ABSTRACT
The classification of books in libraries is carried out for one main purpose, namely to enable readers and staff to find books on the shelves as required. It is a useful introduction to the subject of book classification in libraries to consider briefly some of the older methods of shelf arrangement. Arrangement in main classes in order of accessions to the library continued in library practice for many years, and was still common between 1910 and 1920. All schemes of book classification must be based on some system of the classification or ordering of knowledge as reasoned and described by philosophers. The method of dealing with books too general in content to allow them to be classified by subject is an important feature of book classification which can be dealt with appropriately either at the beginning or at the end of the scheme. Many libraries using the Decimal classification adopt certain variations.
