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Classifying photography

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2016

Lynda Bunting*
Affiliation:
Blum & Poe, 2727 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90034, USA
Ani Matosian*
Affiliation:
Research Library, Getty Research Institute, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, CA 90049-1688, USA
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Abstract

Photography has long been a part of the Library of Congress classification tables. At the time of its inclusion, photography was not considered an art form and thus was placed in the T – Technology schedule instead of the N – Fine Arts schedule. This article will discuss various aspects of photography classification, including its history, the reasons behind and development of alternative schedules, the challenges of classifying artists’ books with a photographic basis, and the feasibility of maintaining alternative schedules with the proliferation of shelf-ready books.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Art Libraries Society 2011

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References

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