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In a library, the basic organization is a hierarchy of subjects. These subjects are usually classified by one of two systems, either the Dewey Decimal system or the Library of Congress system. An understanding of a repository's organizational system will help the researcher find all relevant material quickly and easily.
Dewey Decimal Call Numbers | ||
|---|---|---|
| 000 | General Works | Major general references found here |
| 100 | Philosophy | |
| 200 | Religion | |
| 300 | Social Sciences | Almanacs, historical statistics, directories of associations, etc. |
| 400 | Language | Includes foreign dictionaries |
| 500 | Pure Science | |
| 600 | Technology | |
| 700 | The Arts | |
| 800 | Literature | |
| 900 | Geography and History | |
Every division is subdivided. The following is the subdivision for genealogy (Dewey Decimal number 929).
929 | Genealogy, names, insignia |
|
|---|---|---|
| .1 | Genealogy | |
| .107 2 | Research, i.e. specific techniques and procedures involved in doing genealogical research in a specific area. | |
| .2 | Family histories Optionally, this category is arranged alphabetically by name. | |
| .202 8 | Auxiliary techniques & procedures | |
| .3 | Genealogical sources; examples: census records, court records, wills . . .
Used only for sources published by a genealogical organization or genealogist | |
| .309 | Historical and geographical treatment | |
| .33-.39 | Treatment by specific continents, countries, locales | |
| .4 | Personal names | |
| .42 | Surnames | |
| .44 | Forenames | |
| .5 | Cemetery records | |
| .6 | Heraldry: family coats of arms are classed here | |
| .7 | Royal houses, peerage, gentry, orders of knighthood Class here rank, precedence; works emphasizing lineage with respect to royalty, peerage, or gentry; history and genealogy of royal families | |
| .709 | Historical and geographical treatment | |
| .71 | Orders of knighthood | |
| .72-.79 | Treatment of royal houses, peerage, gentry, arranged by specific European countries | |
| .8 | Awards, orders, decorations, armorial bearings, autographs | |
| .81 | Awards, orders, decorations | |
| .82 | Armorial bearings | |
| .83 | Autographs | |
| .9 | Forms of insignia and identification Examples include trademarks and motor vehicle registrations | |
| .92 | Flags and banners | |
| .97 | Names such as names of houses, ships, pets | |
Library of Congress Classification System | ||
|---|---|---|
| A | General Works | Encyclopedias, reference books, periodicals, etc. |
| B | Philosophy-religion | |
| C | Auxiliary sciences of history | CB History of civilization (General) CC Archaeology CD Archives CJ Numismatics CR Heraldry CS Genealogy CT Biography (General) |
| D | History: General and Old World | D World History, including World Wars DA Great Britain DB Austria DC France DD, etc. Other individual countries |
| E-F | History of America | E 1-143 America (General) E 151-857 United States (General) F 1-957 United States: States and local (Grouped by regions, then states, then counties, then towns) F 1001-1140 Canada F 1201, etc. Other individual countries |
| G | Geography, Anthropology, Folklore, etc. | |
| H | Social Sciences | HA Statistics HB-HJ Economics HM-HX Sociology |
| J | Political Science | |
| K | Law | |
| L | Education | |
| M | Music | |
| N | Fine Arts | |
| P | Language and Literature | |
| Q | Science | |
| R | Medicine | |
| S | Agriculture | |
| T | Technology | |
| U | Military Science | |
| V | Naval Science | |
| Z | Bibliography and Library Science | |
The organization of material in an archive is very different from that found in a library. An archive houses records which document the activity of an organization, institution, or agency. The records go directly from the creating agency to the archive and are maintained exactly as they were created. They have 'organic unity.' There is no intermingling of records from one record group to another and the context of the records is maintained. To find a particular record, you must learn in what record group it is maintained, hence the need for an archival finding aid, such as the Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States.
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Please mail comments and suggestions to Susan Johnston at