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Prolegomena to Library Classification

About: The article was published on 1967-01-01 and is currently open access. It has received 431 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Library of Congress Classification & Dewey Decimal Classification.

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A review of the literature pertaining to aboutness determination and related terms specific to Library and Information Science was undertaken, borrowing extensively from the literature review of Daniel Joudrey's (2005) dissertation, Building puzzles and growing pearls: A qualitative exploration of determining aboutness as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Objective – This paper explores the concept of “aboutness”, its related terms, and the process of aboutness determination as found in the Library and Information Science Literature. Methods – A review of the literature pertaining to aboutness determination and related terms specific to Library and Information Science was undertaken, borrowing extensively from the literature review of Daniel Joudrey’s (2005) dissertation, Building puzzles and growing pearls: A qualitative exploration of determining aboutness, as well as examining a small selection of research and articles not discussed by Joudrey. In addition, a concept map was developed to outline many of the concepts and theories found. Results – The LIS literature demonstrates conflicting positions surrounding the term aboutness and its correlates. Despite the lack of firm agreement on terminologies, the notion of subject is explored because it featured prominently in the literature. As well, intensional and extensional aboutness are explored in contrast to a more subjectivist perspective which asserts that a document's aboutness cannot be separated from its reader. Aboutness determination is also examined through the lens of theme and rheme, that is what is presupposed in a document versus what is new. Aboutness from the user perspective featured considerably in the literature, with many authors asserting both the importance and the challenge of mediating knowledge on behalf of the user. The stage of aboutness determination in the complete process of subject indexing is also presented here, and the findings demonstrate that the stages are anything but linear and sequential. Conclusion – While the findings are more expositional than conclusive, they demonstrate the complexities and challenges surrounding the concept of “aboutness” and the process of its determination. The value of this review is in its ability to present the ways in which scholars and practitioners have attempted to grapple with this conundrum. Although indexers may find temporary solace in cataloguing manuals that outline aboutness determination procedures, underneath these “safe surfaces” is an ambiguous concept further complicated by obscure and incomplete processes. This review provides an opportunity to reflect on those challenges and to further the discussion.

5 citations


Cites background from "Prolegomena to Library Classificati..."

  • ...Ranganathan (2006) discusses the notion of subject as an “organized or systematized body of ideas, whose extension and intension are likely to fall coherently within the field of interest and comfortably within the intellectual competence and the field of inevitable specialization of a normal…...

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  • ...Ranganathan (2006) also discusses the notion of stages in what he calls “the three planes of a work” (p. 327)....

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Book ChapterDOI
09 Nov 2008
TL;DR: This paper proposes to address fragment identification as a problem best served with interactive aids and presents a faceted exploration approach to explore NFR solutions and identify reusable model fragments, enabling reuse of NFR and trade-off knowledge.
Abstract: Understanding Non-Functional Requirements (NFRs) and trade-offs among them is a key task for systems architects. Modeling notations have been proposed to represent NFRs and tradeoffs among them, yet identification of relevant knowledge inside models (for understanding and/or reuse) remains quite simplistic and manual. This paper proposes to address fragment identification as a problem best served with interactive aids and presents a faceted exploration approach to explore NFR solutions and identify reusable model fragments. NFRs and trade-offs are represented as ontologies, thus opening the door to model merging and high-end visualization. The approach is illustrated with a real-world model, and a prototype tool is introduced. The ultimate goal of this effort is enabling reuse of NFR and trade-off knowledge.

5 citations


Cites background from "Prolegomena to Library Classificati..."

  • ...Ranganathan introduced faceted classification [ 14 ] as a concept-based classification....

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01 Jan 1997
TL;DR: The generalised facet structure (model) of subject representation obtained on the basis of the general theory of classi- fication and the guiding principles for helpful sequence formulated thereof is found to be helpful and acceptable to a large number of users of information systems, and therefore, conjectured to parallel the absolute syntax.
Abstract: Switching from one information system to another would be convenient if the information languages ─ that is, the method of representation of subjects and other information content of discourse used in the systems are syntactically consistent, compatible with each other, and inter-convertible at a reasonable cost. In this connection, the development of an intermediate language through which the switching from one information language to another is an important consideration. An idea is a pattern, a gestalt, a form, a structure that one perceives. A subject of a discourse of an information source or of a user’s query is a combination of ideas, that is, of structures; therefore, the structure of a subjectrepresentation that is, of a subject surrogate has a bearing on the user’s ‘perception’ of the subject represented. Some characteristic features of an information structure helpful to users, the problems of transformation of information structures, the linear structuring of subject surrogates, and some criteria for the choice of a ‘standard format’ or framework or model for such structuring are considered. Absolute syntax is defined as the sequence of the component ideas in a subject helpful and acceptable to a majority of users. The helpfulness of structuring of subject parallel to the absolute syntax is indicated, together with supporting information based on postulations and research on deep structure of languages (Chomsky, Fodor, Katz, Filmore, Birbhaum, and others), biocybernetics (Lazlo), syntax of knowledge (Meredith), common structure in preserving messages in a set of transformations (Rosenbleuth), etc. The generalised facet structure (model) of subject representation obtained on the basis of the general theory of classi- fication and the guiding principles for helpful sequence formulated thereof (Ranganathan and the Bangalore School) is found to be helpful and acceptable to a large number of users of information systems, and therefore, conjectured to parallel the absolute syntax. Work done in this regard and in the development of specific schemes for classification and for the formulation of subject headings in different languages within the general framework (model), is mentioned.

5 citations


Cites methods from "Prolegomena to Library Classificati..."

  • ...The following are the operational definitions of some of the technical terms used in this paper[ 1 ]:...

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a metodologia consistiu em pesquisa qualitativa de cunho exploratorio em percurso duplo pautado pela abordagem bibliografica-documental e pela pesquiseintervencao.
Abstract: Ordenacao de documentos e atividade que propoe arranjos para documentos em mobiliarios de acordo com atributos definidos como criterios. O numero de chamada e uma das principais solucoes voltadas a ordenacao de documentos no contexto das bibliotecas e como conteudo trabalhado nos cursos de graduacao de Biblioteconomia no Brasil. Nos curriculos destes cursos, em geral, a ordenacao de documentos e alocada de modo parcial nas disciplinas de sistemas de classificacao bibliografica ou nas disciplinas de catalogacao. O objetivo do estudo e discutir a ordenacao de documentos e o numero de chamada como conteudos de disciplinas obrigatorias do curso de graduacao em Biblioteconomia da UFMG, de modo a contextualizar e subsidiar relato de experiencia de oferta de disciplina optativa referente a tematica, como proposta alternativa ao quadro atual. A metodologia consistiu em pesquisa qualitativa de cunho exploratorio em percurso duplo pautado pela abordagem bibliografica-documental e pela pesquisa-intervencao. Como resultado, observa-se que, na trajetoria curricular analisada, a ordenacao de documentos foi progressivamente tornando-se restrita ao numero de chamada, ainda assim, na ausencia de abordagem deste modelo como produto complexo e articulado. Ressalta-se a necessidade de ampliar as discussoes sobre as transposicoes didaticas de conteudos segundo os aportes teoricos que os sustentam.

5 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Y. K. Chung1
TL;DR: By applying of Bradford's law to analysis of the source documents and their references by classification systems researchers in the world, this paper presents core authors of the field during the period 1981–1990 and the unusual rising tail of Bradford distribution is appeared and explained.
Abstract: By applying of Bradford's law to analysis of the source documents and their references by classification systems researchers in the world, this paper presents core authors of the field during the period 1981–1990. The findings show that 1) core authors of the international classification systems literature are the Library of Congress, M. Dewey, S. Ranganathan, J. Comaromi, A. Neelameghan, L. Chan and K. Markey; 2) the highly cited authors are linked either to the developers of the classification systems or to a research center, or else they authored the most frequently cited books; and 3) the data confirms to Bradford's law and the unusual rising tail of Bradford distribution is appeared and explained.

5 citations