Classifying Newspapers Using Dewey Decimal Classification

Abstract

Librarians facing the decision of whether or not to classify a newspaper collection must consider the basic research needs of patrons. Users primarily access newspapers by geographic location (more specifically, by city of publication), and by date. Librarians also must consider that newspapers are serials and that classifying newspapers presents the same challenges as classifying general serials. Multiple title changes and unique relationships among newspapers can complicate the application of a classification system to a newspaper collection. Keeping newspaper families together chronologically on shelves is important when locating titles. The Dewey Decimal Classification system, with a few modifications, can be used optimally to classify a newspaper collection. Knowing that classification can function as an efficient organization method for a newspaper collection makes a library’s decision of whether or not to classify easier.