Today’s libraries recognize that current methods of organization are outdated. Upon consultation with other UC C&D libraries and classics libraries nationally, the UC Classics Library hereby wishes to announce the following policy change:

In acknowledgement of the times, and for reasons of aesthetics, logic, and common sense, the John Miller Burnam Classics Library has decided to classify and shelve our books by color rather than by call number. The Library of Congress Classification System is cumbersome, non-intuitive, and comprehensible only to catalogers.

Some patrons simply do not remember a book’s call number or its author and title; however, they do recall the color of the book.

When I am at a gas station I never give the make and model of my car to the attendant as I cannot remember those things and the numbers that supposedly are posted above the pumps are confusing. I simply say “$10 on the red car over there.” It works every time. It’s easy to remember and understand.

Thus, in an effort to alleviate obstacles and to enhance the experience of locating books and browsing in our Library, we have decided to enact this organizational change.

The catalog records will from now on read as in the following examples:

Navy Blue

Davis & Bennet, Pylos Regional, 1^st ed. (2017).

Classics, S 5, 15^th aisle, top shelf 

Tangerine Orange

Virgile, Énéide, bks. 1-4, Budé 1^st ed. (1977).

Classics, S 6, 10^th aisle, 3rd shelf

The Boolean keyword search in the Library Catalog for these examples will be:

In Euclid add <Limit>: Classics
Then type:

(“Navy Blue” AND “Davis”).

(“Tangerine Orange” AND “Virgile” AND “Budé”).

The call number sign posts in the stacks are being replaced with color-coated ones (see images below), which will need no examination or deciphering.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused during the period of transition to the new system, which we estimate to be between 5 and 10 years, and appreciate your cooperation.

Rebecka Lindau
Head, John Miller Burnam Classics Library