025.431: The Dewey blog

Maya Calendar

The Maya calendar has been in the news recently, e.g., "Found: The Oldest Maya Calendar (and No, the World's Still Not Ending)" (Time Science) and "Oldest Known Maya Calendar Found; No Signs of 2012 Doomsday" (ABC News). The Maya calendar is also a topic in an exhibit at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology: Maya 2012: Lords of Time.

Searching in WebDewey for "maya calendar" (or browsing for it in the WebDewey Relative Index) yields the built number entry:

529.32978427 Maya calendar

The number is built with 529.32 Calendars of specific religions and traditions plus 978 from 299.78 Religions of specific groups and peoples, following the add instruction at 529.32, plus 427 from T5—97427 Peoples who speak, or whose ancestors spoke, Yucatecan languages, following the add instruction at 299.78.  The entry for T5—97427 has the class-here note: "Class here Yucatecan Maya." An example of a work classed in 529.32978427 is Maya Calendar Origins: Monuments, Mythistory, and the Materialization of Time. It has the following LCSHs:

Maya calendar
Maya astronomy
Maya cosmology

Works that emphasize controversial knowledge about the end of the world—whether arguing for or against the idea—are classed in 001.9 Controversial knowledge, which has the including note:  "Including . . . . the end of the world."  That number can be found in WebDewey by browsing the Relative Index for "end of the world" or by searching for it. Because the topic is in an including note, no further addition is possible.  An example of a work classed in 001.9 Controversial knowledge is The End of Time: The Maya Mystery of 2012. It has the LCSHs:

End of the world (Astronomy)
Maya calendar
Two thousand twelve, A.D.

Eponymy and the DDC

I’m taking advantage of a minor relocation in DDC 23—the relocation of dictionaries of eponyms from 413.1 Specialized dictionaries to 412.03 Etymological dictionaries—to start a series of blog posts on eponymous subjects.   But first, please remind me (you might be saying), what’s an eponym?  And while you’re at it, why would dictionaries of eponyms be relocated out of 413.1?  (They sound pretty specialized, don’t they?)  And what do eponyms have to do with etymology?

An eponym is a word/phrase that is derived from the name of a person.  For instance, the Dewey Decimal Classification is an eponym, derived from the name of Melvil Dewey, the person who devised the system.  Thus eponymy is one of the types of word sources studied in etymology.  Yes, dictionaries of eponyms are specialized dictionaries, but classing them with other works on etymology makes for a better fit than classing them with other specialized dictionaries. 

The number for the DDC is, as the blog itself broadcasts, 025.431 Dewey Decimal Classification.  What then is the class number for comprehensive works on Melvil Dewey?   The Manual note at T1—092 Biography instructs us to “use the number for the subject of the person’s most noted contribution for the comprehensive biography of the person.”  It might seem obvious then that comprehensive works on Melvil Dewey should be classed in 025.431092.  But what of his other noted contributions, among which are his (co-)founding of The Library Journal, the American Library Association, and the Library Bureau, as well as the world’s first library school?   We are helped out again by the Manual note, which goes on to say, “If in doubt between a number for a discipline and a number for a specific subject within the discipline, prefer the number for the discipline.”  The most appropriate number for comprehensive works on Melvil Dewey therefore is 020.92 (built with 020 Library and information sciences, plus T1—092 Biography).  A good example of such a work is Wayne Wiegand’s Irrepressible reformer:  A biography of Melvil Dewey.

The World Wide Web and Special-purpose computer systems

This is the fourth in a set of posts on changes in 004-006 Computer science in DDC 23.  As a previous post noted, some of these changes were incorporated into the DDC in November 2008, but others were new with the publication of DDC 23 in print and in WebDewey 2.0.  Here we specifically address changes involving the World Wide Web (WWW), in the context not only of 006.7 Multimedia systems, but also of the expansion for 025.042 World Wide Web under 025.04 Information storage and retrieval systems.  An expansion in 006 Special computer methods will also be introduced.

Continuing technological advances lead classifiers to question where best to class specific new and/or evolving computer and information science topics.  Sometimes the number for a topic is provided in the schedules through an expansion for the topic, so that the topic has its own number.  Sometimes information on where to class a topic is provided in Manual notes; sometimes it is given in other types of notes, especially including- and class-here notes; sometimes it is reflected only in indexing, which may appear in the print Relative Index or may appear only in WebDewey.   (Hint:  the classifier may need to check all these sources to find if the schedule gives guidance on how to handle a specific topic.  Absent such guidance, classifiers have been known sometimes to make surprising choices!) 

The table below indicates where selected WWW-related topics are to be classed under 006.7 Multimedia systems, as designated in DDC 23 through various of the means listed above:

Topic	Class number	How designated
Information architecture	006.7 Multimedia systems	In class-here note
Web page design
Web site development
Style sheet languages	006.74 Markup languages	In class-here note
Wikis	006.75 Specific types of multimedia systems	In including note at expansion (expansion from 006.7 introduced in 2008)
Blogs	006.752 Blogs	Expansion
Online social networks	006.754 Online social networks	Expansion
Web application frameworks	006.76 Programming	In class-here note
Rich Internet applications	006.78 Programs	In including note
Web services

The following are examples of works on these topics:

Title	Class number
Information architecture for the World Wide Web	006.7
The Web designer's idea book	006.7
The zen of CSS design: visual enlightenment for the web	006.74
The complete guide to wikis: how to set up, use, and benefit from wikis for teachers, business professionals, families, and friends	006.75
David Busch's quick snap guide to photoblogging with Wordpress: an instant start-up manual for creating and promoting your own photoblog	006.752
The complete idiot's guide to Facebook	006.754
Enabling context-aware web services: methods, architectures, and technologies	006.78

While all of the topics above are WWW-related, the interdisciplinary number for the World Wide Web is not in 006.7, but in 025.04.  The Manual note at 004.678 vs. 006.7, 025.042, 384.33 gives guidance on which aspects of the web are classed in these several places.  With regard to the numbers we have just looked at, it says:  “Use 006.7 for general works about the use of HTML and XML to create hypertext documents on the World Wide Web, and works that discuss web page design or effective web pages.”  The types of works which ought to be classed under 006.7 typically are works on the conceptual design of web sites and pages or works on the use of software that enable web operations. 

Interdisciplinary works on the World Wide Web have been relocated from 004.678 Internet (where interdisciplinary works on the Internet remain) to the recently expanded 025.042 World Wide Web.  The Manual note referenced above goes on to say that 025.042 is to be used for works “that emphasize search and retrieval” on the web, plus “works that describe information resources available on the Internet or WWW, or on how to find information there.” 

The basic development under 025.042 is as follows: 

025.042     World Wide Web (“Class here digital libraries, Internet literacy;” Web2.0 has been added as an index term displaying only in WebDewey, i.e., not in print)

025.0422        Web sites (“Class here directories of web sites, portals”)

025.0425        Search and retrieval (“Class here Internet searching“)

025.04252           Search engines

025.0427        Semantic web (the Relative Index term Resource Description Framework has been moved here; previously it had been assigned to 006.74)

The following are examples of works on these topics:

Title	Class number
Participative Web and user-created content: Web 2.0, wikis and social networking	025.042
Web portals: the new gateways to Internet information and services	025.0422
The extreme searcher's Internet handbook: a guide for the serious searcher	025.0425
The Semantic Web for knowledge and data management technologies and practices	025.0427

The final development to introduce is an expansion under 006.2 Special-purpose systems, where we now have:

006.2    Special-purpose systems

006.22       Embedded computer systems [formerly 004.1]

006.24       Automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) (“Including magnetic stripe encoding”)

(See references lead to numbers for optical character recognition, speaker recognition, and biometric identification.)

006.242          Bar coding [formerly 006.42]

006.245          Radio frequency identification

006.246          Smart cards

By establishing classes for special-purpose systems and, under it, for automatic identification and data capture, we have provided a better organization for topics—embedded computer systems, bar coding—that had previously been classed less felicitously elsewhere. 

The following are examples of works on these topics:

Title	Class number
Real-time embedded systems: optimization, synthesis, and networking	006.22
Scan me : everybody's guide to the magical world of QR codes-- barcodes, mobile devices and hyperlinking the real to the virtual	006.242
RFID: radio frequency identification	006.245
Multi-application smart cards: technology and applications	006.246

New developments in 004-006 will continue indefinitely as new technologies, both new products and services, are created and more established technologies evolve.    But for the time being, this and the previous posts on developments in 004-006 in DDC 23 are a snapshot of significant changes in the past several years.  You can find the other posts by following these links:

Computer programming, programs, and data

Networking and computer communications

Computer hardware and storage

Computer programming, programs, and data

DDC 23 includes numerous changes in 004-006 Computer science.  As a previous post noted, some of these changes were incorporated into the DDC in November 2008, but others are new with the publication of DDC 23 in print and in WebDewey 2.0.  This post reviews many of the changes involving computer programming, programs, and data in 005.

One small set of changes was instituted to make clear where two programming-related topics should be classed.  Both of the topics, application frameworks and integrated development environments, were added to the class-here note at 005.1 Programming.  According to a guest editorial for a special issue of Communications of the ACM on object-oriented application frameworks, “a framework is a reusable, ‘semi-complete’ application that can be specialized to produce custom applications.”  According to Webopedia, an integrated development environment is “a programming environment integrated into a software application that provides a GUI builder, a text or code editor, a compiler and/or interpreter and a debugger.”  At the core of both application frameworks and integrated development environments are programs, but they are not end-user applications; rather they are tools that support more efficient programming.  The Manual note at 005.1 vs. 005.3 Programming vs. Programs clarifies that 005.1 and its subdivisions tend to target programmers, while 005.3 and its subdivisions tend to target end users; furthermore, works devoted equally to programming and programs are to be classed in 005.1 or 005.2, which are programming numbers.  Representative titles include Domain-specific application frameworks: frameworks experience by industry and Integrated software development environments: requirements for the next generation, both of which should be classed in 005.1.

A second small set of changes teases out the classification of web servers, web server programs, and web services.  In fact, these changes are not restricted to 005.  Web servers are computers that are accessible via the Internet and that deliver web pages.  For example, “http://ddc.typepad.com/025431/” is interpreted by a web server at TypePad as a request to deliver the Dewey blog to the client making the request.  Web servers have been added to the class-here note at 004.36 Distributed processing in recognition of their role in client-server computing.  A web server program (e.g., Apache HTTP server) is the software run by a web server; accordingly, web server programs have been added to the class-here note at 005.376 Programs for distributed computing.  (Web server programming belongs in the parallel class, 005.276 Programming for distributed computing.)  The W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) defines a web service as “a software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network.”  (Incidentally, the part of http://dewey.info aimed at machine consumption is a web service.  Consider, for example, http://dewey.info/class/641.5/a14/about.rdf, which is rather more machine-friendly than human-friendly!  For further information on dewey.info, see here.)  This direct machine-to-machine interaction distinguishes web services from more traditional client-server computing.  Web services have been added to the including note at 006.78 (Multimedia systems) Programs.  Representative titles include:  Run your own web server using Linux & Apache, classed in 004.36; Web server programming, classed in 005.276, and Enabling context-aware web services: methods, architectures, and technologies, classed in 006.78.

The largest set of changes affects 005.7 Data in computer systems.  Error-correcting codes were relocated from 005.72 to their own number, an expansion at 005.717.  At the same time, file formats were relocated from 005.741 to 005.72 Data preparation and representation, which now brings document formats, record formats, and file formats together in that number as topics approximating the whole of the class.  Furthermore, see references at 005.72 make clear that data representation through data structures and through file organization are to be classed in 005.73 Data structures and 005.741 File organization and access methods, respectively.  Portable document software (e.g., Acrobat Reader) has now found a home in 005.726 (Data preparation and representation) Programs.  The splintering of data mining based on methods used has been dropped, as evident primarily in the relocation of data mining based on database management methods from 005.74 Data files and databases to 006.312 Data mining.  In a return favor, logic databases and deductive databases have been relocated out of 006.33 Knowledge-based systems to the built number 005.74015113 Mathematical logic (built with 005.74 Data files and databases plus notation 015 Scientific principles from Table 1 plus notation 113 from 511.3 Mathematical logic, following the add instruction at 1—015.  New numbers have been provided for 005.743 Database design and architecture, with data modeling and data models in its class-here note, and 005.745 Data warehousing, with transaction processing systems in its class-here note.  A new number has also been provided for 005.753 Temporal, spatial, constraint databases.  Object-relational databases have been relocated from 005.757 Object-oriented databases to 005.756 Relational databases.  Class-elsewhere notes instructing the classifier to class various types of database that run in a network in 005.758 Distributed data files and databases have been replaced by an instruction at 005.754-005.757 to class distributed versions of databases in 005.758.  Representative titles include:  How to do everything Adobe Acrobat X, classed in 005.726; The Evolution of Conceptual Modeling: From a Historical Perspective towards the Future of Conceptual Modeling, classed in 005.743; and Data warehouse design: modern principles and methodologies, classed in 005.745.

A final small set of changes concerns 005.8 Data security.  Changes here start with the addition of digital rights management and electronic signatures to the including note at 005.8.  Digital rights management refers to technologies used to protect intellectual property rights by limiting access to content.  The use of electronic signatures is a general data security strategy.  Such signatures can be made more secure through encryption; encrypted electronic signatures, which typically are referred to as digital signatures, have been added to the including note at 005.82 Data encryption.  These changes conclude with a change in the caption at 005.84, which has been generalized to Malware.  Representative titles include:  Digital rights management for e-commerce systems and Developing measures and standards for the European electronic signatures market, both of which are classed in 005.8; RSA Security's official guide to digital signatures, classed in 005.82; and Malware forensics:  investigating and analyzing malicious code, classed in 005.84.

Networking and computer communications

DDC 23 includes numerous changes in 004-006 Computer science.  As a previous post noted, some of these changes were incorporated into the DDC in November 2008, but others are new with the publication of DDC 23 in print and in WebDewey 2.0.  This post reviews many of the changes involving networking and computer communications in 004.3 and 004.6.

The development under 004.3 Processing modes (“Class here computers, processors, computer systems distinguished by their processing modes”) is relevant here because some processing modes are dependent on communications and networking (e.g., 004.35 Multiprocessing, 004.36 Distributed processing).  Recent changes include the addition of cluster computing to the class-here note at 004.35 (most relevant for Beowulf cluster computing, where a large part of the literary warrant occurs) and the addition of web servers and grid computing to the class-here note at 004.36.  Accordingly IEEE International Conference on Cluster Computing and Introduction to parallel processing:  algorithms and architectures should be classed in 004.35, while  A networking approach to grid computing and Run your own web server using Linux & Apache should be classed in 004.36.

Both wired communications and wireless communications have been added to the class-here note at 004.6 Interfacing and communications, where a work like Advances in wired and wireless communications should be classed.  Because of the principle of hierarchical force, wired and wireless communications apply as well to all subdivisions of 004.6.

The subdivisions of 004.6 include both communications between computers (see, for example, 004.65-004.68 Computer communication networks) and computer-supported communications between and among people, as developed in 004.69 Specific kinds of computer communications.  This dual nature of 004.6 accounts for why 004.60148 (built with 004.6 plus T1—0148 Abbreviations, acronyms, symbols) is the appropriate number for both Alphabet soup: data comm & networking acronyms and their meanings, which targets communication between computers, and IM abbreviations, texting & emoticons, which targets communication between humans, supported by computers.

Under 004.65 Communications network architecture are classes for two specific network architectures, 004.652 Peer-to-peer (P2P) architecture and 004.654 Service-oriented architecture, often referred to by the acronym SOA.  Representative titles that should be classed at these two numbers include Peer-to-peer computing: principles and applications at 004.652 and 100 SOA questions: asked and answered at 004.654.

The developments at 004.67 Wide-area networks and 004.68 Local-area networks are distinguished by the size of the area that the network covers.  Other “network sizes” are also recognized, but the classification treats them as either wide-are networks or local networks.  Thus, metropolitan-area networks (MANs) have been added in a class-here note at 004.67, while personal-area networks (PANs) have been added in a class-here note at 004.68. Gigabit ethernet for metro area networks should therefore be classed in 004.67 and Wireless personal and local area networks in 004.68.

Cloud computing has emerged as a significant phenomenon in recent years.  The term has been used to refer to a variety of related phenomena; what they all have in common is that cloud computing involves computing over the Internet.  Hence this topic has been accommodated in an expansion under 004.678 Internet:  004.6782 Cloud computing, where a work like Getting started with cloud computing: a LITA guide should be classed.  However, specific aspects of cloud computing should be classed with the aspect.   Cloud security: a comprehensive guide to secure cloud computing therefore should be classed in 005.8 Data security, which includes computer network security in its class-here note.

Finally, as mentioned previously, human communications supported by computers are provided for in 004.69 Specific kinds of computer communications.  The subclasses here have been recast slightly, so that 004.692 Electronic mail is the class for all point-to-point communications (e.g., instant messaging), while 004.693 Discussion groups is the class for all broadcast communications (e.g., chat groups).  Internet telephony remains at 004.695.  Example titles to be classed in these numbers include:

• Sams teach yourself Gmail in 10 minutes 004.692
• Managing online forums: everything you need to know to create and run successful community discussion boards 004.693
• Skype for dummies 004.695

Computer Hardware and Storage

A post from 2008--Where does [name your favorite computer-related advance] go?--summarized numerous changes in 004–006 Computer science; computer programming, programs, data; special computer methods as announced in the November 2008 New and Changed Entries (in Word and PDF formats).  Additional changes in 004–006 have been made since then.  This is the first of several posts that will delve into both sets of changes, all of which are now available in DDC 23.  This post focuses on changes pertaining to hardware and storage in 004 Computer science; subsequent posts will address changes pertaining to networking and communications in 004, as well as changes in 005 Computer programming, programs, data and 006 Special computer methods.

Two general trends pertaining to the functionality and size of computing devices have been addressed.  The first trend is the proliferation of smaller computing devices, which has motivated an expansion for handheld computing devices at 004.167 (as well as expansions at 004.1675 Specific handheld computing devices and 005.25 Programming for handheld computing devices).  An example of a book that should be classed at 004.167 is The 2007-2012 world outlook for portable handheld computers, while BlackBerry Storm for dummies should be classed at 004.1675.  Related numbers in 005 do not distinguish between handheld computing devices in general and specific handheld computing devices.  Thus we class The Android developer's cookbook: building applications with the Android SDK 005.25 Programming for handheld computing devices.  (Note that there is not as yet a separate number for programs for handheld computing devices; thus Brilliant Blackberry apps for dummies belongs in 005.36 Programs for personal computers, which contains the note “Including programs for handheld computing devices.”) 

The second trend is that many computing devices are multifunctional.  For example, in addition to running application software, many handheld computing devices can also serve as cameras, phones, and/or portable media playes.  A note at 004.11–004.16 Digital computers instructs that multifunctional devices should be classed with their predominant function. Thus works on smartphones, for instance, will generally be classed with handheld computing devices rather than with mobile phones, cameras, or portable media players, as already seen in the examples above. 

It is instructive to note that the class-here note at 004.16 Personal computers, which in DDC 22 enumerated specific types of microcomputers has been replaced by a more generic note (“Class here specific types of personal computers”).  This means that all specific types of personal computers now approximate the whole of 004.16, not just those named in the note.

Under 004.56 External storage (Auxiliary storage), three kinds of changes have been made.  First, provision has been made for a new class of storage at 004.568 Semiconductor storage.  The class-here note at that number mentions solid-state storage, flash drives, and memory cards.  Second, the coordinate classes have been given new captions (“Magnetic storage” and “Optical storage”) in parallel with the caption at 004.568.  Third, the including and class-here notes at 004.56 and its subordinate classes have been updated. 

Examples of recent works that should be classed in the three classes under 004.56 include the following: IBM TotalStorage 3494 tape library: a practical guide to tape drives and tape automation at 004.563 Magnetic storage (where both magnetic tapes and tape drives are mentioned in the including note); Holographic data storage: from theory to practical systems at 004.565 Optical storage; and The 2007-2012 world outlook for NAND flash memory cards at 004.568 Semiconductor storage.

Parallel modifications to the changes discussed above have been made in Engineering, at 621.39167 Handheld computing devices and 621.3976 External storage (Auxiliary storage). 

Topic Neighborhoods

Neighbors and neighborhoods are found in many places in the DDC.   The interdisciplinary number for neighborhoods as a social community is 307.3362, where provision is made for adding from 307.72–307.77 to represent specific kinds of communities—rural communities, suburban communities, urban communities, and self-contained communities.  Interpersonal relations with neighbors are classed in 158.25, while the psychological influence of neighbors is classed in 155.925 (built with 155.92 Influence of social environment plus 5 from the numbers following 158.2 in 158.25 Interpersonal relations with neighbors, following the instructions at 155.92).   But humans apparently are not the only kinds of things who can be neighbors:  over forty Table 2 captions refer either to “neighboring islands” (as part of Indonesia) or to “neighboring counties” (in such states as Texas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Montana).  

In addition to social and geographic neighborhoods, metaphorical senses of neighborhood are also found in mathematics.  In topology, the neighborhood of a point in a topological space is defined as an open set containing the point; a topological neighborhood is classed in 514.322 Point set topology (General topology).   In graph theory, the neighborhood of a vertex in a graph is the set of all vertices adjacent to it and all edges between the adjacent vertices; a graph theoretical neighborhood is classed in 511.5 Graph theory. 

There is also a sense of topic neighborhood relevant to classification schemes, based on the graph theoretical concept of neighborhood.  This concept was the subject of a presentation on the ontological character of classes in the Dewey Decimal Classification given by DDC editors Rebecca Green and Michael Panzer at the Eleventh International ISKO Conference, held 23-26 February 2010 in Rome, Italy; the theme of the conference was paradigms and conceptual systems in knowledge organization.  (Michael also cooperated with Marcia Lei Zeng and Athena Salaba, both of Kent State University, in a presentation on expressing classification schemes with OWL 2.)   Topic neighborhoods in the DDC are classed in a number that this blog has memorialized, 025.431 Dewey Decimal Classification itself.

The gist of the concept of topic neighborhoods recognizes that the category description associated with a class in a classification scheme is seldom limited to a single topic.   Instead, the typical class is a gathering place for a set of related topics.  But that doesn’t mean that all the topics classed in the same number are part of a single undifferentiated neighborhood.  Rather the class is composed of a set of focal topics (topics in class-here and including notes; captions are often sources of focal topics as well) and their individual neighborhoods (the union of which can be referred to as the neighborhood of a set of points).

Using 782.292 Chant as our major exemplar, our presentation explored the many features of the DDC that define the membership of a class neighborhood.  Some of these features, like class-here and including notes, are additive in nature, while other features, like class-elsewhere and see-reference notes, are subtractive.  Additional features involved in the development of neighborhoods include subsumption (specialization, instantiation), the non-addition of standard subdivision notation for topics in standing room, index terms, hierarchical force, principles of assigning Dewey numbers, diachronic development of the DDC, the existence of the DDC in both full and abridged versions, the classification of bibliographic resources, and—a suggestion from our colleague Hope Olsen—the coordinate numbers of the class.  The presentation also addressed issues concerning the representation of topic neighborhoods in knowledge representation systems (a concern that also spilled over into the Zeng/Panzer/Salaba presentation).

(While we’re on the subject of neighborhoods, we also want to acknowledge the innovative application of neighborhoods to the Dewey context that has been adopted by the Topeka and Shawnee County [KS] Public Library.)

Computational Linguistics, Corpus Linguistics, and Pragmatics

A significant part of my Dewey life these past three years has been spent in Table 4 and the 400s.  In that period of time, eight—count them, eight!—EPC exhibits (most developed with my colleague Juli Beall) have focused on aspects of Table 4 and the 400s.  Work done in these two contexts (or maybe it’s just one context) has also spawned three blog entries during the same period.  One, named Language, Language Everywhere, commented on the underlying importance of language to much of what we do.  The other two solicited feedback on discussion papers in computational linguistics and language variations. 

A number of changes in Table 4 and the 400s have recently been incorporated into WebDewey, some of which were announced in the September 2009 New and Changed Entries (in Word and PDF formats); some of which were announced in the December 2009 New and Changed Entries (in Word and PDF formats); and, as previously announced, some of which (changes with respect to language variations) will not be implemented until the publication of DDC 23.  This entry will address changes in the September New and Changed Entries posting; a subsequent entry will address changes in the December New and Changed Entries posting.

The September 2009 New and Changed Entries posting included significant changes with respect to computational linguistics, corpus linguistics, and pragmatics.  As indicated in the previous blog entry on computational linguistics, we have relocated computational linguistics from 410.285 Linguistics computer applications to 006.35 Natural language processing, where computational linguistics now appears in the class-here note.  This (006.35) is now the number in which general works on computational linguistics should be classed.  Examples of such works include Speech and language processing: an introduction to natural language processing, computational linguistics, and speech recognition and Survey of the state of the art in human language technology.  According to the rule of application, works about the application of one subject (in this case, computational linguistics) to another subject, should be classed with the second subject.  The relocation opens up the possibility of expressing computational linguistics applications through the addition of standard subdivision notation T1–0285635 Computational linguistic applications (built with T1—0285 Computer applications plus notation 635 from 006.35 Natural language processing, following instructions at T1—0285).   Two such built numbers are given in the New and Changed Entries:  025.410285635 Automatic abstracting / automatic text summarization (built with 025.41 Abstracting plus notation 0285635 from Table 1, as analyzed above) and 401.430285635 Word sense disambiguation (built with 401.43 Semantics plus notation 0285635 from Table 1, as analyzed above).

We have expanded for corpus linguistics at 410.188 Corpus linguistics (under 410.18 Schools, theories, methodologies of linguistics, which itself is a previous expansion under 410.1 Philosophy and theory of linguistics).  In the past, many works on corpus linguistics have been classed with works on computational linguistics, since much of the research in corpus linguistics is done automatically, using computational linguistics techniques.  But this is not optimal, for multiple reasons.  For example, corpus linguistics is a methodology (not a set of techniques), based on the premise that linguistic study should be carried out on language as actually used rather than on language as generated introspectively (“arm-chair linguistics”).  Moreover, corpus linguistics includes aspects (e.g., selection of the language samples that will comprise the corpus) that may have nothing to do with computational linguistics.  Comprehensive works on corpus linguistics (like Corpus linguistics and the web) should now be classed in 410.188.  As a methodology, corpus linguistics is also subject to the rule of application.  Hence a work on corpus linguistics applied to a specific topic in linguistics would be classed with the topic; for example, Discourse on the move: using corpus analysis to describe discourse structure should be classed in 401.41 Discourse analysis.  And a work on corpus linguistics applied to a specific work or the works of a specific author should be classed with the work or author; for example, e-Lears: a Corpus Approach to Shakespeare and Tate should be classed in 822.33 William Shakespeare.  (The Tate adaptation of King Lear would be classed in 822.4 Drama of Restoration period, 1625-1702; as the work treats Shakespeare and Tate equally, it is the first-of-two rule that tips the balance in favor of the Shakespeare number, which comes earlier in the schedules.)

We have also expanded at 401.45 for Pragmatics, with subdivisions under it for 401.452 Speech acts (“Class here illocutionary acts”), 401.454 Presupposition (“Class here implication, entailment”), and 401.456 Reference (“Class here anaphora, deixis”).  In the past, the interdisciplinary number for pragmatics has been 306.44 Language (as an aspect of culture), because of the association between pragmatics and sociolinguistics.  An analysis of interdisciplinary works on pragmatics revealed that the better home for such works is in linguistics.  Therefore, 401.45 has now been designated as the appropriate number for interdisciplinary works on pragmatics.  (In addition to the association of pragmatics with sociolinguistics, there is a strong association of some of the subtopics of pragmatics with philosophy.  Class-elsewhere notes in the subdivisions of 401.45 remind the classifier to consider discipline first.)  Examples of works that should class in 401.45 and its subdivisions are:  Pragmatics and natural language understanding in 401.45 Pragmatics, Using language: The structures of speech acts in 401.452 Speech acts,   Presupposition and implicature in compositional semantics in 401.454 Presupposition, and Studies in anaphora in 401.456 Reference.

Comparable changes, as appropriate, have been made in Table 4.

EPC Meeting 132

Giles Martin took the photo of EPC at LC on November 17, 2009. From left to right: Karl Debus-López (Library of Congress, standing in for Beacher Wiggins), Jonathan Furner (UCLA), Welna van Eeden (University of South Africa), Lyn McKinney (Billings [MT] Senior High School), Deborah Rose-Lefmann (Northwestern University), Sandra Singh (University of British Columbia), EPC Vice-Chair Anne Robertson (Australian Committee on Cataloguing), EPC Chair Caroline Kent (British Library), Andrea Kappler (Evansville Vanderburgh [IN] Public Library), and David Farris (Library and Archives Canada).

Meeting 132 of the Decimal Classification Editorial Policy Committee (EPC) was held November 16-17 at the Library of Congress. EPC Chair Caroline Kent (British Library) was re-elected for a second two-year term as chair.

In Table 1 (Standard Subdivisions), EPC approved a proposal to recast T1—0286 Waste technology as T1—0286 Green technology (Environmental technology). In Table 2 (Geographic Areas, Historical Periods, Persons), EPC gave provisional approval to the revision of Asia Minor and Turkey, and requested additional literary warrant information before approving the expansion for Switzerland.

EPC approved selected updates in the following schedules: 004-006 Computer science; 320 Political science; 361-365 Social problems and services; 390 Customs, etiquette, folklore; 400 Language; 569 Fossil mammals and 599 Mammals; 636 Animal husbandry; 646 Sewing, clothing; 690 Buildings; 720 Architecture; 800 Literature and rhetoric; and various historical periods in 900. EPC also reviewed and approved the full schedules for 670 Manufacturing and 680 Manufacture of products for special uses.

Several discussion papers were considered by the committee. One discussion paper addressed current and proposed practices related to representation and use of standard subdivisions with extended or narrowed meanings, and displaced standard subdivisions. Our investigation of such subdivisions was prompted by two streams of inquiry—a set of questions posed by a group of Dewey Section classifiers preparing training materials (Michael Cantlon, Carolyn Turner, and Ruby Woodard), and our ongoing review of practices related to the representation of standard subdivisions in add tables. EPC approved the discussion paper on 281 Eastern churches for external review. We are seeking advice immediately from the Arabic, Greek, and Russian translation teams; we will also be seeking advice from other experts in Orthodox Christianity. Yvonne Jahns (Deutsche Nationalbibliothek), chair of the European DDC Users’ Group (EDUG) 340 Law Working Group, was a guest attendee at the meeting. She participated in the extensive discussion of various 340 Law discussion papers; the full 340 Law schedule will be considered at Meeting 133. Yvonne also presented “20 years SWD: German subject authority data prepared for the future.” EPC considered another set of discussion papers, including one from the EDUG 370 Education Working Group, focused on the 370 Education schedule. EPC reviewed revised proposals for updates to 372.3-372.8 Elementary education in specific subjects, and updates to levels of education in 372, 373, and 378. The full 370 Education schedule will also be considered at Meeting 133.

EPC also heard progress reports on Dewey linked data, mixed translation models, and ongoing efforts to use machine assistance in the development of the abridged edition. Thanks to the efforts of EPC member Welna van Eeden, a representation of the DDC Summaries in Afrikaans was added last week to dewey.info (Afrikaans is the tenth language represented in the service).

EPC scheduled a follow-up electronic Meeting 132A (to be held February 1-26, 2010), during which the committee will review the Editorial Rules for standard subdivisions; further work on the machine-assisted abridged model; updates to T1—0288 Maintenance and repair to address issues raised at Meeting 131; updates to the Table 2 provisions for Asia Minor, Turkey, and Switzerland; a possible expansion at 746.92 Costume to match similar provisions for clothing and accessories elsewhere; the updated history periods for Africa based on comments from outside reviewers; and minor updates proposed by the Swedish translation team. If necessary, we will split the meeting into two parts and schedule Electronic Meeting 132B (possibly as a webinar) at a later date. Meeting 133 will be held June 16-18, 2010, at OCLC headquarters in Dublin, Ohio.

Travelling Pants

On my last visit to Australia, I learned about a project of the Gosford City Library to promote youth services in public libraries in New South Wales, Australia.  It’s the Jean Genies - Travelling Pants! program (PDF file in that last link).  As that document says, “this program has 4 pairs of jeans travelling around NSW public libraries in 2009.  Participating libraries will be decorating the jeans and holding programs or displays based around the theme before sending the jeans on to the next library.”

What Dewey number would we assign to such a program?

• That for jeans (391 Costume and personal appearance being the interdisciplinary number)? – no, you are taken out of there by the reference “For a specific aspect of costume and clothing, see the aspect, e.g., stage costuming 792.026, clothing construction 646.4.”
• That for public libraries (027.4)? – no, you are taken out of that by the reference at 026-027 Specific kinds of institutions, which has hierarchical force at 027.4 Public libraries: “Class a specific operation in a specific kind of institution with the operation.”
• That for public relations (659.2)? – no, you are taken out of there by the reference at 659.29001-659.29999 Subdivisions for organizations producing specific kinds of products and services, or pursuing specific objectives: “however, for public relations in libraries, see 021.7.”

So the Dewey number for the Jean Genies project is 021.7 Promotion of libraries, archives, information centers, where the specific aspects of the use of jeans and of promotion of public libraries are in standing room, so that you cannot add standard subdivisions or the Table 2 number for New South Wales.