361 
1919.] Thomson—Libraries of Science and Technology,. 
classification is of importance to the scientific men of New Zealand, since a 
system of co-operation such as I have proposed depends largely on the 
adoption of a uniform system of library classification. 
The ideal would be such a system as would serve alike the needs of library 
classification and of bibliography. There are two main reasons why such an 
ideal cannot be attained. The first is that knowledge is inexhaustible, and 
that no person or persons can ever devise a perfect system of co-ordination 
of knowledge as expressed in books ; and the second is that few books 
or papers treat of a single subject, and consequently the interrelations 
cannot be expressed in such a linear arrangement as the order of placing 
books upon a shelf. This is particularly the case in a library devoted to 
science and technology, in which the majority of the books must be numbers 
of some serial publication, each containing numerous papers. 
The system of library classification almost universally adopted in the 
larger libraries of New Zealand is the relative index system of arabic decimal 
numbers, commonly known as the Dewey decimal system, which was 
developed early in 1873 by M. Dewey, successively expanded after experi¬ 
ment and testing, and is now published by the Library Bureau of Boston, 
U.S.A. Certain modifications or extensions of this system are necessary for 
New Zealand books, and are applied as desired by individual librarians ; 
but, unfortunately, there has been no uniform agreement amongst New 
Zealand librarians to adopt the same modifications. In the case of scientific 
books it is generally admitted that this system is not sufficiently detailed. 
In the Dewey system the first division is into 10 classes, represented by 
the initial number. These classes are—- 
0 General Works. 
1 Philosophy. 
2 Religion. • 
3 Sociology. 
4 Philology. 
5 Natural Science. 
6 Useful Arts. 
7 Fine Arts. 
8 Literature. 
9 History. 
Thus the great majority of books in a scientific and technological library 
will have numbers commencing with 5 or 6, except for geographical works, 
which are included under 9. 
Each class is again divided into 10 divisions, represented by the second 
number. Thus we have— 
500 
Natural Scienoe. 
600 
Useful Arts. 
510 
Mathematics. 
610 
Medicine. 
520 
Astronomy. 
620 
Engineering. 
530 
Physics. 
630 
Agriculture. 
540 
Chemistrv. 
640 
Domestic Economy. 
550 
Geology. 
650 
Communication and Commerce. 
560 
Palaeontology. 
660 
Chemical Technology. 
570 
Biology. 
670 
Manufactures. 
580 
Botany. 
680 
Mechanical Trades. 
590 
Zoology. 
690 
Building. 
The third decimal number represents sections, of which the following is 
example :— 
530 
Physics. 
535 
Light, Optics. 
531 
Mechanics. 
536 
Heat. 
532 
Liquids, Hydraulics. 
537 
Electricity. 
533 
Gases, Pneumatics. 
538 
Magnetism. 
534 
Sound, Acoustics. 
539 
Molecular Physics. 
