Dewey Decimal Classification DDC 22nd ed.

1
Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) (22nd ed.)

• LIS 532. Week 4, Jan. 28/09

2
Classification

• The act of organizing the universe of knowledge
  into some systematic order
• Establishing relationships among classes and
  subclasses and finer subdivisions
• Library classification systematic arrangement by
  subjects of books and other materials on shelves
  or of catalogues in a manner which is most useful
  to those who read or seek a definite piece of
  information

3
DDC Classification

• Controlled vocabulary
• Hierarchy
• Notation (pure notation vs mixed notation)
• Suitable for browsing
• On shelves
• OPACs catalogues
• Internet (Edmonton Public Library)
• Synthetic/enumerative

4
DDC main classes

• 000 Generalities 100 Philosophy
  Psychology 200 Religion 300 Social Science 400
  Language 500 Natural Science Mathematics 600
  Technology (applied sciences) 700 The Arts 800
  Literature rhetoric 900 Geography History

5
DDC hierarchy example

• 300 Social sciences
• 390 Customs, etiquette, folklore
• 391 Costume and personal appearance
• 391.5 Hair styles
• 391.7 Jewelry

6
Social Sciences
Sociology
Statistics
Political science
Economics
Land economics
Labour economics
Financial economics
Labour force And market
Workers of Specific age groups
Women workers
Conditions of employment
Hierarchical structure from general to specific
7
Orientation to DDC 22

• 5 parts
• The classification itself is made up of 2 parts
• Main schedules, v.2-3
• Tables, v.1
• 3 aids to use
• Introduction and Manual v.1 includes glossary
• Index., v.4

8
DDC synthesis

• DDC is partially enumerative and partially
  synthetic
• Two ways to synthesize DDC intro 8.1, v.1, pp.
  lii
• Tables
• Divide one section like another

9
DDC synthesis

• Tables
• 6 main tables internal tables
• Can always use Table 1 once
• Can use other tables only with permission in main
  schedule or in Table 1
• Subdivision like another section
• Only as stipulated in the schedules

10
Notes in DDC

• Notes are important because they provide
  information that is not obvious in the notational
  hierarchy
• Definition notes indicating the meaning of a
  class
• Scope notes determining the scope of the
  subject matter
• Class here notes lists major topics in a class
• Variant-name notes used for synonyms and near
  synonyms

11
DDC tables

• Table1 Standard subdivisions
• Table 2 Geographic areas , historical periods,
  persons
• Table 3-A Subdivisions for works by or about
  individual authors
• Table 3-B Subdivisions for works by or about
  more than one author
• Table3-C Notation to be added where instructed
  in Table 3-B, 700.4, 808 -809
• Table 4 Subdivisions for individual languages
• Table 5 Racial, ethnic, national groups
• Table 6 Languages

12
How to use tables

• Notations from Table 1 may be used wherever
  applicable
• Notations from tables 2, 5, and 6 are used only
  when instructed
• Table 3 and 4 apply only to certain schedules
• (i.e., table 3 to the 800s and table 4 to
  420-490)

13
Choosing a number

• Basic principle Classification by discipline
• Fundamentals of physical chemistry for premedical
  students
• Chemical calculations An introduction to
  mathematics in chemistry
• Consider utility of the number in the context of
  the aboutness of the information package
• Use the most specific number available
• Do not classify from the index alone
• Try to identify the dominant subject if the work
  is multi-topical

14
Example

• Work in hand is chiefly about
• Foreign relations between Japan and Britain
• 1. Locate base number for international
  relations 327.
• 2. Consider more specific numbers in the
  hierarchy
• Foreign relations of specific continents
  and localities foreign relations of specific
  countries 327.3 - 327.9
• 3. Read classification notes
• Class here foreign policy
• Add to base number 327 notation T2--3-T2--9 from
  Table 2 , e.g., foreign relations of Brazil
  327.81 , of eastern European countries 327.47 ,
  in Middle East 327.56 then, for relations
  between that nation or region and another nation
  or region, add 0 and to the result add notation
  T2--1-T2--9 from Table 2, e.g., relations between
  Brazil and France 327.81044 , between Brazil and
  Arab world 327.810174927
• 4. Construct number 327 decimal area
  notation for Japan 52 0 area notation for
  Britain 41 327.52041

15
Example

• Work in hand is chiefly about
• Descriptive research in Library Science
• 1. Locate base number for library science
  020.
• 2. Consider more specific numbers in the
  hierarchy
• 020 Library and information sciences
• 020.7    Education, research, related topics 
• 020.72   Library research
• 3. Recognize that the standard subdivision 72 is
  derived from Table 1.
• Check for a more specific notation
• T1--0      Table 1. Standard Subdivisions
• T1--07    Education, research, related topics
  
• T1--072   Research statistical methods 
• T10722 - T10724 Specific kinds of research
• T10722 Historical research 
• T1--0723 Descriptive research 
• 4. Construct number 020 decimal 72 23
  020.723

16
Example

• Work in hand is chiefly about
• Geology of
  Finland
• 1. Locate base number
• 500   Science 
• 550   Earth sciences geology
• 550   Earth sciences 
• 551   Geology, hydrology, meteorology 
• 552   Petrology 
• 553    Economic geology 
• 554-559  Earth sciences by specific continents,
  countries, localities in modern world
  extraterrestrial worlds
• 554          Earth sciences of Europe 

17
Example
2. Review classification notes Number built
according to instructions under 554-559 Add to
base number 55 notation T2--4-T2--9 from Table 2
, e.g., geology of Japan 555.2 , of moon 559.91
3. Locate area notation, from Table 2, for
Finland T2--0      Table 2. Geographic Areas,
Historical Periods, Persons T2--3-T2--9
   Specific continents, countries, localities
extraterrestrial worlds T2--4-T2--9    Modern
world extraterrestrial worlds T2--4
             Europe    Western Europe T2--48
           Scandinavia  T2--489          Denmark
and Finland T2--4891-T2--4895 Denmark 
T2--4897                  Finland  4.
Construct number 55 4 decimal 897
554.897
18
Example

• Work in hand is chiefly about
• Commercial policy of the United States
• 1. Locate number for commercial policy
• 300 Social sciences
• 380  Commerce, communications transportation
• 381 Commerce (Trade) formerly 380.1 
• 381.3 Commercial policy
• 2. Recognize that there is no explicit provision
  for geographic subdivision, but that you can use
  standard subdivisions in Tables 1 and 2 to add
  subdivision for the United states
• a. Instructions in Table 1
• Add to base number T1--09 notation T2--3-T2--9
  from Table 2 , e.g., the subject in North America
  T1--097 , in Brazil T1--0981

19
Example
b. Instructions in Table 2 T2--0
Table 2. Geographic Areas, Historical Periods,
Persons T2--3-T2--9 Specific continents,
countries, localities extraterrestrial
worlds T2--4-T2--9   Modern world
extraterrestrial worlds T2--7            North
America  T2--73           United States 3.
Construct the number 381 decimal 3 09 (T1)
73 (Table 2) 381.30973.
20
Example Pop music in Canada

• 781.63 Popular music
• 09 Historical, geographic, persons
  treatment
• 71 Canada (Table 2)
• Number 781.63 09 71

Geographic subdivision
Country number
Base number
21
082 Dewey Decimal Call Number (R)

• Indicators
• First Type of edition
• 0 Full edition
• 1 Abridged edition
• Second Source of call number
• - No information provided
• 0 Assigned by LC
• 4 Assigned by agency other than LC
• Subfield Codes
• a Classification number (R)
• 2 Edition number (NR)

22
Coding DDC class number in MARC

• 082 04 a 779.95 2 22
• 082 04 a 020.723 2 22
• 082 04 a 554.897 2 22

23
Course Resources

• WebDewey (http//connexion.oclc.org/ )
• LC subject Heading
• Dewey Classification Correlations
  (Classification Web)
• OCLC worldCat
• LC Catalogue