025.431: The Dewey blog

EPC Meeting 129

The Decimal Classification Editorial Policy Committee (EPC)* met at OCLC May 7-9, 2008. EPC approved several adjustments to the proposed overhaul of the treatment of groups of people (including a separate number for intersex people based on feedback from users) plus the implementation plan for the changes. The current plan is to post draft versions of Table 1 and 305-306 on the Dewey web site in August 2008 (with links from the Dewey blog). We will request comments on the content and implementation plan by October 30, 2008—this will permit discussion of user comments at EPC Meeting 130 in November 2008. It is our intention to introduce the changes to the treatment of groups of people throughout the DDC by second quarter calendar year 2009 in WebDewey and Abridged WebDewey. We plan to make final PDFs of Table 1 and 305-306 available on the Dewey web site at the same time the changes are implemented in the web versions of the DDC. The changes introduced in the web versions of the DDC will also appear in the print version of DDC 23 (scheduled to be published in late calendar year 2010).

In addition to the changes to groups of people in Table 1, EPC approved two changes to T1—079 Competition, awards, financial support: clarification of the add instruction from Table 2, and the relocation of festivals from T1—079 to T1—074 Museums, collections, exhibits. Watch this space for more information on these changes. EPC also approved several changes in Table 2 (Geographic Areas, Historical Periods, Persons) for Belgium, South Africa, Sweden, and Clifton Forge, Va. (the last reflects a rare change within administrative units in the U.S.).  In Table 3 (Subdivisions for the Arts, for Individual Literatures, for Specific Literary Forms), EPC approved new provisions for autobiographical fiction, biographical fiction, and alternative histories.  In Table 6 (Languages), EPC approved updates to Indonesian languages and Galician, plus several miscellaneous updates. Similar changes were made to parallel notation in Table 5 (Ethnic and National Groups).

In the schedules, EPC approved updates in the following areas: 004-006 Computer science, 025.4 Subject analysis and control, 160 Logic, 320 Political science, 364.16 Offenses against property, 398.2 Folk literature, 400 Language, 510 Mathematics, 560-590 Life sciences, 610 Medicine and health, 700 The arts, 800 Literature, and 900 History, geography, and auxiliary disciplines. EPC also reviewed reports on work under way in 200 Religion, 340 Law, and 370 Education. The changes in 364.16, along with other updates to the treatment of criminal offenses, will be the focus of the June New and Changed Entries. We will discuss the proposed updates and open issues in several of the aforementioned schedules in the coming weeks in the Dewey blog—stay tuned.

EPC reviewed several research initiatives from the OCLC Office of Research and the Dewey editorial team. Diane Vizine-Goetz presented current work on a prototype classification web service and pilot terminology services. Dewey editorial team members presented progress reports on several current research projects: machine-assisted derivation of the abridged edition, mixed translation models, identification of the relationship of Relative Index terms to Dewey classes, and improvements to Dewey captions. The team also briefed EPC on our new editorial support system, recent changes to the representation of the DDC in MARC21 formats, and a proposed new approach to the display of relocations and discontinuations in DDC class records. Further, the team gave EPC a progress report on the development of DDC training materials being posted online. There was also a lively discussion on how we might facilitate development and sharing of “Dewey neighborhoods” by Dewey users (see the innovative presentation by the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library at the March 2008 Public Library Association (PLA) Conference).

EPC will hold a follow-up electronic meeting (Meeting 129A) during June 2008 to resolve some minor open issues from Meeting 129. The group will meet next in person at the Library of Congress in November 2008.

*Photo at top of EPC at OCLC on May 8, 2008—standing from left to right: Lyn McKinney (Billings [MT] Senior High School), Sandra Singh (Vancouver [BC] Public Library), David Farris (Library and Archives Canada), Welna van Eeden (University of South Africa), Andrea Kappler (Evansville Vanderburgh [IN] Public Library) and EPC Chair Caroline Kent (British Library). Seated from left to right: Arlene Taylor (University of Pittsburgh SIS, retired), Vice Chair Anne Robertson (Australian Committee on Cataloguing), and Deborah Rose-Lefmann (Northwestern University).

Dewey Crossword Puzzle #1—Answers

A blog entry posted last week gave clues for a crossword puzzle composed of DDC numbers (but minus decimal points).  Did anyone actually do the puzzle? Too hard? Too easy? Want more? Let us hear from you.

The clues are repeated below, with the intended DDC notation for each clue given in square brackets; the relationship between the clue and the notation is also given. Built numbers are explained further below.

ACROSS
1 Superconductivity [621.35; caption]
2 General classification schemes [025.43; caption: General classification systems]
3 Sami [494.55; Relative Index: Sami language; built number]
4 Initiation of business enterprises devoted to literature [806.81; built number]
5 Crossword puzzles (abridged) [793.73; Including . . . crossword puzzles . . .]

DOWN
1 People with physical disabilities in technology [604.87; built number]
2 Geography, history, chronology, persons in the Apocrypha [229.09; built number]
3 Dreams [154.63; caption]
4 Criminal law of  Venezuela [345.87; built number]
5 Mechanical wave theory [535.13; caption]

494.55 Sami is built from 494 Uralic languages plus 55 from T6—9455 Sami, following the instructions at 494. 

806.81 Initiation of business enterprises devoted to literature is built from 8 Literature (i.e., 800, minus its final placeholder zeros, which disappear when further notation is added) plus T1—0681 Organization and financial management (“including . . . initiation of business enterprises”).

604.87 People with physical disabilities in technology is built from 604.8 History and description with respect to kinds of persons, a displaced standard subdivision T1—08 (displaced from 608, as indicated by the note “Do not use for history and description of technology with respect to kinds of persons; class in 604.8”), plus 7 from T1—087 Persons with disabilities and illnesses (“Class here persons with physical disabilities”), following the instructions at 604.8.

229.09 Geography, history, chronology, persons in the Apocrypha is built from 229 Apocrypha, pseudepigrapha, intertestamental works plus 09 Geography, history, chronology, persons from the add table under 221-229 Specific parts of Bible, Apocrypha, pseudepigrapha, intertestamental works, as instructed at 229, where the instruction is given that subdivisions can be added for Apocrypha alone.    

345.87 Criminal law of Venezuela  is built from 345 Criminal law plus T2—87 Venezuela, following the instructions at 345.3–345.9 Specific jurisdictions and areas.

 

What would Freud think?, or, For the puzzle junkies among you

The night life of a Dewey editor has its moments. From time to time I have awakened to the realization that I had been dreaming a blog, or Weekly List (LCSH-to-DDC) mappings, or an expansion.  (In my first week or two here, I dreamed I had been asked to work on developing a standard subdivision for things! Joan’s comment, after a pause that perhaps masked concern that I might actually think that possible, was simply, “Massive dual provision.”  Duh.) A few days ago I awakened and realized I had been dreaming Dewey in the context of doing a crossword puzzle. After a few seconds’ amusement, I thought, “Why not?” So, draw yourself a five-by-five grid, and have fun!    Answers and explanations will be posted next week.

Unless indicated otherwise, numbers come from DDC 22. Decimal points are omitted from all numbers; all numbers are five digits. And just to keep things a little more interesting, one number is drawn from each of the main classes, except one (since 1 down and 1 across necessarily come from the same main class).

ACROSS
1 Superconductivity
2 General classification schemes
3 Sami
4 Initiation of business enterprises devoted to literature
5 Crossword puzzles (abridged)

DOWN
1 People with physical disabilities in technology
2 Geography, history, chronology, persons in the Apocrypha
3 Dreams
4 Criminal law of Venezuela
5 Mechanical wave theory

eLearning and Dewey training modules

We would like to say that the new Dewey training modules, available online, are a brand‑new, cutting-edge idea. But the truth of the matter is that eLearning—electronic learning—has been around in some form for at least two decades. Many aspects of the learning process can be electronically enhanced. Two properties that qualify the Dewey training modules as eLearning are: (1) the availability of the teaching materials on the web and (2) the use of WebDewey as part of the training program.

As a general educational activity, eLearning is classed in 371.334 Computer science methods of instruction and study, a displacement of standard subdivision T1—0285 Computer applications under 371.3 Methods of instruction and study. Web-based instruction is classed more specifically in 371.3344678 Internet-based methods of instruction (built with 371.334, plus 4678 from 004.678 Internet, following the add instruction under 371.334). 

But 371.3344678  is not the correct number for classing the Dewey training modules, given the instruction under 371.3 to “class methods of instruction in a specific subject at secondary and higher levels with the subject in 001–999, plus notation 071 from Table 1.”   This note leads to the question, Which subdivision of T1—071 Education should be used, T1—0711 Higher education or T1—0715 Adult education and on-the-job training? Based on advice received at ALA Midwinter 2007, the Dewey training modules are specifically oriented toward library professionals, rather than being specifically oriented toward students in library and information studies. The Dewey training modules provide continuing education, a class-here concept under T1—0715. Thus, the correct number for the Dewey training modules is 025.4310715 Adult education in the Dewey Decimal Classification (built with 025.431 Dewey Decimal Classification, plus notation T1—0715 Adult education).

Second Life

A recent blog entry on foreign exchange rates elicited the comment/question, “Where would you class the Linden dollar?”  (For those who are not in the know, the Linden dollar is the currency used in Linden Lab’s Second Life, a virtual world; the Linden dollar is exchangeable for real-world currencies.)   The answer is that the Linden dollar is classed in 332.4 Money, given its including note for "other mediums of exchange."

Even before we answered the question that was posed, we were asking among ourselves, “But where would you class Second Life?”  Does it qualify as a computer game (that is, as a massively multiplayer online role-playing game [MMORPG])?  If so, the appropriate class would appear to be 793.932 Computer fantasy games, which inherits the “Class here . . . role-playing games” instruction from 793.93 Fantasy games.  Or does Second Life lack the essential qualities of a game and belong in standing room at 793.9 Other indoor diversions?  What indeed are the essential qualities of a game?

Consider the following observations:

While Second Life is sometimes referred to as a game, this description does not fit the standard definition. It does not have points, scores, winners or losers, levels, an end-strategy, or most of the other characteristics of games, though it can be thought of as a game on a more basic level because it is “played for fun.” (From “Second Life” in Wikipedia)

Key components of games are goals, rules, challenge, and interactivity. Games generally involve mental or physical stimulation, and often both. Many games help develop practical skills, serve as a form of exercise, or otherwise perform an educational, simulational or psychological role.  (From “Game” in Wikipedia)

MMORPGs are massively multiplayer games in that they take place in a perpetual online world with hundreds or thousands of other players. They are role-playing games in that each player controls an avatar which interacts with other players, completes tasks to gain experience and acquires items. (From “List of MMORPGs” in Wikipedia)

Second Life is a 3D online digital world imagined and created by its residents.  (From Second Life home page)

Is Second Life a MMORPG?  (From Second Life FAQ)
Yes and no. While the Second Life interface and display are similar to most popular massively multiplayer online role playing games (or MMORPGs), there are two key, unique differences: 
    Creativity . . .
    Ownership . . .

(Please excuse me for considering this Q&A from the FAQ more marketing copy than a reasoned answer to the question.  But it is perhaps informative that the creators of Second Life feel the need to pose the question at all.)

Phenomena that are part of the MMORPG category generally have character progression goals, in which the player gains skills and resources to deal with the challenges of the game.  Everyday, non-virtual games (e.g., board games, sports games) involve something very much like character progression in the gaining of points, traversing a path, etc., while dealing with the challenges of the game.  Thus, the typical MMORPG really does seem like a game.  But does Second Life include the basic sense of progressing against challenges set forth by the game?  According to the explanation given on its website, the Second Life world consists of creating an avatar, exploring the Second Life world, meeting and interacting with people (i.e., other avatars), having fun (by engaging with the phenomena created by the various residents of the Second Life world), and building a presence in this world (by buying land, creating games, opening a business, whatever you want to do).  Thus, while there are many games that can be played as part of the Second Life world, Second Life itself seems more an alternative reality, an online digital world, a virtual reality, than a game.  This line of reasoning leads to Second Life’s being classed in standing room at 793.9 Other indoor diversions.  As we have seen, specific aspects of Second Life are still classed with the aspect in question.  Real estate speculation in Second Life is classed at 332.63 Specific forms of investment; social interaction in Second Life would go into 302.231 Communication via digital media. 

Were it not that Second Life and its aspects are in standing room in the classes we have cited, we would be inclined to reflect the virtual nature of Second Life by adding —028568 Virtual reality (built with T1—0285 Computer applications plus 68 from 006.8 Virtual reality, following the add instructions under T1—0285).

We are virtually sure this is the right approach to classifying Second Life.  Please let us hear from you, dear readers, whether the distinctions we are making—games vs. other diversions; the real world vs. the virtual world—strike you as appropriate distinctions for the bibliographic world.  Comment on!

Computers and music, part 3

This is the third and last part of a three-part series of postings on computers and music in DDC 22. Part 1 examined explicit provisions in the schedules for treating this topic area. Part 2 looked at where the processes of creation, recording, and performance of music should be classed if done by a computer. This part discusses the classification of a representative sample of specific computer technologies and products, as used with music. Specifically, it examines music notation software, digital music players, digital jukebox software, digital audio editors, digital audio workstations, music sequencers, and the musical instrument digital interface (MIDI).

As noted in previous posts, much of digital music technology (both hardware and software) is multifunctional. Consistent with the principle of classing a work on two subjects with the subject receiving fuller treatment—see section 5.7(B) of the DDC Introduction—our policy is to class multifunctional technologies with the predominant technology. Statements in this posting about where to class a given technology may need to be modified in specific situations, for example, if the work emphasizes a different aspect of the technology than is assumed to be the default here. Where it is stated below that a topic classes in, for example, both a computer science number and a music number, the classifier must decide the disciplinary focus of the specific work when assigning it a class number.

Music notation software (a.k.a. scorewriters), while often including both recording and playback functions, focuses on producing printed music. Examples of scorewriters include Finale® and Sibelius®. Software for producing notated music classes in 780.1480285 Musical notation—Computer applications (built with 780.148 Musical notation plus notation T1–0285 Computer applications). This may appear to contravene the principle of not adding multiple standard subdivisions to the same number. However, as section 8.6 of the DDC Introduction explains, standard subdivisions can be added to notation for standard subdivisions with changed or extended meanings (or as the schedules describe it, notation from Table 1 that has been modified).

Digital music players (a.k.a. digital audio players)—for example, MP3 players, iPods®—class in 621.38933 Sound reproducers (Communications engineering). (The engineering aspects of sound recording and reproducing systems class together at 621.3893, with the recording aspects in 621.38932 and the reproducing aspects in 621.38933.) The iTunes® application, commonly marketed as a means of organizing the digital media played on an iPod, can also be used to manage the playing of those media. However, iTunes does not class with the iPod in 621.38933. Where the iPod is hardware, iTunes is software. Thus, even though iTunes is the preeminent example of “digital jukebox software” and jukeboxes class in 621.38933, iTunes belongs in computer science, not engineering, where it classes in 006.5 Digital audio (Computer science). We have also mapped digital jukebox software to 780.28565 Digital audio (Music) (built with 780 Music plus notation T1–0285 Computer applications plus 65 Digital audio from 006.5, following the add instructions at T1–0285).  

Another major digital music technology is the editing of digital audio. Not surprisingly, the software products that perform this function are known as digital audio editors and include, for example, Sound Forge® and Audacity®. Digital audio editors have been mapped to 006.5 Digital audio and also to 781.34536 Microcomputer programs for computer composition (built with 781.34 Computer composition plus 536, from 005.36 Microcomputer programs, following the add instructions under 781.344–781.346 Computer science aspects of computer composition).

Digital audio workstations and music sequencers, terms now often used interchangeably, incorporate digital audio software into a system that can record, edit, and play back digital audio, with editing as the predominant function. Examples of digital audio workstations include Cubase® and Pro Tools®. Consistent with the treatment of digital audio editors, digital audio workstations class in 006.5 Digital audio and 781.34416 Microcomputer systems for computer composition (built with 781.34 Computer composition plus 416, from 004.16 Microcomputers, following the add instructions under 781.344–781.346 Computer science aspects of computer composition); both computer systems and comprehensive works on hardware and programs in electronic data processing are in the class-here note at 004 Data processing Computer science.

The protocol that permits digital devices (e.g., computers, electronic musical instruments) to communicate with one another is called MIDI, Musical Instrument Digital Interface. As a communications protocol, MIDI classes in 784.19028546 Computer interfacing and communications for musical instruments (built with 784.19 Musical instruments, plus notation T1–0285 Computer applications plus 46 Computer interfacing and communications from 004.6, following the add instructions at T1–0285).

EPC Meeting 128

A few weeks ago, we shared a brief report on Meeting 128 of the Decimal Classification Editorial Policy Committee (EPC) with a promise of more information to come on committee actions and departing members.

Among key actions at Meeting 128, the committee approved a complete overhaul of the treatment of groups of people in Dewey—a project that has been under discussion since late 2005.  We’ve blogged about some of these changes earlier (see here for transgendered people, and here and here for groups of people in general).  Comments received from outside reviewers spurred us to make some adjustments to our proposed development for transgendered and intersex people—we expect to post a revised version for comment in the next few weeks (watch this space). 

In addition to the updates discussed in our earlier report on Meeting 128, EPC approved updates to 004–006 Computer science; 010–090 Information and general works; 100 Philosophy, parapsychology and occultism, psychology; 320 Political science; 380 Commerce, communications, transportation; 390 Customs and etiquette (except folklore); 500–509 Natural sciences; 520–550 Astronomy, physics, chemistry, earth sciences; 600–609 Technology (Applied sciences); 610 Medicine and health; 630 Agriculture and related technologies; 780 Music; 790 Recreational and performing arts; and 800 Literature and rhetoric.  EPC suggested that we seek user feedback on the proposed new expansion for Trans-Neptunian objects (and relocation of Pluto)—we plan to post the proposed development for comment next week (again, watch this space).  Dewey users can expect to see many of the updates approved for immediate release by EPC included in WebDewey over the next year (and selected updates highlighted on the New and Changed Entries page on the Dewey web site).

EPC also feted four members leaving the committee at the end of 2007 (pictured from left to right): Migell Acosta (County of Los Angeles Public Library); Andrea Stamm (Northwestern University), Chew Chiat Naun (University of Minnesota, and formerly of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), and Deane Zeeman (Library and Archives Canada).

Migell Acosta ably served as the official ALA representative to EPC during 2007.  The committee’s resolution honoring Migell reads in part:

Whereas, Migell Acosta . . . offered sound advice on emerging technical issues; . . . asked probing questions and contributed to discussions in matters as diverse as political parties, use of the UDC as a possible source of vocabulary, DDC licensing, DDC training, and the treatment of murder; . . . drafted the Committee’s response on the representation of evolving trends in marriage and family; . . .

Andrea Stamm served on EPC 1993–2007, including multiple terms as vice-chair (1996–1999) and chair (2000–2005).  The committee’s resolution honoring Andrea (excerpted in part here) notes some of the many contributions she made to EPC and the DDC during her long tenure (fittingly, it ends with Andrea’s constant focus on users):

Whereas, Andrea Stamm . . . is the only current member of EPC to have participated in two retreats on the future of the DDC in 1997 and 2004, respectively; . . . presented the response paper to “Future of the Relative Index” . . . at the EPC Retreat in Saratoga Springs, April 30 – May 4, 1997; . . . served on the planning committee for the March 15–18, 2004, EPC Retreat, . . . and presented “Editions and Translations in the DDC”; . . . presented “How Users Contribute to the Classification” at the DDC 22 Preconference in Toronto in June 2003, and teamed up with the Dewey editors to present hands on training at said meeting; . . . challenged the editors to make the Manual notes telegraphic to support classifier efficiency; . . . steered the revision of the EPC bylaws through the committee; . . . developed the EPC ground rules for teleconferences (and chaired a record five teleconferences in 2003!); . . . pioneered New Member Training as a way to introduce new members to the committee in advance of voting at an actual meeting; . . . recommended the addition of translators to EPC-L [the private EPC listserve]; . . . always focused on the users of the DDC in her comments . . .

Chew Chiat Naun served on EPC 2004–2007.  The committee's resolution honoring Naun reads in part:

Whereas, Chew Chiat Naun . . . raised key questions about testing schedules at Meeting 122: “What do we mean by testing? . . . Is it easy to apply? or, Does it give a good arrangement?”; . . . gave key advice on the split of materials in the development for graphic novels at Meeting 124: “Just because it’s hard to make the decision doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make the decision that every bookshop seems to do”; . . . while Naun's membership on the committee was as an American Library Association nominee, his leaving has also had the unexpected effect of reducing the Australian influence on the committee's work, since he is indeed one of the many Australians to be found quietly living and working in unexpected places far from home . . .

Deane Zeeman also served on EPC 2004–2007, and succeeded Andrea Stamm as chair 2006–2007.  The committee’s resolution honoring Deane reads in part:

Whereas, Deane Zeeman . . . perfected the art of conducting electronic meetings over EPC-L; . . . asked at regular intervals at meetings . . . “What principle is being followed here?”; . . . though not the first Canadian chair, was the first chair to share leadership with a fellow member of the Commonwealth . . .

All four resolutions end with the following sentiment:

Be it resolved that the members of the Decimal Classification Editorial Policy Committee, the DDC editors, and staff at the Library of Congress Decimal Classification Division and OCLC express to [outgoing member] their deep gratitude and appreciation for [her/his] service and commitment to the Committee and the Classification, their regret that [she/he] will no longer be one of their number, and their wishes for [her/his] continued success and happiness now that [she/he] has retired from the Committee.

EPC Makes Dewey History

The Decimal Classification Editorial Policy Committee (EPC) held Meeting 128 at the Library of Congress November 13-14. In one of the first actions on the agenda, EPC members made Dewey history (025.431 Dewey Decimal Classification + T1—09 Historical treatment) by electing Caroline Kent (British Library) as 2008-2009 chair—she is the first chair from outside North America in the committee’s long history (Dewey has had an advisory committee since 1937; EPC was reconstituted in its present form in 1953).   Anne Robertson (Australian Committee on Cataloguing) continues for another year as vice-chair.

We’ll be sharing details of the meeting, including farewells to departing members, over the next few weeks.  As we reflect on the meeting, we’re struck by how the worldwide Dewey community shaped the proposals and conversation at the meeting.  Our translation teams serve as corresponding members on EPC, and review all the draft proposals distributed on the EPC discussion list simultaneously with EPC members.  Some comments received from corresponding members prompted us to change our recommended course of action.  Translation teams also made direct proposals or suggestions for changes.  The Italian translation team at the National Library of Florence proposed changes in philosophy (a new number for philosophical counseling), medicine (a review of the treatment of therapies under 615.851 Mental and activity therapies and 615.852 Religious and psychic therapy), and sports (an expansion under volleyball).  We received a request from the Royal Library of Sweden to consider changing the interdisciplinary number for abortion from abortion treated as a social controversy to abortion treated as a medical service—this resulted in new numbers in 610 and 362 (we hasten to add here that we’re not removing the number for abortion as a social controversy [363.46 Abortion]—just changing its status as the interdisciplinary number).   

A question concerning the treatment of healthy cells of a specific type in medicine from Michael Panzer (that originated when he was still in Germany working on the CrissCross project) resulted in proposed updates to 611.018 Cytology and histology (following the pattern in 570 Life sciences for cytology and histology) and in 612 Human physiology (following the pattern in 573 Specific physiological systems in animals and elsewhere in 610 Medicine and health). A suggestion from the German translation team that fortified wine needs its own number led to several proposals for improving the treatment of wine, including new numbers for fortified wine under the number for wine in home and family management, which is also the interdisciplinary number (641.22 Wine), and under the number for commercial processing of wine (663.2 Wine).   We received useful advice on the geographic treatment of wine from several countries.

Another historical event in the life of Dewey took place on November 1—Ross Trotter (formerly of the British Library) retired as a member of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) Dewey Decimal Classification Committee.  Ross had been a member of the CILIP DDC Committee since 1969, and served as chair of the committee from 1999 until earlier this year.  I was delighted to attend the CILIP DDC Committee meeting in London on November 1 to offer my good wishes to Ross on behalf of the Dewey editorial team.  Ross’s guidance during the years has helped shape the DDC in numerous ways.  Three times, we’ve called upon him to serve as guest assistant DDC editor (our own “fifth Beatle”) for the revision of 560-590 Life sciences, the update of the area table for Great Britain, and the complete overhaul of the DDC Manual.  We will sorely miss Ross’s DDC knowledge and sound advice, and wish him all the best in the years to come.

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

During the African Studies Association's 2007 annual meeting in New York, I was privileged to visit the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture with members of the Africana Librarians Council.  Curators from all five divisions (Art and Artifacts Division; General Research and Reference Division; Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division; Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division; Photographs and Prints Division) described the riches of their collections and answered questions, with special emphasis on African studies because of the interests of the Africana librarians. 

The Schomburg Center collections are rich in materials pertaining to the African diaspora, in addition to Africa itself.  "Geographically, the Schomburg Center acquires materials from areas with substantial populations of African origin including the African continent and surrounding islands and regions of the African diaspora.  The diasporan emphasis is on the Western Hemisphere including the Caribbean, South America (notably Brazil), Central America, and North America. Resources are also collected on the major cities of Europe where large groups of immigrants from the Caribbean and Africa reside."  Disciplines covered include history, social sciences, arts, literature, religion, medicine, and the natural sciences. 

Works that focus on world history (and works that focus in a broader way on world-wide culture and civilization) of Africans and people of African descent, e.g., Reversing Sail: A History of the African Diaspora and Global Dimensions of the African Diaspora, are classed in 909.0496 World history of Africans and people of African descent (built with 909.04 History with respect to ethnic and national groups, plus T5—96 Africans and people of African descent, as instructed at 909.04).  At 909 World history is the scope note: "Civilization and events not limited by continent, country, locality."

The Schomburg Center is one of the specialized research libraries that are part of the New York Public Library (NYPL).  Works on the NYPL as a whole are classed in 027.47471 Public libraries in New York (N.Y.) (built with 027.4 Public libraries plus T2—7471 New York, as instructed at 027.43-027.49 Treatment by specific continents, countries, localities).

Works that focus only on the Schomburg Center are classed in 026.90904960097471 Libraries, archives, information centers in New York (N.Y.) devoted to history and civilization of people of African origin (built with 026 Libraries, archives, information centers devoted to specific subjects and disciplines plus 90904 History with respect to ethnic and national groups, as instructed at 026.001-026.999 Specific subjects and disciplines, plus T5—96 Africans and people of African descent, as instructed at 909.04, plus extra 0 for standard subdivision, as instructed in footnote at 909.04, plus T1—09 Geographic treatment plus T2—7471 New York).  Under 027 General libraries, archives, information centers is the reference: "For libraries, archives, information centers devoted to specific disciplines and subjects, see 026."

My nearest Dewey library

The nearest library using Dewey to my office at OCLC has changed.  Previously, it was either the library at John Sells Middle School or the library at Dublin Coffman High School.  The OCLC Dublin campus is about halfway between them, so both are about 500 metres from my office as the Canada goose flies.

However, this week the OCLC Library & Information Center -- the special library serving the needs of OCLC staff -- completed its conversion from the Library of Congress Classification to Dewey.  So the nearest library using Dewey is now less than 50 metres from my desk, on the same floor of the same building.  (And in my humble personal opinion it makes the OCLC Library much easier to use).

Works on the OCLC Library & Information Center would go at 026.02 Libraries and information centers devoted to library and information sciences.  This number is built by adding to 026 Libraries, archives, information centers devoted to specific subjects and disciplines the digits 02 from 020 Library and information sciences, following the instructions found at 026.001-026.999 Libraries and information centers devoted to specific subjects and disciplines.  You drop the final 0 from the number 020 because Dewey numbers longer than three digits cannot end in a zero.