Classification Scheme Overview

Letters are used for broad subject areas with subdivisions for specific categories. Further subdivisions may be made by date or language.

CLASS A.  REFERENCE, GENERAL WORKS AND SOCIETIES

AH. LITERATURE

AL. BIOGRAPHIES

AS. SOCIETIES

CLASS G.  ARCHAEOLOGY, SOCIAL LIFE AND CUSTOMS, FOLKLORE, MAGIC AND RELIGION.

GA. ARCHAEOLOGY, ETHNOLOGY, ANTRHOPOLOGY

GN. SOCIAL LIFE, CUSTOMS, POPULAR CULTURE

GO. ANTIQUITIES, FOLKLORE, SUPERSTITIONS

GR. COMPARATIVE RELIGION

GRQ. FOLK DRAMA, TRADITIONAL DISGUISE, DISPLAY DANCE (MORRIS, SWORD, STEP / CLOG, GARLAND, MAYPOLE)

CLASS Q .  DANCE

QL. GENERAL WORKS ON THE ART, HISTORY AND NOTATION OF DANCING, LITERATURE OF DANCE

QM. DANCE MUSIC (SCORES)

QR. COMMUNITY, TRADITIONAL AND NATIONAL DANCE

QS. SOCIAL DANCE

CLASS M. MUSIC

MG. GENERAL WORKS, HISTORY AND THEORY OF MUSIC

MI. INSTRUMENTS AND INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC 

MP. VOCAL MUSIC (BY KNOWN COMPOSERS, OR KNOWN PERIOD)

MPQ. OCCUPATIONAL SONGS

MPR. RELIGIOUS, SEASONAL AND CEREMONIAL VOCAL MUSIC

MPS. FOLK SONG 

The library is a highly specialized, multi-media collection, but the classification system is only applied to print media. For more information on the development of the system see: Margaret Dean-Smith, (1993) "A Classification of Folk Music and Dance (with Relevant Subjects) Prepared for the Cecil Sharp Library", Journal of Documentation, Vol. 7, Iss. 4, pp. 215 – 220 (shelved at AA box)