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Open access materials

One of the things readers at Cambridge University Library most appreciate is the ability to wander amongst the bookstacks and retrieve material for themselves. Nevertheless, this is not a library where browsing is either easy or very efficient. Only one third of the collections are on open access, and open access material is arranged not only by subject, but also by size and by date of publication. The classification scheme has been revised and expanded over the years, with the result that two books on an identical subject can be classified in different places. Many books in series, moreover, are arranged with the series rather than under subject. If you are looking for material by a specific author or on a specific topic, you should always approach your search via the name or subject catalogue. See the PDF "A Beginner's Guide to Newton"

The Library's classification scheme is very idiosyncratic, the inheritance of past generations of librarians. In some areas it is very specific, in others very general. Items about Spanish language, for example, are mixed up with all other Romance languages except French. Until recently there was no distinctive number for cinema, and still no attempt is made to arrange film books by country or linguistic area. What follows, therefore, is an attempt to pinpoint those parts of the classification scheme which relate specifically to Spanish or Portuguese speaking countries.

Spanish literature (743-744)

As with the schemes for other major European languages, Spanish literary texts are divided by genre and by period. Texts are followed by related criticism. If an author writes fiction, plays and poetry, his or her work will be classified in three different places. No division is made between the literature of Spain and that of Latin America, so texts by Isabel Allende and Juan Goytisolo will stand side by side. Period subdivisions are fairly arbitrary - To 1500, 1500-1700, 1701-1820 and 1821-1950. A further subdivision for 1951- was introduced in the mid 1980s. Spanish poetry is placed between 743·2 and 743·4, drama between 743·6 and 743·8, fiction between 744·2 and 744·4, and prose other than fiction between 744·6 and 744·8.

Catalan literature

Texts stand ar 745·7 (To 1500) and 745·74 (1500-), criticism at 745·72 and 745·75.

Portuguese literature (745·01-745·35)

Texts from Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique and Angola stand together, with no attempt at geographical subdivision. Galician literature is also placed here. Classification by genre is applied, but no distinction is made between fiction and other prose. There are only two chronological subdivisions, for texts written before and after 1650.

Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan language (773)

Items are placed together, and mixed with works on Romance languages in general, and with all other specific Romance languages except French.

Spanish history (582-584)

Classification of Spanish history incorporates a fairly detailed chronological breakdown. Works on medieval Spain are placed between 582·2 and 582·35. Works on modern Spain are arranged as follows:-

582.4

1516-

History, general

582.42

1479-1516

Ferdinand and Isabella, the `Catholic Kings'

582.45

1516-1556

Charles I (aka Emperor Charles V). For biography of Charles I, see 571.24

582.5

1556-1598

Philip II

582.54

 

Biography of later 16th century Spain

582.56

17th century

Philip III, 1598-1621. Philip IV, 1621-1665. Charles II, 1665-1700

582.6

18th century

Bourbon dynasty, 1700-1808; Philip V, 1700-1746. Ferdinand VI, 1746-1759. Charles III, 1759-1788. Charles IV, 1788-1808

582.64

 

Spanish Succession. For the War of the Spanish Succession, see 533.36

582.66

 

Biography of the 18th century

582.7

19th century

general

582.72

1808-1814

Napoleonic period. For the Peninsular war, see 562.5

582.74

1814-1868

Bourbon restoration

582.8

1833-1840

Carlist movements (The pretenders Don Carlos I, II and III)

582.83

1868-1931

Revolution, 1868-1870. Amadeo I, 1870-1873. First Republic, 1873-1875. Alfonso XII, 1875-1885. Alfonso XIII, 1886-1931

582.87

 

Biography of the 19th century

583.1

1931-

Revolution. Spanish Republic

583.12

1936-1975

Spanish Civil War. Franco

583.13

1976-

'Transicion'. Juan Carlos I

 

Although very detailed classification schedules exist for local histories of France, Germany and Italy, for some quite inexplicable reason the same degree of detail is not attached to Spain. Catalonia (584·33), Valencia (584·37), Andorra (584·6) and the Balearic Islands (584·62) have individual numbers, but all other regional histories stand at 584·3, with histories of Galicia, the Andalusia and Castille all grouped together.

Portuguese history (585)

Works on the history of Portugal are arranged by period. Local history stands at 585:8; constitutional history stands at 585:9. There are separate entries for the Azores (585:83), Madeira (585:86) and the colonies collectively (585:95).

585.3

To 1580

Early to medieval

585.32

1580-1640

Spanish dynasty

585.34

1640-1816

House of Braganza

585.36

1816-1910

19th century

585.4

1910 onwards

20th century: Revolution, 1910. First Republic, 1910-1926. Salazar, 1926-1968.

585.5

1968-

Caetano, 1968-1974. Revolution, 1974-1975. Democratic regime, 1976-

 

Latin American and Caribbean history (670-676)

General works on Latin America are placed at 670:8; constitutional history of Latin America stands at 670:88. Books on the discovery and exploration of the Americas stand between 660:01 and 660:55. There are separate classes for the Andes (673:2), the Pacific Coast (673:22) and the Atlantic Coast (673:24), as well as Northern South America (673:26), and Southern South America (673:28), when two or more countries are represented collectively.
The classification of Mexico (670:01-670:7), Brazil (675:1-675:45) and Argentina (676:1-676:37) is more detailed than that of the other Latin American countries for historical reasons. Works on the Caribbean stand at 672. An outline of the main classes for these areas is given in the table below.

670.01-670.7

Mexico

671.01-671.8

Central America

672.1-672.9

Caribbean

674.1-674.2

Colombia

674.3-674.4

Venezuela

675.1-675.45

Brazil

675.5-675.53

Ecuador

675.7-675.73

Peru

676.1-676.37

Argentina

676.4-676.55

Chile

676.6-676.65

Bolivia

676.7-676.75

Paraguay

676.8-676.85

Uruguay