To organise books and resources in the Library, we use Dewey decimal classification or Universal Decimal Classification (UDC).
Dewey decimal classification
What do the numbers represent?
Think of the Dewey numbers as representing a subject tree and its branches. Each number represents a particular subject area. For example, D 574 represents a broad subject area: Biology.
That broad subject area can then be broken down into narrower subject branches. These would be represented by the shelf numbers D 574.1, D 574.2, and so on until D 574.9.
Each of these narrower subject branches may be subdivided into further narrower branches. For example, D 574.1 sub-branches would be represented by the numbers D 574.11, D 574.12, D 574.13, etc.
The D 574.11 subject area could further branch, leading to numbers such as D 574.113, D 574.116, etc.
The longer the number after the decimal point, the more narrow the subject area it represents.
'J' numbers
Our children's books have the letter 'J' (for 'junior') before their Dewey number.
Items with a 'J' number are shelved in the children's collection on Level 5.
How are the numbers arranged on the shelf?
Going from left to right, general subject numbers come first. They are followed by their more specific ‘branch’ numbers.
For example, in the D 574 area of the shelves, the plain number D 574 will come first on the shelf. It's followed by any books with the number representing its first branch D 574.1. Following those, any with numbers representing all its narrower branches, such as D 574.11, D 574.12, and so on.
Once all the D 574.1… numbers are shelved, they will be followed by any books with the next main branch number D 574.2. These will be followed by all its sub-branch numbers, in the same manner.
Once you have passed all the books with numbers starting with D 574, the sequence moves on to the next main subject area. That is D 575. The same pattern is repeated, left to right for its branches and sub-branches.
The sequence runs through one subject area and all its branches, before moving on to the next subject area. A typical sequence on the shelf, in left to right order, would be:
D 574
D 574.1
D 574.12
D 574.122
D 574.2
D 574.234
D 574.5
D 574.67
D 574.9
D 575
Universal Decimal Classification (UDC)
Library serials, government publications, books, and serials are classified by UDC. All UDC numbers shelve as decimal numbers. For example, 5 shelves as 500, 62 shelves after 619 as 620.
UDC symbols shelve in the following order:
| UDC Symbol | Number |
|---|---|
| + | 621+624 |
| / | 621/622 |
| plain number | 621 |
| : | 621:622 |
| () | 621(41) |
| - | 621 to 679 |
| . | 321.1 |