Home → About MSL → Policies → Collection → By Dewey Class
Collection Development & Weeding by Dewey Class
Explanation
Collection Development Chart
- Specific Dewey classes
- Collection levels for Maine Collection and General Collection (from Selection Categories, p. 10)
Collection and Weeding Details
Italicized description follows each collection chart.
| Topic | Dewey | Maine | General |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 004 | B | B |
| Bibliographies | 010 | S | M |
| Library Science - Specialized Collecting |
020 | C B |
S B |
| Encyclopedias | 030 | C | S |
| Indexes | 050 | B | B |
| Journalism | 070 | C | B |
- 004 (Computers) 3/5/MUSTIE
- As computing and software standards change rapidly, books on computers are seldom useful after 3 years. Some materials on the history and theory of computing may be kept for longer periods if more recent replacements are not available.
- 010 (Bibliography) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Printed bibliographies are rarely the most current or valuable resource for obtaining information. Only acquire and maintain where unique coverage is demonstrated.
- 020 (Library & Information Science) 20/5/MUSTIE
- An extensive professional collection is needed to support librarians and libraries throughout the state. Discard all that do not conform to current, acceptable practice.
- 030 (General Encyclopedias)
- Evaluate the print versus on-line editions of encyclopedias. Replace print editions on a rotating basis, purchasing 1 new encyclopedia set at least every 3 years. The newest edition of each general encyclopedia will be in reference. 1 older edition will circulate.
- 050 (Indexes)
- Print indexing has been replaced with electronic indexing for all but the most esoteric sources. Indexes covering periods prior to 2000 should be maintained. Contemporary indexes should be constantly evaluated for utility.
- 070 (Journalism) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Other 000's 20/4/MUSTIE
- Trivia may be kept indefinitely.
| Topic | Dewey | Maine | General |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophy | 100 | B | B |
| Paranormal | 130 | B | B |
| Psychology - Self Help - Practical - Theoretical - History Of |
150 | S S B S |
S S B B |
- 100 (Philosophy) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Titles by major authors and/or major schools of philosophy should be maintained. Classics should be replaced as new translations become standard.
- 130 (Paranormal Phenomena) 20/5MUSTIE
- Titles should be kept until worn. As demand for this area, remains effort should be made to add titles.
- 150 (Psychology) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Keep abreast of new and popular topics, especially self-help. Replace works on clinical, comparative and developmental psychology within 5 to 8 years.
| Topic | Dewey | Maine | General |
|---|---|---|---|
| Religion - Maine Churches And Sects - Fundamental Scriptures - Popularized Doctrine - General Sectarian Histories - Proselytizing |
200 | B S S S B O |
B B S B B O |
Acquire something up-to-date on each religion represented by a church, synagogue, or other assembly in the state. Include timely and comprehensive information on the 6 major international religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism. Take care to avoid adding proselytizing materials or materials donated by specific religious groups seeking converts.
| Topic | Dewey | Maine | General |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sociology | 301 | B | B |
| Statistical Methods | 310 | B | B |
| Political Science | 320 | S | B |
| Economics - Personal Money Management - Personal Investment - Real Estate - Theoretical |
330 | S S S B |
S S S B |
| Law | 340 | B | B |
| Public Administration | 350 | S | B |
| Public Welfare | 360 | S | B |
| Education | 370 | S | B |
| Commerce | 380 | B | B |
| Customs And Folklore | 390 | S | B |
- 301 (Sociology) 10/5/MUSTIE
- See that controversial issues are represented from all viewpoints and that information is current, accurate and fair.
- 310 (General Statistics)
- Almanacs are seldom of much use after two years; add one, discard one every year, to keep only last three years in the collection. Copies from past years should be transferred from reference to circulating when superseded by new editions. Historical almanacs should be maintained until superseded.
- 320 (Political Science) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Titles directly related to Maine politics should be kept longer than general titles. Care should be taken in selecting autobiographies of non-Maine politicians.
- 330 (Economics) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Update items available in revised editions. Be aware of radical changes in statutes, regulations, or general climate for a particular type of investment. Well-known authors with no newer books available and items intended as histories of a particular era may be retained.
- 340 (Law)
- Collect very lightly. Refer patrons to the Law and Legislative Library. Never keep superseded editions.
- 350 (Public Administration) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Keep up-to-date; replace when federal administrations change or constitutional reforms occur. Retain state materials indefinitely.
- 360 (Social Services) 5/5/MUSTIE
- Discard career materials after 5 years; older reference copies may be circulated. Pay close attention to revisions in standard test books (GED, ACT, etc.). Some may be retained for 10 years or longer if certain sections have not changed.
- 370 (Education) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Keep historical materials only if used. Discard outdated theories.
- 380 (Commerce) MUSTIE
- Titles on the industries that are mentioned in the Statute should be deliberately sought and kept. Titles on other industries which are vital to the Maine economy should also be collected.
- 390 (Customs, Folklore, Etiquette) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Keep standard works; update etiquette as available discarding older titles.
| Topic | Dewey | Maine | General |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign Language Titles - Dictionaries - Grammar |
400 | O B M |
O B M |
| English - Dictionaries - Grammar - ESL |
420 | B B B S |
B B B S |
- 400 Foreign Languages MUSTIE
- Retain at least 1, but not more than 3, grammar/dictionary for every language available. Keep only 1 foreign language dictionary per language in the Reference collection. Replace with newer editions as they become available. Obtain at least 1 or 2 CD teaching sets for each language available.
- 420 English as a Second Language 10/5/MUSTIE
- ESL titles should be acquired and kept up-to-date.
| Topic | Dewey | Maine | General |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Sciences | 500 | B | B |
| Mathematics | 510 | B | B |
| Astronomy | 520 | B | B |
| Physics | 530 | B | B |
| Chemistry | 540 | B | B |
| Earth Sciences | 550 | B | B |
| Paleontology | 560 | B | B |
| Life Sciences | 570 | B | B |
| Botanical Sciences | 580 | S | B |
| Zoological Sciences | 590 | S | B |
Carefully evaluate anything over 5 years old, except botany and natural history. Replace worn classics or significant historical works with new editions. All general materials should be replaced when new developments occur in the field. Pay particular attention to the physics, environmental issues, and astronomy sections.
- 500 (Physical Sciences) 10/5/MUSTIE
- 510 (Mathematics) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Replace older materials on algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus with revised editions. Avoid textbooks.
- 520 (Astronomy) 10/5/MUSTIE
- 530 (Physics) 10/5/MUSTIE
- 540 (Chemistry) 10/5/MUSTIE
- 550 (Earth Sciences) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Geology books on specific regions, especially Maine, should be kept indefinitely, or until superseded by newer editions. Field guides for amateur fossil, gem, and rock hunters can be kept indefinitely if physical condition allows, unless the area described has changed dramatically through man-made developments and/ or natural events.
- 560 (Paleontology) 10/5/MUSTIE
- 570 (Life Sciences) 10/5/MUSTIE
- 580 (Botanical Sciences) 10/5/MUSTIE
- 590 (Zoological Sciences) 10/5/MUSTIE
| Topic | Dewey | Maine | General |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology General | 600 | B | B |
| Medicine | 610 | S | S |
| Physical Education | 613 | B | B |
| Engineering | 620 | B | B |
| Mining | 622 | S | B |
| Shipyards | 623 | S | B |
| Roads | 624 | S | B |
| Agriculture | 630 | S | B |
| Forestry | 634 | S | B |
| Domestic Arts | 640 | B | B |
| Cookery | 641 | B | B |
| Parenting | 649 | S | S |
| Business - Office Management - Accounting - Small Business - Resume Writing - Career Planning;Job Search |
650 | S S S S S S |
B S S S S S |
| Manufacturing | 670 | S | B |
| Building Construction - Home Repair |
690 | S S |
S S |
- 610 (Medicine) 5/3/MUSTIE
- Anatomy and Physiology change very little and can be kept longer than other health care topics. Keep only the current year plus 1 previous year (one reference, one circulating) of PDR and other prescription and over-the-counter drug directories, replacing when new editions become available.
- 620 (Engineering & allied operations) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Many industries in the 620s are collected by Statute. Where titles have direct Maine connections they should be retained indefinitely.
- 630 (Agriculture) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Be especially aware of trends in Maine agriculture.
- 635 (Horticulture) 20/5/MUSTIE
- General gardening books may be useful for up to 20 years, so circulation is the main weeding criteria. Books about propagation of specific flowers or plants are considered outdated after 10 years. Pay special attention to horticulture for Maine climate zones.
- 640 (Home Economics) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Be strict with old sewing and grooming materials in which styles change rapidly. Keep cookbooks unless little used; replace worn popular titles.
- 649 (Child Rearing) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Keep abreast of changing trends and new theories. Replace older editions of standard works with current editions.
- 670 (Manufacturing) MUSTIE
- Keep books on old clocks, guns, and toys since these items are often collected. Also keep works on tools, farm implements, etc. that are still used. Special emphasis is placed on Maine industries.
- 690 (Building Construction and Home Repair) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Materials on current best practices with emphasis on weatherization, solar power and other topics of interest should be identified and retained.
- Other 600's (Also Business) MUSTIE
- Technology is making such rapid advances that any materials over 5 years old are to be viewed with suspicion; especially those dealing with drugs, space technology, sex education, radio, television, medicine, and office skills. [Check to see if resources contain any information of historical value.] One major exception: Repair manuals for older cars and appliances should be kept as long as such items are generally kept in your community; replace when they become filthy or worn from use.
| Topic | Dewey | Maine | General |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art | 701 | S | B |
| Landscaping | 710 | S | B |
| Architecture | 720 | S | B |
| Antiques Collectibles | 745 | B | B |
| Crafts | 745 | B | B |
| Painting | 750 | S | B |
| Graphic Arts | 760 | B | B |
| Photography | 770 | B | B |
| Music | 780 | B | B |
| Recreation - Theater - Games - Athletics - Fishing/Hunting |
790 | S S S S |
B B B B |
| Performing Arts | 792 |
- 745 (Decorative Arts) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Retain basic technique books if well-illustrated; replace worn and dated materials. Keep all materials on the history of interior design that are in acceptable condition. Discard general home decorating ideas after 10 years unless the decorating style becomes established as a distinct aspect of American interior design (e.g. "Southwestern," or "high-tech"). Keep stamp and coin catalogues up-to-date. Historical treatments of ancient, foreign, and commemorative coins may be kept indefinitely, unless the focus is market valuation, then keep no more than 5 years.
- 770 (Photography) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Check closely for outdated techniques, and especially outdated equipment; if in doubt, check with local photography club or buffs.
- 790 (Recreation) 10/5/MUSTIE
- Discard and replace as rules and interests change.
- Other 700's MUSTIE
- Keep all basic materials, especially histories of art and music. Replace with new editions when they become worn and unattractive.
| Topic | Dewey | Maine | General |
|---|---|---|---|
| Literature - Maine - Quotations - Criticism And Bio Major Authors - Foreign Language - Classics |
810 | C C C S C |
C B B M B |
Because MSL is an Area Resource Center serving the Central Maine District, it is important to collect and retain “classic” literature. Keep basic materials, especially criticism of classic writers. Works by and about Maine authors should be retained indefinitely.
| Topic | Dewey | Maine | General |
|---|---|---|---|
| History - U.S. |
900 970 |
C S |
B S |
| Geography | 910 | C | B |
| Travel | 910 | C | S |
| Biography | 920 | C | S |
| Genealogy | 920 | C | B |
| Maine history | 974 | C | B |
- 910 (Geography and Travel) 10/5/MUSTIE
- No more than 2 guidebooks are needed for any area or attraction outside of Maine. Standing orders for guidebooks should be set on biennial rather than annual basis with alternating series purchased. 1 copy of standard Maine guidebooks should be maintained for historical coverage.
- 974.1 (Maine History)
- Collect one to three copies of all items identified. 1 copy should be labeled LUO. Retain indefinitely.
- B or 92 (Biography) 10/5/MUSTIE
- With the exception of individuals directly associated with Maine, it is rare that more than 3 biographies per person should be needed. Letters, journals and autobiographical series can be excepted from the total count. For individuals best known for popular culture (e.g. actors, musicians) a single biography is often sufficient. Popular culture biographies should be weeded after 10 years or when interest has faded. Newer biographies should replace older biographies unless the older version is written by a Maine author or is recognized as a definitive version.
