Reading in Advanced Classification

Abstract

PREFACE This book looks at classification, a fundamental subject in traditional ibrarianship. It is common to regard classification as a subset of cataloguing and indexing, and ere aren't many fundamental textbooks that focus only on he theory and application of resource classification. This book makes a modest effort to restore some equilibrium. The goal is to emystify a difficult subject by offering a solid theoretical foundation, helpful uidance, and encouragement of practical skills. A significant work in a branch of librarianship that has received very little ttention from writers is in Classification. Although this subfield of librarianship as been covered in a variety of ways in numerous works, I will boldly state that otwithstanding or as one of the courses in university and polytechnic library and information science programs. A complete book on reading in classification is scarce. This always leaves a knowledge gap, which this effort is wellpositioned to close. The author of this book has done a great job of presenting a very engaging perspective on the teaching, learning, and study of classification services, which will greatly aid the library profession in shaping the technical operations and services that students, teachers, and especially practicing librarians provide in libraries. The book is divided into ten chapters, each covering various aspects of library classification. The first chapter introduces the nature of knowledge organization and its purpose, while the second chapter focuses on subject analysis techniques, classification of simple and compound subjects, and methods of retrieving subjects. The third chapter discusses the construction of catalogs, resource descriptions, access, AACR, descriptive cataloguing exercises, MARC and OPAC, authority control, and authority files. The fourth chapter covers indexing, thesaurus, document indexing, word-based indexing systems, natural language, and hierarchical controlled vocabulary. The fifth chapter discusses classification schemes and subject heading lists, such as LC and LCSH or DDC. The sixth chapter discusses subject heading lists, their utility, limitations, and evaluation criteria. The seventh chapter discusses the Library of Congress Classification Scheme, its history and development, its structure, and its application in academic libraries. The eighth chapter explores the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) scheme, its strengths and weaknesses, its international appeal, and its treatment of African topics. The ninth chapter explores the Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) scheme, its use in science and technology, and its advantages and disadvantages finally, Chapter Ten covers two special classification schemes; the Moys Classification Scheme, its basic structure, and the National Library of Medicine classification. Reading in advanced classification in Libraries is written in simple English for easy understanding and is highly recommended to students of librarianship, lecturers of Library and Information Science, libraries, and practicing librarians. Musa, Hussaini April, 2023