Form Divisions Class or Standard Sub-division class

A book on any particular subject may deal with that subject in various ways, from different standpoints or in different forms. It may be an encyclopaedia, a dictionary, a periodical, an advanced or elementary treaties or it may be written as a history, a philosophy, in essay or other literary form. Books on almost every subject frequently fall into one of these categories. All bibliographical classifications make provision for this”form” in books by the addition of the so-called form division.

It will noted be noted that many of the terms representing these forms correspond to terms used in the main schedules the terms are used to represent recognized subjects from the field of knowledge, places are provided to enable books to be collected conveniently according to use and subject matter. Similar terms used in the form divisions represent either a special way in which a book is written and produced, or aspects from which the subject is viewed. From divisions are individual to a book classification; they may be considered as the generalia divisions of a specific class or head. In practice, the y enable a further more detailed and convenient grouping of books to be made on the shelves.

Many schemes recognize their generality of application by converting them into common sub-divisions, i.e. a constant set of divisions which can be used to qualify any subject on the schedules,

 

The Expansive Classification has nine common form divisions; the 16thedition of the Decimal Classification has expanded its original nine common subdivisions of a list of over 70 entries.Examples of the application of these subdivisions:
500  Pure Science          LA    Sciences (Natural)
503  Dictionaries           LA.5 Dictionaries
In each scheme, the subdivisions are used, with certain exceptions, throughout the whole classification:
510     Mathematics            LB    Mathematics
510.5  Periodicals              LB.7  Periodicals
In the Expansive Classification the point (.) is a separating device only.

For more information read: Library Classification :: By C.K Sharma & Amit K. Sharma