The University of the State of New York The State Department of Education School Libraries Division CONDENSED CLASSIFICATION FOR A SCHOOL LIBRARY ARRANGED BY FRANK K. WALTER (Vice Director, New York State Library School) t This preliminary classification has been prepared for the library f institutes for high school librarians held by the School Libraries @ Division of The University of the State of New York and the ® New York State Library School. It is based, with the consent of f Dr Melvil Dewey, on the 1915 edition of his well-known Decimal ® Classification. Similar schemes prepared by the library commissions @ of Minnesota and Wisconsin, by the Syracuse University Library @ School and by Misses Zaidee Brown and Martha Wilson, and Miss : Margaret Mann’s “ Subject Headings for Use in Dictionary Catalogs of Juvenile Books” have been freely used. A number of high school librarians have contributed suggestions based on their own experience. As far as the special needs of the average high school library permit, variations from the Decimal Classification have been _ avoided. The terminology has frequently been popularized to meet the needs of teachers unfamiliar with some of the terms used in @ library catalogs. It should be understood that any library is expected to use only @ such classes as are represented in its collection. Small libraries ® should usually assign only the more general numbers (subordinate classes are indicated by indention) ; for example, all books in physiol- ogy and personal or public health may be put into 612 instead of _ being divided between 612 and 614; all books on United States history into 973 instead of being divided into periods, etc. This will require changing numbers as the library grows and closer classification becomes necessary, but the convenience of having only ; a few classes at first sometimes outweighs the disadvantage of later changes of class numbers. The amount of classification to be done must be determined by the merits of each individual case and, whenever possible, expert advice should be obtained from some _ competent librarian or from the State Department of Education. This edition is strictly tentative and criticisms and suggestions are invited. Only those—classes likely to be useful in the high school libraries of the State have been included. In any collection of more Qe emery (7-47 20) 2 than a few hundred volumes, it should be used in connection with the Abridged Decimal Classification (Library Bureau, N. Y. $1.50) and, in the large school libraries with the complete Decimal Classifi- cation, 10th edition (Forest Press, Lake Placid Club, N. Y., 1919, $6). Both of these contain detailed indexes which are of great value in determining the proper class in which to put books dealing with very special subjects. GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE TEN MAIN CLASSES 000 General. Library science 100 Philosophy, psychology 200 Religion 300 Sociology. Education 400 Philology. Language 500 Natural science 600 Useful arts 700 Fine arts Soo Literature goo History. Biography. Geography General O10 O16 020 028 030 050 General book lists. (In large libraries lists on particular subjects are put in 016, or they may be put with the subject ) Lists of books on special subjects. (Subject bibli- ography ) la i Library organization. (Library economy) \ \ S- Aids to readers. Books on reading and the “eine bf books. Many school librarians prefer to put these into 800 and its subdivisions Encyclopedias, general handbooks, almanacs and other books of miscellaneous information Periodicals Arrange alphabetically by name of periodical Philosophy and religion 100 150 170 220 290 291 Sociology 300 310 320 323 325 327 328 330 goo 359 370 370-7 Histories of philosophy and miscellaneous works Psychology. (Methods of teaching are put in 370-378. In school libraries child study should be put in 372.1) Ethics. (Includes books on conduct, success etc.) Bible. (Includes stories from the Bible, Bible selections, etc.) Religious history. Church history. (Books about dif- ferent religions should be put here) Mythology. (In most school libraries Mythology is better put with 398) General books on social conditions. Statistics. (Many statistical books of a general character are better put in 030; e. g. World almanac) Civics. Political science. Legislative manuals Civic problems and duties Citizenship, Americanization, Patriotism, Suffrage Immigrants. (In many school libraries it is better to put books about immigrants under the more general Citizenship number, 323) Peace. Arbitration. Foreign relations. Preparedness Parliamentary law Economics. Labor. Conservation. Finance Military science. Army. Military training : Naval science. Navy. (In small libraries books about both the army and navy may be put into 355) Education General works. History of education. Educational periodicals (arranged alphabetically by title) Teachers training agencies Teachers colleges, Normal schools, Training classes, etc. Arranged alphabetically by name of school. In large collections the following further subdi- visions may be used: Teachers colleges and normal schools, 370.73; Training classes, 370.75 h 54295 375 375: BAo! 375: 375: 375: 375: 375: 375: oO NOMNH 375-7 Wek 375: EY ia 375: 377 378 380 4 History of education. (Includes also biographies of individual educators ) Practice of teaching. For methods of teaching special branches, see 375 Teachers. Certificates. Salaries School administration School discipline School buildings and equipment. School grounds School hygiene. Medical inspection. Physical train- ing. Military training in the schools Education of special classes (e. g. blind, deaf, defec- tive) Elementary education Child study Kindergarten and early grades. Story telling Secondary education Home education. Study clubs | Self education. Reading courses. Correspondence courses. (For “Home projects” in vocational training, see 375.6) Courses of study. Methods for teaching special sub- jects. (In some school libraries books on special methods are kept with the subjects, e. g. Teaching. English in 800) Foreign language instruction Nature study. Science teaching Teaching mathematics Vocational training. Theory and methods. (For vocational guidance, see 607. For manuals on special trades, see 680 and note) Physiology and hygiene Military training. (For general discussions, see 371.7) Agricultural education. School gardens. (Schools with special courses in agriculture will need a fuller classification such as those suggested in the appendix on page IT) 3 Domestic economy Art education Musical training Reading. English History. Civics Geography Religious and moral education Higher education. Professional training. Colleges and universities Commerce. General discussions. Commercial geography. Most books used in commercial education belong in 650, which is the better general place in most school libraries Language 400 Science 500 595 Customs. Holidays Costume. (Books on dress, dressmaking, millinery etc. should go here. Methods go in 375.64) Etiquette Fairy tales, legends. Mythology. Fables. Folklore. Proverbs. (See also 291) < Language. Grammar. Etymology etc. In school libraries it is usually best to put dictionaries with the reference books in 030 and readers, grammars etc. in 800 with the literature of the different languages. If several languages are represented in the school library the following divisions may be used if needed: 420 English | ~ 460 Spanish 430 German 470 Latin 440 French 480 Greek 450 Italian 490 Other languages General science. Outdoor books. Nature stories etc. Books dealing with “nature study’ may be put in a separate class (507) if the collection is large and “nature essays” in 504. For methods of nature study, see 375.5 Mathematics : Textbooks used for reference etc. Methods in 375-51 Astronomy Physics (see also 608 and 620) Electricity Chemistry Geology. (Put here also books on minerals, which in large collections are put in 549) Physical geography Biology. (Put books treating of both animals and plants here) Primitive man. Savage life Botany Trees Bacteria. Fungi Zoology. Animal stories See also 570. Animal stories may be put with “Nature stories ” in 507 Insects Birds Useful arts. (Technology) 600 Industries. Inventions. General discussions. (For methods of teaching, see 375.6. Books treating of more than one industry if 680 is used for separate industries 607 608 612 613 614 614.8 620 Gar 02547 630 640 OAI 643 645 646 ° 647 649 650 653 656 680 Fine arts 700 701 709 6 Vocational guidance. (In small collections everything relating to vocational training may be kept here or in 375.60; manuals of special trades go better in 680) Inventions. . (Books on inventions may be put into 620, in small libraries) Physiology and hygiene, nursing, first aid. (Put here all books treating primarily of health and disease) Gymnastics, physical training See also 790, Games, sports Public health and sanitation. (Put here material deal- ing with a community rather than with an individ- ual; e. g. Epidemics. Water supply. Pure food) Protection from accidents. Fire prevention “ Safety first’? methods Machinery. Engineering. (Includes books on engineer- ing methods and machinery. For general descrip- tions of inventions, see 608. If the library contains many books on electrical work, they may be put in 621.3) Electrical engineering. Electric machinery and toys. Telephones. Telegraphs Roads Agriculture. (The Division of Agricultural and Indus- trial Education of The University of the State of New York has formulated a special scheme for agricultural literature which, while different in detail from those generally used in libraries, can be made to fit into the 630 section of a high school library. See page 11 for suggested schemes suitable for high schools with agri- cultural courses ) Home economies Cooking. Food House planning (see also 710) Furniture. Interior decoration Sewing. Needlework. Textiles. Costume (see also I Household finance and management Nursery. Care of children. Care of sick. (Books belonging here can be put in 610 if desired) Business. Commercial education Stenography Transportation. Railroads. Steamships. Canals etc. Shop work. Special crafts or trades. (Arrange alpha- betically by trade. Amateur manuals (“How to” books) belong here) (See also 600) General works. Manuals Art education (better in 375.7) Histories of art y Literature 800 807 807.1 810.8 810.9 Sir 811.8 Si2 7 Landscape gardening Architecture Sculpture Drawing. Decoration. Design. Arts and crafts in general. (Industrial art belongs here; the craft side belongs in 680) Mechanical drawing Rugs, carpets, wall paper and other ornamental design Furniture. (See also 607 and 680) Painting. Engraving Photography Music Amusements. (Theatricals. Dancing. Moving pictures) Indoor games and amusements Outdoor games, sports and amusements Hunting. Fishing. Shooting General books on literature Study and teaching of literature Poetry Drama Fiction. Short story Essays Rhetoric. Composition Poetry Drama Fiction Essays Oratory. Public speaking. Debating Letter writing Humor. Satire Quotations. General speakers. Collections History of literature (general ) American literature. (Some school librarians prefer to keep American and English literature together either in 810 and its subdivisions or in 820 and its sub- divisions. In most school libraries it is better to keep them separate. Canadian literature may be put in either place but preferably with 820) Collections. (Those including both prose and poetry) History and criticism of American literature. Biog- raphy of American authors. (Biography may be put in 920 and g21) American poetry Collections of American poetry American drama 813 814 815 817 820 820. 820. 821 821. 822 822. 822. 823 824 825 827 830 839 840 850 860 870 880 890 8 American fiction. (Many school librarians prefer to keep all fiction by itself, arranged alphabetically by author. Others prefer to scatter it with the subject, e. g. Stories of army life in 355, animal stories in 590. The use to which it is put will largely deter- mine which is the better arrangement. Where it is used chiefly for recreational reading the former is usually the better) American essays and prose miscellany American orations. Speeches and debates American humor English literature Collections. (Those including both prose and poetry) History and criticism of English literature. Biog- raphy of English authors. (Biography may be put _in 920 and 921) English poetry Collections of English poetry English drama Shakspere (works, criticisms etc.) (In small collections Shakspere may be put with other dramatists in 822) Collections of English drama English fiction (see note under 813) English essays and prose miscellany English orations English humor German literature. (May be divided like 810-17 or 820-27 ) Scandinavian literature. Dutch literature French literature. (May be divided like 810-17 or 820-27 ) Italian literature. (May be divided like 810-17 or 820-27 ) Spanish literature. Portuguese literature. (May be divided like 810-17 or 820-27) Latin literature. (May be divided like 810-17 or 820-27) Greek literature. (May be divided like 810-17 or 820-27) Put here books dealing with both Latin and Greek literature Other literatures; e. g. Arabian, Chinese, Russian ' History (including Biography and Geography) goo History, general (Includes work treating of ancient, medieval and modern history together. See also 930 and 940) gio QI2 gI4 O15 g16 O17 O17. 917. O17. O17. O17 QI7. O17. 917. O17. 918 919 920 Q2I O CONI An Aw Db 4 N 9 Geography and travel. (Put into 910-919 books of travel, descriptions of countries and places, guide books, atlases, adventures (not fiction) etc. In some school libraries gt0-919 and 930-990 are com- bined; i. e. geography, travel and history are put together either in 910-919 or in 930-990. Most school librarians think it better to keep them separate ) Maps, atlases European travel and adventure Asia. Travel and adventure. Africa. Travel and adventure North America (including Central America and the West Indies). (In most libraries the following further subdivision will be useful) Canada. British America Mexico, Central America, West Indies United States (may include Philippines) New York State ; The South Atlantic States South Central or Gulf States North Central or Lake States Western or Mountain States Pacific coast South America Oceanica. Australia. Polar regions. Philippines (The Philippines may be put in 917.3) Biography. (Put here books treating of more than one person ) Biography of individuals. (Arrange alphabetically by surname of the person about whom the book is writ- ten; e. g. Mrs Richards’ “ Florence Nightingale ” would be marked 94'> larger libraries often use more elaborate methods of indicating the subject of the biography ) Flags. Coats of arms Ancient history. General history. (See note under 900) Rome Greece European history. Medieval and modern Scotland. Ireland England and Wales Germany. Austria France Italy Spain Russia Norway. Sweden. Denmark. Iceland Other European countries 950 Q51 952 954 960 970 971 972 973 973: 973: 973- O73: 973: 973 - 973: 973: 974 974- 975 976 977 978 979 980 9go N CON Ow HW DN Io Asia China Japan India Africa North America. Indian life and history British America. Canada Mexico. Central America. West Indies United States Discovery and exploration Colonial Revolution Constitutional period War of 1812 to Mexican War Mexican War to Civil War Civil War Since Civil War New England and North Atlantic States New York State South Atlantic States. The South South Central and Gulf States North Central or Lake States Western or Mountain States Pacific States South America Oceanica. Australia. Polar regions. Philippines II Appendix Classification Schemes for Agricultural Literature Schools with courses in agriculture will receive large quantities of bulletins and other pamphlet material which must be rather closely classified to be of much use. The scheme given below is recommended by the Division of Agricultural and Industrial Educa- tion of The University of the State of New York, Albany, N. Y. Questions concerning its application to specific items should be addressed to that division. 630 Agriculture. General discussions 631 Farm mechanics 632 Soils and fertilizers 633 Farm crops 634 Animal husbandry 635 Dairying 636 Horticulture. Fruit growing 637 Farm management 638 Farm engineering 639 Miscellaneous topics e. g. Plant pathology, entomology, special tests and analyses, farm buildings Another fuller scheme prepared by Mrs F. H. Ridgway of Berea College, Berea, Ky. is given in the Library Journal for October 1913 and is reprinted in full in Bulletin 1917, No. 41 of the U. S. Bureau of Education, Washington, D. C. Requests for the bulletin should be addressed to that bureau. [e 3 0112 061916935