[DCRM-L] Non-LC classification

[Laurence Creider]

Sorry to be a spoil sport, but I think this is a very bad idea.  Having 
worked in libraries with different classification/shelving systems, I have 
found that the more systems you have, the easier it is for things to get 
lost.  In addition, you have more things for student workers to keep track 
of.  I find that even our limited number of shelving sequences pose 
problems for some of our students.  The more shelfmarking systems, the 
harder it is to get an overall sense of your collection and therefore the 
harder it is to do collection development and the easier to end up with 
duplicates.

The "pros" you and others have listed are "pros" for the librarians, not 
for the users.  Users, including librarians, benefit from being able to do 
call number browses. I am not sure that you would get faster cataloging 
because you will need different numerical sequences (or prefixes with 
resulting gaps in shelving sequences) for different sizes of books.  If 
you have more than one cataloger, you need to come up with a fool-proof 
way to make sure you are assigning the latest number in a sequence so that 
you have a unique number.  There would be the problem of maintaining 
whatever system you have if there is any subject order to it and the same 
problems that LC has in dealing with materials that fit in more than one 
area.

I do not see how another alphanumeric system would be more accurately 
shelved and re-shelved than LC.  A strictly numeric system ends up with 
long number sequences that are prone to misfiling and misremembering (one 
reason why DDC is problematic; the more accurate the call number, the 
harder it is to remember and shelve accurately). Besides, most rare book 
classification is not difficult for an experienced cataloger, unless they 
are dealing with dissertations or journal offprints which frequently are 
more specific than the schedules.

Larry

Laurence S. Creider
Special Collections Librarian
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM  88003
Work: 575-646-7227
Fax: 575-646-7477
lcreider at lib.nmsu.edu

On Wed, 20 Jan 2010, Faulds, David wrote:

> Dear list,
>
> I'm wondering what advice other list members might have about moving 
> away from an LC classification system to some form of alphanumeric 
> system. The pros seem to outweigh the cons with faster cataloging, more 
> efficient shelving and more accurate reshelving verses the loss of 
> browsing.
>
> So, what are the list's thoughts on making this change? Has anyone 
> considered it and decided against it? All comments would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> David.
>
> David Faulds, Rare Book Librarian
> Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library
> Emory University
> 540 Asbury Circle
> Atlanta, GA  30322-2870
> http://marbl.library.emory.edu<http://marbl.library.emory.edu/>
>
> dfaulds at emory.edu<mailto:naomi.nelson at emory.edu>
> 404-712-2612
> 404-727-0360 (fax)
>
>
> ________________________________
> This e-mail message (including any attachments) is for the sole use of
> the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged
> information. If the reader of this message is not the intended
> recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution
> or copying of this message (including any attachments) is strictly
> prohibited.
>
> If you have received this message in error, please contact
> the sender by reply e-mail message and destroy all copies of the
> original message (including attachments).
>