Classification

As in other sections of the BCU, our book collections are classified according to the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC).

In this system, each call number printed on the spine of a book normally consists of numbers and letters. The DDC is a decimal classification system: this means that the leading digits of the call numbers are not whole numbers, but decimal numbers. Thus, the index 712 appears before 72, as 712 represents a subdivision of 7, and then of 71. Letters may follow these subject headings. They generally refer to the author, the person a work is about (in the case of a biography or secondary literature on a specific author), or its title.

You can find further information on the Classification of the collections and Building plan pages on the BCU/KUB website.

List of subject headings

Open-access languages (1st floor)

400 Languages
   404 Multilingualism
   407 Study and teaching of languages
410 Linguistics
   415 Grammar
   416.1 Psycholinguistics
   416.3 Sociolinguistics
420 English
   420.7 Study and teaching of English
430 German and other Germanic languages
   430.7 Study and teaching of German
440 French
   440.7 Study and teaching of French
450 Italian
460 Spanish
470 Latin
480 Greek
490 Slavic languages
491.9–499 Other languages

Open-access literature (2nd floor)

800 Literature
   801 Philosophy and literary theory
810 North American literature
820 Literature in English
830 German-language literature
840 Francophone literature
850 Italian literature
859 Romansh literature
860 Spanish-language literature
870–880 Greco-Latin literature
890 Other world literatures

Open-access music (4th floor)

780 Music
781 Music with African-American influences
782 Rock and related international genres
783 Classical music
784 Electronic music
785 Functional music
786 Music and cinema
788 Swiss music
789 World music