[DCRB-L] Classification numbers

[jones barbara]

Colleagues:  As a lapsed cataloger who has forgotten much of the
theoretical underpinnings, I would very much appreciate your opinions,
local practices, or references to articles on the following question:

Why do we assign classification numbers in books in a closed stack such as
a rare book library?  Do your libraries assign them?  I am not referring
to named collections here.

I would appreciate practical as well as theoretical reasons.

I miss the good times we had in New Haven.  Best wishes, Barbara Jones