public administration and military science, constitutional history, local government, naval science [35]
360 HN, HV Social problems, social services, social history, social reforms, social pathology, criminology [33]
370 L Education [37]
380 HE, HF Commerce, communications, and transport [33]
390 BJ, CE, GR, GT Customs, etiquette, folklore, calendar, manners [34]
400 P, AG Language, philology, linguistics, dictionaries [31]
410 P Linguistics, philology [31]
420 PE English language, Old English languages, English philology [31]
430 PD, PF Germanic languages, Germanic philology, West Germanic language, West Germanic philology [31]
440 PC French language, Romance philology [31]
450 PC Italian language, Romanian language, Rhaeto–Romanic language, Romance philology, Romance languages [31]
460 PC Spanish language, Portuguese language [31]
470 PA, PC Latin language, Italic languages, classical philology, classical literature; modern Greek literature, Byzantine literature, medieval Latin literature, modern Latin literature, Romance philology [31]
480 PA Classical Greek language, modern Greek language, classical philology, classical literature, Byzantine literature, modern Greek literature, medieval Latin literature, modern Latin literature [31]
490 PB, PG, PH, PJ, PK, PL, PM Other Languages: Celtic language, Celtic literature, Slavic languages, Slavic literature, Baltic languages and literature, Albanian language, Albanian literature, Finno-Ugarian languages and literature, Basque language, Basque literature, Egyptian language and philogy, Coptic language and philogy, Hamitic language and philogy, Semitic languages,Semitic philology, Indo-Iranian languages, Indo-Iranian literature, Eastern Asian languages, Eastern Asian literature, Oceanian languages, Oceanian literature, African languages,African literatures, American Indian languages, artificial languages [31]
500 Q Science [28]
510 QA Mathematics, computer science [28]
520 QB Astronomy [28]
530 QC Physics [28]
540 QD Chemistry, crystallography [28]
550 QE, GC Earth sciences, geology, oceanography [28][34]
560 GF, GN, QE, QH Fossils, prehistoric life, human ecology, anthropogeography, anthropology, geology, natural history, biology [28]
570 QH, QP, QR Life sciences, biology, natural history, microbiology [28][34]
580 QK Botany [28]
590 QL Animals, zoology [28]
600 T Technology (applied sciences) [38]
610 QM, R, RA, RB, RC, RD, RE, RF, RG, RJ, RK, RL, RM, RS, RT, RV, RX, RZ Medicine, human anatomy, public health, pathology, internal medicine, surgery, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, gynecology, obstetrics, pediatrics, dentistry, dermatology, therapeutics, pharmacology, pharmacy, nursing, Thomsonian medicine, eclectic medicine, homeopathy, other systems of medicine [39][28]
620 TA, TC, TD, TE, TF, TG, TJ, TK, TL, TN, TR Engineering, hydraulic engineering, environmental engineering, sanitary engineering, highway engineering, roads and pavement, railroads, railway engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, nuclear engineering, motor vehicles, aeronautics, astronautics, mining engineering, metallurgy, photography [38][28][40][41]
630 S, SB, SD, SF, SH, SK Agriculture, plant industry, animal industry, plant culture, forestry, animal culture, aquaculture, fisheries, angling, hunting [42]
640 TT, TX Home management, family management, home economics, handicrafts, arts and crafts [38]
650 H, HA, HB, HC, HD, HF, HG, HM Management, public relations, social sciences, statistics, economic theory, demography, economic history, commerce, finance, public finance [33]
660 TP Chemical engineering [38]
670 TS Manufacturing [33]
680 TS, TT Manufacturing specific products, graphic arts [38]
690 TH Building and construction [38]
700 N, NX Arts, visual arts [43]
710 SB Landscaping, area planning, plant culture [42]
720 NA Architecture [43]
730 NB, CJ Sculpture, ceramics, metalwork, numismatics [43]
740 NC, NK Drawing, decorative arts, design, illustration, applied arts, decoration, ornament [43]
750 ND Painting, drawing, design, illustration, painting, print media [43]
760 NC, ND, NE Graphic arts, printmaking, prints [43]
770 TR Photography and photographs [38]
780 M, ML, MT Music, instrumental music, vocal music, literature of music, music instruction [44]
790 GV Sports, games, entertainment, recreation, leisure [31][34]
800 P, PN Literature, rhetoric, criticism, language, literary history, literary collections, theater, oratory, journalism [31]
810 PS, PZ American literature in English, juvenile belles letters [31]
820 PR, PZ English literature, Old English literature, juvenile belles letters [31]
830 PT, PZ German literature, Germanic literature, juvenile belles letters [31]
840 PQ, PZ French literature, Romance literature, juvenile belles letters [31]
850 PQ, PZ Italian literature, Romanian literature, Romance literature, juvenile belles letters [31]
860 PQ, PZ Spanish literature, Portuguese literature, Romance literature, juvenile belles letters [31]
870 PQ, PZ Latin literature, Italian literature, Classical philology, Classical literature, Byzantine literature, medieval Latin literature, modern Latin literature, juvenile belles letters [31]
880 PA, PZ Classical Greek literature, modern Greek literature, classical philology and literature, juvenile belles letters [31]
890 PB, PG, PH, PJ, PK, PL, PZ Other languages, Celtic languages, Celtic literature, Slavic languages, Slavic literature, Baltic languages and literature, Albanian languages, Albanian literature, Finno-Ugarian languages and literature, Basque language, Basque literature, Egyptian language and philology, Coptic language and philology, Hamitic languages and philology, Semitic languages, Semitic philology, Indo-Iranian languages, Indo-Iranian literature, Eastern Asian languages, East Asinan literature, Oceanic languages, Oceanian literature, African languages, African literature, juvenile belles letters [31]
900 CB, D, E, F History, history of civilization, topography, history of the United States, local history of the United States, history of North America except the U.S., history of South America [34][45][46]
910 G, GA, GB Geography, travel, mathematical geography, cartography, physical geography [34][46]
920 CD, CR, CS, CT Biography, genealogy, diplomatics, archives, seals, heraldry [46]
930 CB, CC, CN, DA, DAW, DB, DC, DD, DE, DF, DG History of ancient world (to ca. 499 A.D.), history of civilization, archaeology, epigraphy, inscriptions, classical antiquity, Great Britain, Central Europe, Austria, Lichtenstein, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, France, Andorra, Monaco, Germany, East Germany, Mediterranean, Greece, Italy, Malta [45]
940 DA, DAW, DB, DC, DD, DF, DG, DH, DJ, DJK, DK, DL, DP, DQ, DR History of Europe (ca 500 A.D.), Great Britain, Central Europe, Austria, Liechtenstein, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, France, Andorra, Monaco, Germany, East Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland, Eastern Europe, Soviet Union, Poland, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Balkan peninsula [45]
950 DS History of Asia, China, Japan, Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia, India, Iran (Persia) [45]
960 DT History of Africa, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia (Abyssinia), Eritrea, Algeria, West Africa, Central Africa, South Africa [45]
970 E, F1–1392 History of North America, United States, Canada, Mexico [47]
980 F1401–3799 History of South America, Central America, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela [47]
990 DU History of other regions, Oceania, Australia, New Zealand, Melanesia, New Guinea [45]

See also

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Further reading

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  • Billy, Amber; Nelson, Elizabeth; and Uhl, Rebecca. Inclusive Cataloging: Histories, Context, and Reparative Approaches. Chicago: ALA Editions, 2024. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
  • Chan, Lois Mai. A Guide to the Library of Congress Classification, 6th ed. New York: Libraries Unlimited, 2016. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
  • Chan, Lois Mai and Salaba, Athena. Cataloging and Classification: An Introduction. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2016. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
  • Merkley, Carl. "The Library of Congress, Dewey Decimal, and Universal Decimal Classification Systems are Incomplete and Unsystematic". Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, vol. 6, no. 4 (2011): 134–136. doi.org/10.18438/B8QK7S.
  • Satija, M. P. The Theory and Practice of the Dewey Decimal Classification System. Hull: Chandos Publishing, 2013. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
  • Scott, Mona L. Dewey Decimal Classification: A Study Manual and Number Building Guide, 22nd edition. New York: Libraries Unlimited, 2005. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
  • Sroka, Marek. "Library of Congress Subject Headings, Dewey Decimal Classification and the Ambiguity of Subject Representation of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe in American Knowledge Organization Systems." Central European and Balkan Studies, vol. 33 (November 21, 2024): 9–16. doi.org/10.4467/2543733XssB.24.001.20025
  • Weihs, Jean and Intner, Sheila S. Beginning Cataloging, 2nd edition. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2016. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..

References

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  1. ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  4. ^ a b c d e f g Halstead, D. Kent. "Chapter IX: College and University Libraries: Bibliographic Access" in Statewide Planning in Higher Education (DHEW Publication No. 73-17002). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1974. p. 400-408.
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  7. ^ Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) was created in 1905 based on DDC 5th edition to address the needs of large libraries.
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  11. ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  25. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  43. ^ a b c d e f Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  45. ^ a b c d e f Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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