What is UDC?

UDC is the Universal Decimal Classification. This is a system of data classification that is widely used all over the world. It serves to systematize works of literature, science and art, periodicals, documents. It can also be used to organize card catalogues and search for information. Document funds are organized for all subject areas in libraries, publishing houses and information centers of Ukraine through the use of UDC.

The presence of the UDC identifier is a mandatory requirement. The works without this identifier are not even considered when registering in global databases.

The main component of the UDC is the basic tables. The hierarchical principle of UDC system constructing is based on the conditional division of each section or subsection within ten digits. Hence there is the title of the classification which is the decimal classification.

A hierarchical system is built up because of this division where all sections are designated by Arabic numerals. Each section is divided into ten smaller sub-sections by adding a digit on the right, and so on. This makes it possible to express even the smallest area of human activity with a numerical decimal code. The code can be very long if the area is very detailed. Nevertheless, the system makes it possible to add more and more new objects easily.

Nowadays, the universal decimal classification is the intellectual property of the international UDC Consortium (udcc.org). The consortium unites the main publishers of UDC tables in different languages.

Basic series of UDC classes:

  1. General Department
  2. Philosophic Sciences. Philosophy. Psychology. Logic.
  3. Religion. Atheism
  4. Social Sciences
  5. Languages
  6. Mathematics. Natural Sciences
  7. Application-Oriented Sciences. Medicine. Engineering
  8. Art. Applied and Decorative Arts. Photography. Music.
  9. Games. Sport
  10. Language Studies. Philology. Belles-Lettres.
  11. Literature Studies
  12. Geography. History. Biographies

The Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) is an international multilingual classification system that combines all subject areas in a single universal structure with a general decimal notation.

UDC Tables are intended for systematization of documents, information search and organizing of document collections of all areas of knowledge in libraries, publishing houses, information centers, etc.

The international standard of the UDC is the English Master Reference File (MRF) Database which has about 70,000 classification headings.

UDC updates are carried out annually and that allows you to keep the system up-to-date and represent all the changes, events and phenomena that occur in the world.

UDC is used by about 130 countries of the world (in 30 countries it is used as the main classification system). The tables are translated into more than 50 languages (standard or shortened versions).

Since 2000 in Ukraine UDC tables are used in Ukrainian.

Publisher’s imprint of each publication should contain the UDC classification number according to DSTU (State Standard of Ukraine) 4861:2007 “Information and Documentation. Publication. Publisher’s imprint”.

Source reference: http://www.ukrbook.net/UDC/UDC_shho.html