The Garside Classification Scheme is a library classification system used in most of the libraries of University College London (UCL). It was devised by Kenneth Garside while he was deputy librarian there. Intellectually, it was based on the close relationship between the library and the teaching departments. The library at UCL rejected the major published classification schemes because "none of them would generally acceptable to the teaching departments without such major modifications as would have destroyed its essential character." Instead, it was modelled around the "subject reading rooms" into which the collection had been divided. The intention was to use the expertise of the departments and their teaching needs in drawing up the divisions within the scheme.
Main outline The principles of the scheme are "To provide the optimum arrangement of books in each subject; to permit the revision of the classification to meet a changing academic approach to a subject without disturbing in any way other parts of the scheme; and to provide as simple a shelf mark as possible to help the reader find the book he wants with the minimum mental effort."
In his article "The Basic Principles of the New Library Classification at University College, London". Garside set out the generic structure of the system. The library would be divided into subject-based reading rooms such as, in the example below, a dedicated space for biology-related materials. These would then be subdivided according to the table below: AThe subject generallyB–WMain sections of the subjectX–YSubsidiary works studied in conjunction with the main topicZWorks not properly belonging to the subject but required to be shelved with it
The alphabetical subdivisions were designed in consultation with the teaching department. These subsections would then be divided by numbers:
1Bibliographies2Reference works3Periodicals and series4Sources5Textbooks6Miscellanies7Monographs8History of the subject9Methodology10 >Special topics
The completed shelfmark would then include the first three letters of the author's surname.
Example
BiologyA Biological studies generallyBEcology and biogeography (including biological control)C MicrobiologyD Physiology and biophysics *E Biophysics *F Histology *G Cytology and cells *H Genetics, heredity, eugenics (genetic engineering)J Evolution* = Basic texts only, use Medical Sciences for all other texts
E.g. Basic Concepts in Population, Quantitative, and Evolutionary Genetics by James F. Crow is shelved at BIOLOGY H 5 CRO.
Subject sequence In order to provide for a single-subject card catalogue Garside added a further table to which the top reading room divisions could be mapped.
100Scholarship generally200Philology (language/literature) generally300The Arts400History500Law600Social sciences700Geography800Science (generally)900Biological sciences
Use The scheme is used at UCL. An adapted version is used by the Folklore Society. Garside instituted a similar scheme during his time at the University of Leeds.
References