Classify your books using DDC

Sometimes we try to sort books in a bookcase, a computer, or an eReader like Kindle, and wonder how to classify these books. This task is very difficult--unless you are a librarian.

Librarians, in fact, never classify books by themselves. Instead, they just use a certain, major classifying scheme like the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC)^† and the Library of Congress Classification (LCC). These classifycation schemes are created by legendary library scientists in support of classifying books extremely efficiently.

† DDC is a registered trademark of OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. (OCLC)

But unlike a real library in which millions of books are stored, your little library may have had only a few hundred books, and so you don't need to always use 3-digit classifying codes. First, start from the 1-digit codes (ten main classes). Second, if one of these classes has over 30 books, make 2-digit sub-divisions. Third, if one of these sub-division reaches 30 books, make 3-digit sub-sub-divisions.

Another big advantage of using the DDC is that DDC codes are already given for most existing books. When you are not sure about classification of a particular book, search with its ISBN and the word DDC. For example, when you want to see the DDC code of The Bottom Billion by Paul Collier, search with 9780195373387 ddc and you will get the DDC code 338 (Social Sciences » Economics » Production).

Again, you don't need to be strict like a professional librarian. Keep in mind that you are using the DDC so as to save your time.