Crash Course in Dewey Decimal Classification Instructor: Elisa Sze October 2018 Fall 2018 iskills Series
Why classification? Bowker & Starr, in Sorting Things Out (1999): We know what something is by contrast with what it is not (p. 290). Being able to judge equivalence and comparability (i.e., our impetus to categorize) is important to making sense of information. However, classification schemes are entities with consequences (p. 231) and they are historical and political artifacts of the social, economic, cultural context in which they were created (p. 285).
Library context for classification Provide access to a work, based at least in part on what it is about (subject access) Provide a specific location where works about the same subject can continually be found (consistency) Some form of logic or order in the arrangement of subjects (relationships between subjects, common usage) Contrast with accession numbers and in-house numbering systems.
Subject analysis = Determining and describing the intellectual or artistic content of a work, with the aim of providing access to the work Provide access based on aboutness : Verbal approach = word or phrase, commonly from a list of controlled vocabulary (subject headings system) Notational approach = classification
What is Dewey Decimal Classification? Method of organizing published knowledge, first by discipline, then by subject Decimals make the system extensible Meant to be universal; notation uses Arabic numerals Analytico-synthetic classification
Print Formats & editions DDC 23 WebDewey 23 Abridged 15 Online WebDewey look for Abridged Edition 15 The Abridged 15 is guided by the same principles as the full DDC 23.
Background Conceived in 1873, first published in 1876 First classification system to be built around decimals Copyright held by OCLC Updated by Library of Congress, Dewey Section Translated into over 30 languages Adopted in over 135 countries Image: DDC 1 st ed. title page: https://archive.org/stream/classificationan00dewerich#page/n7/mode/2up
Limitations of DDC Can any classification system be universal? Modernizing a legacy system Cultural baggage: 19 th century Western-centric worldview Controversial creator Melvil Dewey (1851-1931) posthumously lauded as the father of modern librarianship and hero Wayne Wiegand s Irrepressible Reformer: A Biography of Melvil Dewey (1996) explicitly countered this cult image, by exposing Dewey s anti-semitism and sexual harassment of female subordinates Anne Ford, in her American Libraries Magazine article (2018) asks, how should the library profession handle Dewey s legacy in the #MeToo era?
Classes in DDC 23 rd ed. (2011) 000 Computer science, information & general works 100 Philosophy & psychology 200 Religion 300 Social sciences 400 Language 500 Science 600 Technology 700 Arts & recreation 800 Literature 900 History & geography Source: Dewey, M. (2011). Dewey decimal classification and relative index, 23 rd edition. J. Mitchell (Ed.). Dublin, OH: OCLC.
Hundred divisions 100 Philosophy 110 Metaphysics 120 Epistemology 130 Parapsychology & occultism 140 Philosophical schools of thought 150 Psychology 160 Philosophical logic 170 Ethics 180-190 History, geographic treatment, biography
Thousand sections 110 Metaphysics 111 Ontology [112] [Unassigned] 113 Cosmology (Philosophy of nature) 114 Space 115 Time 116 Change 117 Structure 118 Force and energy 119 Number and quantity
Filing in DDC order 002 004 020 020.3 020.62 022 025.3 090 100
How to classify 1. Determine the subject of the work. 2. Determine the DDC number based on the discipline of the subject. 3. Follow all written instructions in the schedule and relevant tables. 4. Keep in mind the rules of DDC.
Vaccine development
World travel guides
Incunabula = books published in Europe before 1501
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 digits 636.72 Nonsporting dogs is coordinate with 636.73 Working and herding dogs Superordinate to a number that is one digit longer 636.73 Working and herding dogs is superordinate to 636.736 Doberman-Pinscher
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 3 rd and 4 th digits 001.1 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 in Including notes - When it duplicates the schedule - When the topic that you want to use as the basis of number-building does not encompass the whole of the topic in the schedule
Table 1: Standard subdivisions --01 Philosophy and theory --02 Miscellany --03 Dictionaries, encyclopedias, concordances --04 Special topics --05 Serial publications --06 Organizations and management --07 Education, research, related topics --08 Groups of people --09 History, geographic treatment, biography
Exercise: Number building with Table 1 Base number for the book : Standard subdivision Final notation Book collecting Book history A dictionary of book-related terminology
Exercise: Number building with Table 1 Base number for the book : Standard subdivision Final notation Book collecting Book history Dictionary of book-related terms
Choosing between T1 subdivisions If more than one standard subdivision appears to be applicable, you must choose one subdivision. Follow the table of preference that appears in the Notes section of Table 1. Example: What notation would you apply to an encyclopedia of book history?
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.
Exercise: Number building with Table 1 09 + Table 2 Build the number for Canadian folklore. 1. Base number for folklore 2. Add Table 1, notation 09 See instructions for: T1 093 - T1 099 3. Add Table 2 notation
Other types of instructions 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 of DDC Rule of application Class the work with the subject that is being acted upon. Example Management basics for computer scientists Actor : Management Subject that is acted upon : Computer science
Rules of DDC Fuller treatment If a work deals with two or more subjects, 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 sculpture, 50% about architecture Subject whose number comes first: architecture
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 DDC Rule of zero Keep only as many zeroes as necessary for distinguishing a standard subdivision from the other numbers in the schedule. Example 700 The arts (fine, decorative, literary, performing, and recreational) 700.1 Philosophy of the arts 701 Philosophy of fine and decorative arts 720 Architecture 720.1 Philosophy of architecture
Rules of DDC Interdisciplinary 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 If none of the rules help you choose between competing notations, then consult: Table of Last Resort (Introduction, section 5.9) Intention of the author
Exercise: Determine the notation Work in pairs. Determine the notation for each topic. For topics where more than one 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
Canadian literature in English
For more practice, try the additional exercises at the end of your handout