The colon classification system uses 42 main classes that are combined with other letters, numbers, and marks in a manner resembling the Library of Congress Classification.
CC uses five primary categories, or facets, to specify the sorting of a publication. Collectively, they are called PMEST:
Other symbols can be used to indicate components of facets called isolates, and to specify complex combinations or relationships between disciplines.
The following are the main classes of CC, with some subclasses, the main method used to sort the subclass using the PMEST scheme and examples showing application of PMEST.
A common example of the colon classification is:
Raghavan, K. S (December 2015). "The colon classification: a few considerations on its future". Annals of Library and Information Studies. 62: 231–238. http://op.niscair.res.in/index.php/ALIS/article/view/11404/612 ↩
GOPINATH (M A). Colon classification: Its theory and practice. Library Herald. 26, 1–2; 1987; 1–3. ↩