crash course in dewey decimal classification fall 2014 iskills workshop series instructor: elisa sze...
TRANSCRIPT
Crash Course in Dewey Decimal Classification
Fall 2014 iSkills Workshop Series
Instructor: Elisa Sze
Librarian, Collections & Public Services Coordinator
Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
Sept. 30 & Oct. 1, 2014
What is Dewey Decimal Classification?
• Method of organizing knowledge, first by discipline, then by subject
• Decimals allow the system to be extensible
• Notation is based on Arabic numerals, for universality
• Analytico-synthetic classification
069A211
069H972
069L653
Collocation: bringing together similar works
069 = about museology/
museum science
H972 = Cutter notation for the author’s name
Background
1873
1876
Images: DDC 1st ed. title page: https://archive.org/stream/classificationan00dewerich#page/n7/mode/2upPortrait of Melvil Dewey: http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?1222486 World map: http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?464988
Date conceived
First published in
Current copyright holder:
OCLC
Who updates it now?
Library of Congress
30+ languages
135+ countries
Formats & Editions
Print OnlineDDC 23 WebDewey WebDewey 23Abridged 15 WebDewey WebDewey 23
look for Abridged Edition 15
The Abridged 15 is guided by the same principles as the full DDC 23.
DDC 1 (1876)
000 Bibliography
100 Philosophy
200 Theology
300 Sociology
400 Philology
500 Natural Science
600 Useful Arts
700 Fine Arts
800 Literature
900 History
Source: Dewey, M. (1876). A classification and subject index for cataloguing and arranging the books and pamphlets of a library (Amherst, Massachusetts: Forest Press Division, Lake Placid Education Foundation). Page 12. Retrieved at: http://quod.lib.umich.edu.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/m/moa/aey7382.0001.001/14?page=root;size=100;view=image
DDC 23 (2011)000 Computer science, information & general
works100 Philosophy & psychology200 Religion300 Social sciences400 Language500 Science600 Technology700 Arts & recreation800 Literature900 History & geography
Source: Dewey, M. (2011). Dewey decimal classification and relative index, 23rd edition. J. Mitchell (Ed.). Dublin, OH: OCLC.
How to Classify
1. Determine the subject of the work.
2. Determine the DDC notation based on the discipline of the subject.
3. Follow all instructions in the schedule and relevant tables.
4. Keep in mind the rules of DDC.
Quick Warm-ups
http://dewey.org/webdewey/login/login.html
Diseases
Linguistics
Incunabula
Structural Hierarchy
Instructions and notes pertaining to one number also apply to the numbers beneath it in the same hierarchy.
700 The Arts contains a scope note “Description, critical appraisal…”
The same scope note also applies to:
730 Sculpture
736 Carving
736.4 Wood carving
Notational Hierarchy
Each number is: • Subordinate to the number that is 1 digit shorter
636.71 Breeds of dogs is subordinate to 636.7 Dogs
• Coordinate with numbers that have the same number of significant digits636.72 Nonsporting dogs is coordinate with 636.73 Working and herding dogs
• Superordinate to a number that is 1 digit longer636.72 Nonsporting dogs is superordinate to 636.728 Poodles
Length of Numbers
• All numbers must be at least 3 digits long• Some numbers will begin with 0 or 00
001 Knowledge
• No periods for 3-digit numbers• Numbers longer than 3 digits have a
period inserted between the 3rd and 4th digits001.1 Intellectual life
Number Building
• Table 1. Standard Subdivisions can be added to almost any number in the schedule except when instructed otherwise.
• Exceptions: - “Do not add”- “No number building”- Topics listed within “Including…” notes- When the topic is already covered by the
schedule (avoid redundancies!)
Number Building: 025 + T1Apply the appropriate standard subdivision to the base number 025.
Standard Subdivision
Final Notation
Dictionary of library operations
Journal of library operations
A museum of the artifacts of library operations
Number Building
• Tables 2 to 6 can only be added when specifically told to add them.
• Other instructions for number building appear in the schedule, when applicable.
Number Building: Notation for ROM using 069 + T1 –09 + T2
069.09 Historical, geographic, or biographical treatment of Museology
See instructions for:
T1 –093 - T1 –099
Look out for…
• Discontinued numbers [ ]
• Optional numbers ( )• Tables of preference
at the beginning of T1 and throughout the schedule
• Footnotes *• Center notes >
• Notes– Add– Build– Class elsewhere– Class here– Comprehensive works– Do not use– Including– See Manual– Scope notes
Rules for More Complex Classification
Rules of DDC
Rule of application
If a work deals with interrelated subjects in the same discipline, class the work with the subject that is being acted upon.
Example
Administration 101 for museum professionals
“Actor”: Administration Subject that is “acted upon”: Museums
Rules of DDC
Fuller treatment
If a work deals with two or more subjects in the same discipline, class the work with the subject receiving the fuller treatment.
Example
A book that is mostly about photography, with a bit about painting
Subject receiving fuller treatment: Photography
Rules of DDC
First-of-two rule
For two subjects treated equally, class the work with the subject whose number comes first in the DDC schedules.
Example
A book that is 50% about photography, 50% about painting
Subject whose number comes first: Painting
Rules of DDC
Rule of three
If a work covers equally 3 or more subjects that are all subdivisions of a broader subject, class the work in the first higher number that includes all the subjects.
Example
A book that is equally about mathematics, astronomy, and physics
First higher number that includes all the subjects: Science
Rules of DDCRule of zeroKeep only as many zeroes as necessary for distinguishing a standard subdivision from the regular numbers in the schedule.
Example700 The arts (fine,
decorative, literary, performing, and recreational)
700.1 Philosophy of art701 Philosophy of fine
and decorative arts720 Architecture720.1 Philosophy of
architecture
Rules of DDCInterdisciplinary numbers
If the work treats the subject from multiple disciplines, and an interdisciplinary number is provided in the schedules or Relative Index, use the interdisciplinary number when applicable.
Example
001.9 Controversial
knowledge
“Class here interdisciplinary works on controversial knowledge, parapsychology, occultism.”
Rules of DDC
• Table of Last Resort • Intention of the author
Your Turn
• Work in pairs or groups of 3.• Determine the notation for each topic.• For topics where more than 1 notation
is possible, explain your choice of notation.
• For notations that you build, explain the instructions that you used.
Freedom of information
Semantic Web
A museum collection of historical ball gowns
Artistic depictions of the natural sciences
For additional practice with DDC, try the exercises in
your handout.
Evaluations
http://current.ischool.utoronto.ca/classificationwithdewey/fall2014