[DCRB-L] Classification numbers

[Jane Gillis]

I can tell you about the classification schemes in Beinecke Library, a 
closed stack library.

Up until about 1970, everything was classed using the "Yale Classification" 
scheme, a pre LC classification.  Some collections are still classed in 
that classification (e.g., Yale Collection of American Literature in Za; 
Western Americana in Zc; Yale Collection of German Literature in Zg).  What 
is important about these is that the schemes are based on the first edition 
and all other printings, editions of a work class together.  The Za and Zg 
are author based.  Zc had a one to one correspondence with subject 
headings.  In the old card catalog, there would be a "see/see also" card 
from the subject heading to the classification.  The shelf cards were in 
the public catalog.  Curators (and others) could look at the cards and see 
what exactly Beinecke had, which is probably the reason why these 
classifications were kept.

We have many "name" collections--usually the collector/donor, etc.--with a 
scheme following that is either numerical (e.g., Baskin 1, Baskin 2, etc.) 
or Cuttered (Marinetti Ad67).  We also have a large collection of "tracts" 
(American Tracts, British Tracts, European Tracts, Latin American Tracts) 
that are classed by country and then by date.  Our general collection now 
gets Year/Number Call Numbers (2003 1, 2003 2, etc; 2003 Folio S1, 2003 
Folio S2, etc., etc.)  Broadsides get a variation of this scheme.  We also 
have many bound pamphlet collections (College Pamphlets, Plays, Slaver 
Pamphlets, etc.)

We stopped the "Yale Classification" because the Yale Library was stopping 
it moving to LC Classification.  It was decided at that point that since 
the library was closed stacks, we would assign the very easy 
Year/Number.  There were several reasons for this: it saves a tremendous 
amount of time (which translates into more books cataloged); books in the 
old "Yale Classification" that were not going to be added to, as well as 
the new Year/Number, could be compacted on the shelves--more books fit on 
the shelves and there is less shifting.  The downside of this is that when 
a reader comes in and is looking for a specific subject, title, author, 
etc., the materials can be all over the place--different floors, etc. and 
it makes the paging more difficult.

Hope this is what you are looking for.

Jane Gillis

We continued to class for those collections that it really made sense, and 
that the curators wanted.

At 01:33 PM 5/1/2003 Thursday-0500, you wrote:
>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

Jane Gillis | Rare Book Cataloger|  Sterling Memorial Library
Yale University | New Haven CT  06520
(203)432-2633 (voice) | (203)432-4047 (fax) | jane.gillis at yale.edu
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