Classification Systems

Two ways libraries can classify their materials are by the Dewey Decimal System and the Library of Congress. You may not be aware of the difference between the two, as I was not before the class discussion! After comparing the two, I prefer the Library of Congress classification system over the Dewey Decimal system. This is because the LC has many more sub-categories, and offers a much wider range of classifying things. There are numerous broad headings, and within them there are hundreds of different sub-topics! Within the Dewey Decimal system, you are limited to far fewer categories! The LC, however, has a very random way of assigning which categories go with which letter. For instance, while M is the music category, fine arts is the N category. Despite this minor setback, I still prefer this system over the other. It is a good thing, because the libraries at MSU use this classification system!

Although Wikepedia is sometimes not a reliable source, it gives an accurate list of the categories of the Library of Congress classification system. To view these, follow this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Congress_Classification