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Library of Congress Classification System
In order to access the types of biological and chemical literature listed above, it is necessary to understand the arrangement of books in libraries.
Library science took a great step forward in 1876 with Mevil Dewey's introduction of his decimal classification of books. This system was adopted quickly as is or in modified form by many libraries. There are three major library book classification systems used today: Dewey, Library of Congress, and Universal Decimal Classification (UDC), a modified Dewey widely used in European libraries.
The Dewey decimal classification divided knowledge into the following nine classes plus one for general works:
000
100
200
300
400
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General Works
Philosophy
Religion
Social Sciences
Languages
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500
600
700
800
900
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Pure Science
Technology or Useful Arts
Fine Arts
Literature
History, Geography, Biology
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Each of these ten major divisions is further subdivided into a maximum of 99 subdivisions, and further divided as shown below for two classes, science and technology:
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500
510
520
530
540
541
542
543
570
580
590
600
610
630
660
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Pure Science
Mathematics
Astronomy
Physics
Chemistry, Crystallography, Mineralogy
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Apparatus and Equipment
Analytical Chemistry - General
Biological Sciences
Botanical Sciences
Zoological Sciences
Technology
Medical Sciences
Agriculture
Chemical Technology
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544
545
546
547
548
549
550
560
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Qualitative Analysis
Quantitative Analysis
Inorganic Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Crystallography
Mineralogy
Earth Sciences
Paleontology
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Conceived in 1895 and introduced in 1905, universal decimal classification, (UDC) and international adaptation of the Dewey decimal classification system, has been adopted by many European libraries. Considerably more detailed than the Dewey system, UDC has been used as an indexing scheme as well as document classification. Shown below are a few abbreviated divisions for two classes: science and technology.
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Science
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5
54
543
547
547.2
547.28
547.284
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Natural Sciences
Chemistry
Analytical Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Acrylic, Aliphatic Compounds
Carbonyl Compounds
Ketones
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Technology
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678
678.01:53
678.01:536
678.06
678.06:621
678.06:621.3
78.4
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Macromolecular Materials
Physical Properties
Thermal Properties
Applications
Engineering
Electrical
Rubber and Natural Macromolecules
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The other standard book classification, and the one which most Americans will encounter, is the Library of Congress Classification system (LC), which was also conceived and introduced in the last part of the nineteenth century. Originally designed for the Library of Congress only, LC was based on the over three million books collected at that time. Unlike Dewey and UDC, LC is not based on a decimal system; it has 21 major classes of knowledge, and is based on the alphabetical and numerical representation for classes, as follows:
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A
B
C
D
E and F
M
N
P
Q
R
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General Works
Philosophy and Religion
Auxiliary Sciences of History
Universal History
American History
Music
Fine Arts
Language and Literature
Science
Medicine
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G
H
J
K
L
S
T
U
V
Z
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Geography
Social Science
Political Science
Law
Education
Agriculture
Technology
Military Science
Naval Science
Bibliography, Lib Sci
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The first subdivisions of the 21 major classes are also indicated with capital letters, as in the following breakdown of science:
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Q
QA
QB
QC
QD
QE
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Science
Mathematics
Astronomy
Physics
Chemistry
Geology
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QH
QK
QL
QM
QP
QR
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Natural History
Botany
Zoology
Human Anatomy
Physiology
Bacteriology
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Each subdivision is divided by a numerical system, as illustrated below for chemistry and chemical technology:
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QD
QD1
QD7
QD11-18
QD45
QD71-145
QD81-95
QD101-142
QD151-199
QD241-449
Etc.
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Chemistry
Chemical Societies
Nomenclature
History
Laboratory Manuals
Analytical Chemistry
Qualitative
Quantitative
Inorganic Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
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QD281.86
QD301-319
QD410
QD419
TP
TP155
TP977-982
TP986
TP986.A5
TP986.A5.B3
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Polymerization
Aliphatic Compounds
Organometal Compds
Gums and Resins
Chemical Technology
Chemical Engineering
Gums and Resins
Plastic Materials
Special Plastics
Bakelite
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Since the Library of Congress Classification System is used in every college and university library in the USA, then mastering it will apply to any college or university a student attends.
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