A Classification and Subject Index for Cataloguing and Arranging the Books and Pamphlets of a Library

Born from an extensive three‑year study of hundreds of books and dozens of American libraries, this work presents a practical system that promises to boost a library’s usefulness without raising costs. Its creator observed that careful cataloguing, shelf lists, and cross‑references could be streamlined, and the method described proved equally valuable for both numbering and arranging collections. The opening pages lay out the guiding philosophy: let the subject, not the form, dictate a book’s place on the shelves.

The system divides all holdings into nine broad Classes—such as History, Fine Art, and Theology—each split into nine Divisions and further into nine Sections, producing a three‑digit class number like 513 for Geometry. This numeric code serves as a clear, universal label, allowing every work on a given topic to share the same identifier, while special codes handle general treatises, dictionaries, and periodicals. By the end of the first act, listeners gain a solid grasp of how this orderly framework transforms the chaos of countless volumes into an accessible, searchable whole.