This page is an introduction to the Brammlemuir Library Classification System (BLCS) . I have long struggled to find a simple system to classify my books. I wanted one that did not have too high a level of detail, as it is not a large library, had memorable main class codes, was flexible enough to handle the specific "demographics" of the books in my library, and each classification had to have the same number of characters. I have discovered, however, that this is no easy task. After all, the Dewey Decimal system and the Library of Congress system have taken decades to develop rather than days.
Initially, I had a very simple system, involving a class letter followed by a sequence number. For example, a book on transport had the simple class code W.5, which just meant it was the fifth book in the class. This system soon became inadequate, however, and it was at this point that I turned to the Library of Congress (LOC) system. The main reason for this was that, at the time (around the late 1990s) the Library of Congress was the only place with a comprehensive online search, which was also free to use. So, all my books were renumbered in this system. The aforementioned book now bore the code TJ619.P52 L6 1986.
The problem with this system is, as can be seen, the number is rather lengthy for the size of the library, and I have long sought a better system, with a fixed number of say five or six characters. The system I have devised is based upon the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system. This is because of the need to have a system that was largely ready-made, due to the time and the technical abilities required to devise one's own system. I also needed to base it on a system that was a little more tight-knit and more logical, as the DDC system is. Each digit in the DDC number is hierarchical, unlike the LOC, and each subject only has one class number that can be resolved down to whatever level is required. Apart from all this, the numbers are much shorter than their LOC equivalents in most cases, and the DDC numbers can now be searched for online as well.
The BLCS, however, is not exactly the same as DDC, it is merely based on it. First of all, I wanted letters to denote the main and secondary classes, not numbers. I also wanted to be able to expand certain classes to be more specific than others, e.g. the outdoor sports class, which has a high proportion of titles in my library. IN my library, there is a high proportion of books on soccer, which in DDC is denoted by the number 796.334. As I only want a five digit number, this would have meant having the same number for all ball games, as it would only be resolved down to the fifth Dewey number, i.e. 796.33. So, although the system used is that, for most classes, the two-letter code represents the first two digits of the DDC code, for the 790 to 799 classes the two-letter code represents the first three Dewey numbers. In this way, one particular sub class in Dewey is resolved to a greater resolution because my library has a higher proportion of titles in that sub class. This could be done with any other sub classes depending on their demographic within the particular library.
Another advantage of this system is that it is open to flexibility than DDC itself, as there are more than 10 letters available for the main classes and the sub classes and different letters can even be used for sub classes that fall within the same main class in Dewey. For instance, although geography falls within the same main class as history in Dewey, it can be given its own main class letter such as 'G', instead of having to be classed under 'H'.
As mentioned above, the main subject codes have been limited to five characters, which suits the small library and is easily fitted onto the spine of the books. However, expansion is allowed for by the addition of further codes, which provide further information in the index itself and a level of uniquness for different works on the same subject. This is can be done in one of three ways:
So, to summarise, the benefits of the system that I have devised are:
The main classes in the BLCS are:
Class | Subject |
A | The arts |
B | Literature & rhetoric |
C | Social sciences |
E | Religion |
G | Geography & travel |
H | History & biography |
L | Language & linguistics |
P | Philosophy & psychology |
R | Recreation & performing arts |
S | Natural sciences |
T | Technology (Applied sciences) |
Y | Generalities |
Each class is subdivided as follows:
A | The arts |
AA | The arts: general |
AB | Civic & landscape art |
AD | Drawing & decorative arts |
AF | Photography & photographs |
AG | Graphic arts |
AM | Music |
AP | Painting & paintings |
AR | Architecture |
AS | Sculpture |
B | Literature & rhetoric |
BA | Literature & rhetoric: general |
BC | Celtic & East Indo-European literatures |
BE | English & Old English literatures |
BF | Literature of Romance languages |
BG | Literatures of Germanic languages |
BH | Hellenic & classical Greek literatures |
BL | Italic & Latin literatures |
BM | American literature in English |
BN | Literature in native American languages |
BP | Spanish & Portuguese literatures |
BR | Italian, Romanian & Rhaeto-Romanic literatures |
BS | Literature in Semitic languages |
BT | Literature in Hamitic languages |
BU | Literature in Ural-Altaic, Dravidian languages |
BV | Literature in east nad south-east Asian languages |
BW | Literature in African languages |
BX | Literature in Austronesian & other languages |
E | Religion |
EA | Religion: general |
EB | Bible |
EC | Christianity |
EH | Indic religions |
EJ | Judaism |
EM | Islam, Bábism, Bahá'i faith |
ET | Natural theology |
EY | Other & comparative religions |
EZ | Zoroastrianism (Mazdaism, Parseeism) |
G | Geography & travel |
GA | Geography & travel : general |
GH | Historical geography |
GM | Maps, atlases, charts, plans |
H | History & geography |
HA | History & geography: general |
HB | Biography, genealogy, insignia |
HC | History of the ancient world |
HE | History of Europe |
HF | History of Africa |
HN | History of North America |
HP | History of South America |
HS | History of Asia |
HY | History of other areas |
L | Language |
LA | Language: general |
LB | Linguistics |
LC | Celtic & East Indo-European languages * |
LE | English & Old English |
LF | Romance languages; French |
LG | Germanic languages; German |
LH | Hellenic languages; Classical Greek |
LL | Italic languages; Latin |
LN | Native American languages * |
LP | Spanish; Portuguese * |
LR | Italian; Romanian; Rhaeto-Romanic |
LS | Semitic languages * |
LT | Hamitic languages * |
LU | Ural-Altaic, Paleosiberian, Dravidian languages * |
LV | East & South-east Asian languages * |
LW | African languages * |
LX | Austronesian & other languages * |
LY | Other languages |
* |
Not yet implemented |
N | Natural sciences & mathematics |
NA | Natural sciences & mathemeatics: general |
NB | Botanical sciences |
NC | Chemistry & allied sciences |
NE | Earth sciences |
NF | Physics |
NL | Life sciences |
NM | Mathematics |
NP | Palaeontology; Palaeozoology |
NR | Astronomy & allied sciences |
NZ | Zoological sciences |
P | Philosophy & psychology |
PA | Philosophy & psychology: general |
PE | Ethics |
PH | Epistemology, causation, humankind |
PL | Logic |
PM | Metaphysics |
PP | Paranormal phenomena |
PS | Specific philosophical schools |
PV | Ancient, medieval, Oriental philosophy |
PW | Modern Western philosophy |
PY | Psychology |
R | Recreation & performing arts |
RA | Recreation & performing arts: general |
RC | Games of chance |
RD | Stage presentations; Dance |
RF | Fishing, hunting & shooting |
RG | Indoor games & amusements |
RK | Indoor games of skill |
RP | Public performances |
RQ | Equestrian sports & animal racing |
RS | Athletic & outdoor sports & games |
RW | Water & air sports |
S | Social sciences |
SA | Social sciences: general |
SD | Education |
SE | Economics |
SF | Folklore, customs, etiquette |
SG | General statistics |
SL | Law |
SM | Public administration |
SP | Political science |
SS | Social services |
ST | Transport, communications, commerce |
T | Technology (Applied sciences) |
TA | Technology: general |
TB | Buildings |
TC | Chemical engineering |
TE | Engineering & allied operations |
TF | Manufacturing |
TG | Agriculture |
TH | Home economics & family living |
TM | Medical sciences; Medicine |
TS | Manufacture for specific purposes |
TX | Management & auxiliary services |
Y | Generalities |
YA | Generalities |
YB | Bibliography |
YE | General encyclopaedic works |
YJ | News media, journalism, publishing |
YK | Manuscripts & rare books |
YL | Library & information sciences |
YM | General organisation & muesology |
YS | General serials & their indexes |
YY | General collections |
This is very much a "work in progress", and I am working on refining/expanding some of the classes to make them more specific. I am particularly unhappy with the LY class (equivalent to DDC 490-9), which I feel should have several classes of its own, in particular the 491 class, which includes the Celtic languages. I also feel that the computing classes should be more appropriately placed than in the Generalities area, e.g. under Technology and/or Mathematics. This page will be updated as and when I have modified any of the classes.
© Alex Middleton 2010 (RP-28)
This system is copyright of the author. It may be used for private purposes and, if published in any form, electronic or otherwise, must include an appropriate reference to the source. Any use for public libraries or commercial purposes requries the specific permission of the author. The Dewey Decimal System is the copright of the OCLC.