This book explains a core skill in librarianship – classification. Classification amongst library students and librarians is almost as popular as picking up cow dung. The majority of librarians want to work in reference; what they seem not to understand is that correct classification enables the reference librarian to search for and retrieve the exact material required. The library and information system is only as good as the structure and content of its retrieval module, which includes accurate subject classification as well as descriptive cataloguing. This book is a valuable tool for understanding the principles and practice of classification. It claims to demystify the principles and methods of classification and it succeeds in doing so.
First, it introduces us to the background of classification in general before going on to library classification. An important part of library classification is not just the subject itself, but where the material will be placed within a specific collection. All library collections are unique and classification needs to be flexible enough for an item to be placed where it will be most easily retrieved. The author explains how this is accomplished. The next important principle covered is the difference between enumerative and faceted classification, both of which are thoroughly explained.
The next chapter explores the main classification schemes for general library collections – the Dewey Decimal Classification (Dewey) and the Library of Congress classification (LC). The structure of each scheme is clearly explained with examples, and exercises are included at the end of the sections relating to each of these schemes.
Specialist collections have their own chapter, which gives different options for classifying when Dewey and LC may be too general. The Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) is covered here with examples and exercises. Fully faceted classification schemes, including Colon and Bliss, are described. Specialist classification schemes such as the London Classification of Business Studies and the National Library of Medicine classification are also described.
The exciting part of this book is that it also explains how to create your own faceted classification scheme for your specific library collection. It can be for an entire collection or a subset of the collection. The principles are outlined, with an example of a scheme created by the author for practical illustration.
The final chapter introduces the concepts and principles of the classification of digital resources. The library disciplines of cataloguing, classification, indexing and thesaurus construction translate across as metadata, taxonomy and ontology. These topics are explained in user-friendly fashion. User-centred design and needs analysis are discussed. Collaborative classification is touched on. I would have liked to see these concepts illustrated with practical examples in this chapter, which is mostly theoretical in nature.
Overall this work is entirely suitable for library and information students and also experienced classifiers wishing to expand their knowledge. Reading this book will do much to help librarians become more generally comfortable with the concepts of classification and less inclined to view it with distaste.
Department of Defence
© 2015, Kathryn Prescott
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00049670.2015.1100236