An item’s call number is usually made up of more than just the DDC number. The call number printed on the spine label has between two to four rows.
a) First row: Prefix
The prefix tells you which collection the item belongs to. Items with the same prefix are from the same collection; this means that they will be shelved together in a specific section of the Library, separate from other collections. So, knowing the prefix will help direct you to the correct section of the Library. The various prefixes used are:
| [No prefix] | English or foreign language collection |
| C | Chinese collection |
| M | Malay/Indonesian collection |
| T | Tamil collection |
| R | English or foreign language reference collection |
| R/C | Chinese reference collection |
| R/M | Malay/Indonesian reference collection |
| R/T | Tamil reference collection |
| ARC | Archives collection |
| AC | Audio CD collection |
| ACI | CD-ROM/DVD-ROM |
| ACV | VCD/DVD collection |
| AT | Audiocassette collection (Obsolete format) |
| AV | Videocassette collection (Obsolete format) |
| FIC | Fiction collection |
| GROVE | Grove booklet collection |
| THESES | Theses collection |
b) Second row: DDC number
The DDC number indicates the subject of the book or item, i.e. what the book is about (see What do the DDC numbers mean?). Items are arranged on shelf from left to right, with the smallest DDC number on the left and the largest DDC number on the right. You may have to dig out your old mathematics textbook from school to refresh your memory on decimal numbers!
The following classification numbers are arranged in correct order from left to right:
225.6 à 234.1 à 234.132 à 234.16 à 234.25 à 234.9 à 241.54
You will notice how numbers after the decimal point following 234 (.1, .132, .16, .25, .9) are counted one digit at a time, and not as a whole number. Thus, 234.25 would be shelved before 234.9 because 0.25 is smaller than 0.9.
Similarly, 234.16 would be shelved after 234.132 because 0.16 is larger than 0.132. Sometimes it helps to think in terms of money; for example, $234.16 is definitely more than $234.132!
Note: Not all items in the Library are given DDC numbers. Books in the Grove booklets collection, Theses collection and Fiction collection only have a prefix, suffix, and if necessary, some additional information.
c) Third row: Suffix
The third row of the call number is called the suffix, and it further distinguishes the item from other items with the same DDC number. The suffix usually consists of the first three letters of the main author’s family name. In the case where there is no author, the first three letters of the title of the book or item is used.
If a group of items have the same DDC number, the items will be arranged alphabetically on shelf from left to right, with A to the left and Z to the right.
The following call numbers are arranged in correct order from left to right:
229.6 à 230.1 à 230.1 à 230.1 à 230.1 à 230.7 à 241.54
ZAC ARC CON PAC PEL NGO BAY
You will see that the numbers are first arranged by DDC number, then alphabetically within the same DDC number. Thus, for the four items classified as 230.1, ARC is shelved first before CON, followed by PAC, then PEL. Notice that alphabetically, PEL comes after PAC.
d) Fourth row: Additional information
As the Library collections expand, there is sometimes a need for additional information after the suffix, usually numbers. Some examples include:
|
230.1 CON 1994 |
1994 is the year of the edition. This is usually used to distinguish later editions from earlier editions. The later edition will be shelved after the earlier edition. |
|
230.1 CON |
V.3 is the volume number, which helps identify items in multi-volume works. The volumes are arranged numerically from left to right: V.1, V.2, V.3, etc. |
|
230.1 CON |
c.2 is the copy number. This is used when there is more than one copy of the same title. Multiple copies of the same title are arranged numerically from left to right: c.1, c.2, c.3, etc. |
|
GROVE TAN EV96 |
“GROVE” is the prefix indicating Grove booklet collection; “TAN” is the suffix indicating the author’s family name; EV96 is the series (EV) and volume number (96) within the series.* |
*Note: The Grove booklet collection is one of the special exceptions with regard to call numbers. There is no DDC number and the collection is arranged on shelf according to the last row of the call number, i.e. alphabetically by series, and then numerically by volume number within the series.
Think you understand call numbers now? Play the Mrs. Lodge's Library shelving game to test yourself!