I have an item about an exhibition catalog in modern art in 20th century but for the 1950s period specifically. According to the DDC, under 709.04, I can add numbers from Table 1 to specify the 1950s period, in this case: 709.045. It is possible to add to that number 074 (Museums, collections, exhibits) from Table 1? If so, how do you build it?

Yes, you may add notation 074 (Museums, collections, exhibits) from Table 1 to 709.045 to construct the final number 709.045074. In fact, you can add all standard subdivision notation to 709.045 because there is a reference at 701-708 (the span for subdivisions of fine and decorative arts in general) that instructs, "Class standard subdivisions of special schools, styles, periods of development in 709.-12-709.05."

If the reference at 701-708 had not carried with it the implication that you could add all standard subdivisions to numbers in the span 709.012-709.05, you would still be able to add notation 074 because instructions at 709.041-.049 advise to "Add to base number 709.04 the numbers following 0904 in 09041-09049 from Table 1." This instruction leads to the footnotes in Table 1 under --0901-0905 (including --09041-09049) that in turn lead to an add table where --074 is listed among the few standard subdivisions that can be added to period notation in 0901-0905. (You can add the rest of the standard subdivisions in 709.041-.049, not just the ones in the add table, because the reference at 701-708 overrides the limitations of the add table in Table 1.)

Last revised: 04 September 2003