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Mountaineers Library Subject Groupings

Mountaineers Library Subject Groupings

Feb 08, 2018

During reorganization of the Mountaineers Library, the following system will be used to group books by subject.

The system consists of four parts:

  • Geographical scope (2 characters)

  • Primary activity (1 character)

  • Focus (1 character)

  • Wildcard (1 character)

See Examples at the bottom of this page.

Part 1: Geographical Scope - North America

Code

Geographical Area



Code

Geographical Area



NA

North America, generally

NK

Alaska, Yukon

NW

Washington, OR, ID, BC

NC

California

ND

Desert southwest, NV, UT, AZ, NM, TX

NX

Mexico

NH

Hawaii

NR

Rockies (Canada and US)

NP

Plains (Canada and US)

NE

East of Mississippi River

Part 1 (cont'd): Geographical Scope - Rest of World

Code

Geographical Area

Code

Geographical Area

AF

Africa

AS

Asia

EU

Europe

OC

Oceania (Australia, NZ)

PO

Polar regions

SA

Central and South America

WO

World (many regions, or universal themes)

Part 2: Primary Activity

Code

Activity

Code

Activity

B

Bicycling

C

Conservation, environmental issues

F

First aid, outdoor medicine

G

General interest (not focused on outdoors)

H

Hiking, trail running

M

Mountaineering, climbing (including rescue)

N

Naturalist, geology, earth sciences

O

Outdoor activities, general

P

Photography

S

Snowsports

T

Travel (usual and unusual modes)

U

Caving (i.e. underground)

V

Volunteering, non-profits, etc

W

Water sports (paddling)

X

Early exploration

Y

Sailing (i.e. yachting)

Part 3: Focus

Code

Classification

Code

Classification

B

Individual biography or narrative

F

Fiction, humor, poetry

G

Guidebooks, maps

H

History, science and culture (including biographies of multiple people)

P

Pictorial

T

Technique (how-to, including navigation, etc)

Part 4: Wildcard

Code

Significance

Code

Significance

D

Dispense → Regardless of other factors (i.e. truly obsolete).

N

None → No wildcard assigned.

K

Keeper →  A book with a special Northwest (or Mountaineers) connection.

M

Published by Mountaineers Books (including Braided River and Skipstone imprints).



Examples

Title

Geography

Activity

Focus

Wildcard

Comment

Title

Geography

Activity

Focus

Wildcard

Comment

Allison, Beyond the Limits: A Woman's Triumph on Everest

AS

M

B

K

Northwest expedition

Barnett, Cross-Country Downhill

WO

S

T

N

Snow sports technique

Beckey, Cascade Alpine Guide

NW

M

G

M

No brainer

Hornbein, Everest: The West Ridge

AS

M

B

K

Northwest climber/author

Jettmar, The Alaska River Guide, Canoeing, Kayaking, and Rafting

NK

W

G

N

Water sports guidebook

Jones, Climbing in North America

NA

M

H

N

Classic national history

Logue, Best of the Appalachian Trail

NE

H

G

N

Regional guidebook

Miller, The North Cascades

NW

C

P

M

No brainer

O'Connell, Beyond Risk: Conversations with Climbers

WO

M

H

M

Published by Mountaineers Books

Ortenburger, Climber's Guide to the Teton Range

NR

M

G

N

Regional guidebook

Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills

WO

M

T

M

Classic mountaineering textbook