The central purpose of libraries is to provide a service: Access to information, physical access to a potentially informative document depends on identifying and locating it.
Libraries exist for the benefit of the mind, but they have serious practical problems coping with the acquisition, storage, and handling of the documents and records with which they deal.
OBJECTIVES
The main aim of the bibliographic access includes three central concerns:
a) Identifying documents
b) Locating documents
c) Physical access to materials
Let us see the objectives and find which area users feel it difficult, to access the materials from the below questions.
WHY CATALOG
To help users to find a book of which either (Identifying objective)
- the author
- the title
- the subject
- the call number
WHY CLASSIFICATION
In 1873 Mr. Melvil Dewey devised a system of classifying books. He chose certain main subject and numbers, so that all nonfiction books on the same subject would be together on the shelf.
Dewey Decimal System is a tool used to sort books into groups or categories. We all know the system that groups books by topic, by dividing them in to 10 basic categories, and each of those categories is further split in to 10 categories and so on, and it is the most widely used library organization system in the world.
So classification helps user to identify the subject and to locate the subject easily on the shelves.
WHY CALL NUMBER
Call number help user to identify a specific copy of a work. A set of letters, numerals or other symbols (in combination or alone) it may also contain other data such as date, volume number, and copy number, used by a library to identify a specific copy of a work.
Each book in a library has a unique call number. A call number is like an address it tells us where an item is located in the library.
Understanding call numbers
It is difficult for users to understand because, every time it is the spine that one generally looks for and more specifically, its call number label, with so much pressure on the call number.
To access the document physically user has to browse the shelves until one narrow it down to the call number. Imagine when a document is misplaced from its original place on the shelves, that time it is difficult for both user and staff to find the misplaced copy.
So with the help of call number users may identify and locate the document, now we are able to identify the area and difficulties involved in finding the document.
WHY COLOUR CODE
A unique colour for main subjects will always help the main subject of books together on the shelf.
Traditional call number labels with colour code, that makes it easier for user to locate subject area and easier for staff to notice misplaced items.
Advantages of colour code system:
- Save the time of the user.
- Always help staff to keep the subject books together.
- Colour code makes it easier for user to locate subject areas and for staff to notice misplaced copy by visually identifying the subject colours.
- Easy to sort the main subject books as and when returned, also staff may not find it difficult to reshelf the books.
- The most important advantage is solution for misplaced books on shelf, as it is easy to find without using any technology.
Let us see below how the system works.
Colour Code System an Overview
Main Subjects
|
Colour & Call No.
|
Colours
| |
Philosophy & Psychology
|
Yellow
| ||
100's
| |||
Religion
|
Blue
| ||
200's
| |||
Social Science
|
Grey
| ||
300's
| |||
Language
|
Lavender
| ||
400's
| |||
Natural Science
|
Green
| ||
500's
| |||
Technology
|
Silver
| ||
600's
| |||
Fine Art & Recreation
|
Orange
| ||
700's
| |||
Literature
|
Gold
| ||
800's
| |||
Geography History Biography
|
Brown
| ||
900's
| |||
General Works
|
Red
| ||
000's
| |||
Some of the colour given above also matches the subject:
Why yellow for 100’s (Philosophy and Psychology)
The colour yellow symbolizes Wisdom, Joy, Happiness, Emotions and better feel etc. like the subject deals with.
Why green for 500’s (Natural Science)
As the color green symbolizes nature, life, and powerful symbol in the eco-friendly movement.
Why orange for 700’s (Arts)
As orange the colour of creativity and also “get it done attitude” and the colour also symbolizes playfulness like the subject deals with
Why gold for 800’s (literature)
Literature has its own value like gold.
Why brown for 900’s (Geography, History and Biography)
Brown is the colour of soil, giving it an earthy.
Conclusion: Save the time of the user. Avoid the wastage of users’ time involved in search for a particular book by creating effective call number labels with colour code for main subjects. So that user gets access to the best source.
Hope nothing in this system that would negatively impact library classification.
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