All you need to know about: classification

+ more detailed then enumerative schemes

– Wait. I have a book about cats in a library. Where the f*ck do I put that?

All you need to know about classification

Siru & Tiina

Universal Decimal Classification

• developed by Paul Otlet and Henri La Fontaine
• first edition 1905
• based on DDC
• faceted, but organized hierarchically
• most widely used organization system in libraries
• can describe almost ANYTHING
• under continuous review

Colon classification

• developed by S.R.Ranganathan
• first EVER faceted
• first edition: 1933
• used especially in India

Dewey Decimal System

India: making things complicated since 1933! Because why not?

• invented in 1876 by Melvil Dewey
• hierarchical, originally enumerative
• limited in certain subjects
• strong classification bias
• revised 23 times, most recently 2011
• maintained by OCLC

5% use

something

else :(

The American public libraries

95% use

DDC

Functionality

Enumerative schemes were the earliest way to classify books

subjects are given a numerical value based on the order they were listed

subjects are put in alphabetical order

Cats 1

Libraries 2

Rum 3

books are listed with the main subject or the theme of the book

• Cats
• Libraries
• Rum

All you need to know about: Cats! -> Subject: Cats

Why is the rum gone? - Subject: Rum

Classification and Indexing: -Subject: Libraries

Did you know? DDC started as an enumerative scheme!

+ not too complicated

– not complex enough

Hierarchical schemes: let's make it more complex!

Main categories!

Classification for idiots

Subcategories!

02. LIBRARY. LIBRARY SCIENCE. INFORMATICS

Sub subcategories?

02.3 Library management, library techniques

Sub sub sub sub sub

02.32 Library media, care of collections

FINALLY!

02.321 Content description in libraries

Classification and Indexing, 02.321

Sources:

Anu Alaterä, Kai Halttunen & Eero Sormunen / Internetix 2001-2005: http://oppimateriaalit.internetix.fi/fi/avoimet/0viestinta/informaatiotutkimus/tiedon_organisoinnin/luku6/01_index

Birger Hjørland 2010 : http://www.iva.dk/bh/lifeboat_ko/concepts/classification.htm

OCLC 2014 : http://www.oclc.org/dewey.en.html

ISKO Italia 2014 : http://www.iskoi.org/doc/colon.htm

UDC Consortium 2014 : http://www.udcc.org/index.php/site/page?view=factsheet

When hierarchical schemes just don't do it for you anymore... FACETS

+ as specific as possible

– waaaay too complex

• allows one book to have many categories

• agreement of a way to group together similar entities
• born when libraries opened for public

"Research in the cure of the tuberculosis of lungs by x-ray conducted in India in 1950s"

• Main classification is Medicine
• (Medicine)
• Within Medicine, the Lungs are the main concern
• (Medicine,Lungs)
• The property of the Lungs is that they are afflicted with Tuberculosis
• (Medicine,Lungs;Tuberculosis)
• The Tuberculosis is being performed (:) on, that is the intent is to cure (Treatment)
• (Medicine,Lungs;Tuberculosis:Treatment)
• The matter that we are treating the Tuberculosis with are X-Rays
• (Medicine,Lungs;Tuberculosis:Treatment;X-ray)
• And this discussion of treatment is regarding the Research phase
• (Medicine,Lungs;Tuberculosis:Treatment;X-ray:Research)
• This Research is performed within a geographical space (.) namely India
• (Medicine,Lungs;Tuberculosis:Treatment;X-ray:Research.India)
• During the time (') of 1950
• (Medicine,Lungs;Tuberculosis:Treatment;X-ray:Research.India'1950)
• And translating into the codes listed for each subject and facet the classification becomes:

 L,45;421:6;253:f.44'N5

National schemes are schemes that are used on a national level.

• Yleisten kirjastojen luokitusjärjestelmä: based on UDC, but not faceted. Used in public libraries of Finland.

Specific schemes are schemes that are used in libraries that are focused on a certain subject

• National Library of Medicine Classification: based on LCC, but more focused in the field of medicine.

Universal schemes are schemes that are used around the world in different libraries.

• Dewey Decimal Classification (which has it’s problems, more on that later)
• Universal Decimal Classification
• Library of Congress Classification (used in academic libraries)