3.2.4 This scheme is widely used throughout the world; it
covers all knowledge starting with such general classes as science
and applied science and subdividing down into very fine detail.
Classification numbers can be joined together by means of a colon
sign, and series of auxiliary tables also provide for indexing in
great depth. Common auxiliaries of language, form, place, race or
nationality, time, numerical sub-division and points of view can
be added to main class numbers and numbers from more than one
auxiliary table can be added to a basic class. Some classes have
special auxiliaries applicable only to a special class of UDC.
3.2.5 Documentation centres which are concerned with the field
of building use only a small part of the schedules and inconsistencies
have occurred in their interpretation of certain of the schedules
particularly in the fields of civil engineering, building and architec
ture. This had the unfortunate result that cards classified by one
documentation centre could not be interfiled with cards from
another. CIB has recommended its members to adopt UDC for
the exchange of documents, and it was recognised that greater
uniformity of practice would be achieved if a standard selection
schedule of UDC numbers were used. It accepted provisionally a
schedule that had been prepared by the Ministry of Works Library
in London, and appointed a special working party to formulate
an amended Abridged Building Classification (ABC). The ABC
lists some 1540 items in UDC order showing the preferred UDC
numbers. Editions have been published in English, Danish, Dutch,
German, Hungarian, French, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Serb-
Croatian, Spanish and Portuguese. A Finnish translation has been
incorporated into the Finnish abridged edition of UDC and the
Japanese version is published in the 'Japan Handbook of Building
and Architecture'Subjects covered by the scheme are materials
testing, structural engineering, road engineering, hydraulic en
gineering, public health engineering, building materials technology,
building, architecture and also relevant parts from economics,
physics, engineering, management, process industries and physical
planning.
3.3 SfB (Samarbetskommitten for Byggnadsfragor)
3.3.1 The SfB system is designed to serve as an instrument for
the coordination of documents and data concerning building,
and is not meant to be used for the classification of literature in
general libraries. The scheme originated in Sweden and is used
internationally. It is recommended by CIB and the International
Building Classification Committee as a classification scheme suitable
for practical purposes within the building field and, in conjunction
with UDC, for more theoretical and wider purposes. The interna
tional copyright is vested in Svensk Byggtjanst, Stockholm, on
behalf of CIB. The Royal Institute of British Architects is responsible
for the scheme in the UK and their technical information service
Ill
