Comprehensive Table of Library Classification Schemes

Feature	Dewey Decimal (DDC)	Library of Congress (LCC)	Colon Classification (CC)	Universal Decimal (UDC)	Bliss Bibliographic (BC)	Subject Classification (SC)
Year Introduced	1876	Late 1800s	1933	1905	1935	1933
Inventor/Developer	Melvil Dewey	Library of Congress	S.R. Ranganathan	Paul Otlet & Henri La Fontaine	Henry Evelyn Bliss	James Duff Brown
Primary Users	Public & School Libraries	Academic & Research Libraries	All types of libraries	Specialized & Bibliographic Libraries	Public Libraries	Public Libraries
Notation System	Numbers with decimals	Letters & numbers	Numbers & punctuation	Combination of letters & numbers	Letters & numbers	Letters & numbers
Structure	Hierarchical with 10 main classes	Alphabetical with 21 main classes	Faceted with flexible groupings	Hierarchical based on DDC, but expanded	Hierarchical with 26 main classes	Hierarchical with focus on user needs
Strengths	Widely used, simple to understand	Comprehensive, detailed for specific areas	Highly flexible, adaptable to complex subjects	International scope, good for specialized topics	Strong subject relationships, promotes understanding	Practical, user-friendly for public libraries
Weaknesses	Can be rigid, not suited for complex topics	Overly complex for some users	Requires training & knowledge to use effectively	Not widely used outside specialized fields	Less intuitive than other systems	Not as detailed as LCC or NLM
Evolution	Regularly updated & revised	Evolving & expanding over time	Ongoing development & refinement	Occasional revisions & updates	Relatively stable with minor adjustments	Periodic revisions & updates