Two-number classification explained for the Mercantile Library catalog.
A practical guide to how books are numbered and labeled so similar titles stay together on the shelves.
This system uses two sets of figures to organize works. The first, shown with the author letter, groups related authors, while the second, the individual lower number, identifies each book within that author group. All numbers are decimals, and wide spaces on the shelves help maintain alphabetical and numerical order over time. The approach is designed to keep the catalog tidy as new titles are added, with the plan spanning major subjects like religion, history, geography, biography, and more.
- Understand how author groups and individual works are designated by distinct numbers.
- See how novels and related works share a common author-number while each work has its own lower number.
- Appreciate how decimal numbering and shelf spacing preserve order and growth.
- Preview the broad scope of the classification, from religion and history to geography and biography.
Ideal for readers who want to grasp how large library catalogs stay organized and scalable.