1. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Library Skills
Unit 4
Developed by F. Chilufya

2. I
Books

3. Outline 2. LOCATING SKILLS The Shelf Labelling
LIBRARY SYSTEMS
The Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme
Classifying in the DDC
Classifying a Particular Book
Book Labelling
2. LOCATING SKILLS
The Shelf Labelling
Arrangement of Library Shelves
Finding Items on the Shelves
Library Catalogue

4. The Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme
Library Systems
The Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme
(A) CLASSIFYING IN THE DDC
The Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme (DDC) is an hierarchical number system that organizes all human knowledge into TEN main categories of library classification.
It uses the decimal system of numbering. The ten main divisions numbered in sets of hundreds as listed below:
The library at University of Lusaka uses the Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme (DDC) to arrange books and other library materials on the shelves so they may be easily retrieved.
It is used in many libraries and allows items about the same subject to be shelved together and thus easy to find.

5. 000 Computer Science, information and general works
100 Philosophy and psychology
200 Religion
300 Social sciences
400 Language
500 Science
600 Technology
700 Arts and recreation
800 Literature
900 History and geography

6. 000 Computer Science, information and general works
000 Computer science, knowledge & systems
010 Bibliographies
020 Library & Information sciences
030 Encyclopaedias & books of facts
040 Unassigned (formerly Biographies)
050 Magazines, Journals & series
060 Associations, organizations & museums
070 News media, Journalism & publishing
080 Quotations
090 Manuscripts & rare books
100 Philosophy and psychology
200 Religion
300 Social sciences
400 Language
500 Science
510 Mathematics
520 Astronomy
530 Physics
540 Chemistry
550 Earth sciences and geology
560 Fossils and prehistoric life
570 Biology
580 Plants (Botany)
590 Animals (Zoology)
These main divisions are each sub-divided into ten (10) units. Below are some examples of the sub-division:

7. 500 Science 500 Science 510 Mathematics 520 Astronomy
530 Physics
531 Classical mechanics
532 Fluid mechanics
533 Gas mechanics
534 Sound and related vibrations
535 Light and related radiation
536 Heat
537 Electricity and electronics
538 Magnetism
539 Modern physics
540 Chemistry
550 Earth sciences and geology
560 Fossils and prehistoric life
570 Biology
580 Plants (Botany)
590 Animals (Zoology)
Further, each of the ten (10) sub-divisions has ten (10) sub-sections of specific topics. Below is an example of the sub-sections under the sub-division:

8. Each of these topics may be further divided into more specific subject areas. A decimal point is used after the first three digits to separate the specific subjects - it also makes the numbers easier to read. You will see that as the subject becomes more specific, so does the numbering. For example:
534 Sound and related vibrations
534.1 Generation of sound
534.2 Transmission of sound
Transmission in solids
Transmission in liquids
One would expect with this multiple sub-divisions to have thousands of units to browse through.
However, practically, there are only 99 of 100 divisions and 908 of 1000 sections in total, as some are no longer in use or have not been assigned.

9. Activity
Pick a book or title of a book you can recall and identify in which division it can be classified. Try to be as specific as possible

10. (B) CLASSIFYING A PARTICULAR BOOK
When an item arrives in the library it is assigned a DDC number, often called the “classmark” or “shelfmark”. Each of the numbers in this shelfmark has a meaning and is not assigned randomly.
Most items will also be assigned some letters at the end of the numerals, “FUR” in the above example. These are taken from the author’s surname (or the first word of the title).

11. 610.695 = Specific kinds of medical personnel 610.6952 = Physicians
For example, the book “The Royal doctors ” by Elizabeth Furdell has been assigned the shelfmark FUR. These numerals indicate:
610 = Medical sciences
610.6 = Professions
= Medical personnel
= Specific kinds of medical personnel
= Physicians
= Physicians in England and Wales
= Physicians in England and Wales

12. Transmission of Sound Shelfmark
(C) BOOK LABELLING
The shelfmark will always have at least three numbers, followed by some letters. Recent classification also includes the year of publication.
It is usually displayed on the spine of the item. Here is an example:
Transmission of Sound
534.2
CHI
1997
Shelfmark

13. Activity
After you have identified the specific division of the book, prepare a SHELFMARK for it including the year of publication

14. The Shelf Labelling 2. LOCATING SKILLS
(A) ARRANGEMENT OF LIBRARY SHELVES
Following the DCC, the library shelves are arranged in the ascending order of the system.
The first sections will thus contain items of the order 000 with the sub-divisions (001, 002.3, , etc). The arrangement proceeds through to the order 900.
Thus when you enter a library, scan the numbering and get to know the progression of the ordering as arranged in each particular library.
If you are looking for a book on Accounting which falls under the Social Sciences, you will have to find the order of 300 first and then decline to the specific numbering.

15. (B) FINDING ITEMS ON THE SHELVES
The DDC system places items about the same subject at the same number. This means that once you have identified the DDC number for the subject you are interested in, you can browse the shelves at that number.
On each shelf the items are arranged in a numerical sequence from left to right by their DDC number. For example:
361.13
HIG
361.25
BOR
362.32
STO
363.16
ARG

16. Where several items have an identical DDC number, the letters are used to further arrange them.
361.25
BOR
364.14
NOR
364.14
REV
364.14
THO

17. (C) LIBRARY CATALOGUE
Catalogue - If you are looking for a specific item you should check the library catalogue and make a note of the full shelfmark (numbers and letters) and any words that appear before the shelfmark.
The majority of library materials are shelved together but there are several separate sequences that are kept in different areas, but which are all indicated on the Library catalogue.
Look out for sequences such as Oversize, Local Collection, Short Loan, Music Scores, Quick Reference, Subject Floor and Quick Reference.

18. Journals - Journals are also shelved in a separate section
Journals - Journals are also shelved in a separate section. The same DDC numbers are used, but the catalogue shows these items with a shelfmark that is preceded by a “J”, and which only has one letter after the numbers. For example, the journal “Nursing Standard” has the shelfmark J N.

19. I
Books

20. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Library Skills
Unit 4
Developed by F. Chilufya