025.431: The Dewey blog

EPC Meeting 131

Giles Martin took the photo of EPC at OCLC on June 12, 2009.  Standing, from left to right: Andrea Kappler (Evansville Vanderburgh [IN] Public Library), Sandra Singh (University of British Columbia), Lyn McKinney (Billings [MT] Senior High School), and Welna van Eeden (University of South Africa); seated, from left to right: Karl Debus-López (Library of Congress, standing in for Beacher Wiggins), David Farris (Library and Archives Canada), EPC Vice-Chair Anne Robertson (Australian Committee on Cataloguing), and Deborah Rose-Lefmann (Northwestern University).

It seems like forever since I’ve written something here, and I’m suppressing the urge to report chronologically on my activities since the last time you heard from me (so stay tuned for reports on three very interesting meetings [one in Houston and two in Vienna] in which I participated back in April).  Today, I’m jumping forward to last week with a quick summary of Meeting 131 of the Decimal Classification Editorial Policy Committee (EPC), which was held June 10-12 at OCLC.  The meeting was chaired by EPC Vice-Chair Anne Robertson (Australian Committee on Cataloguing).  EPC Chair Caroline Kent (British Library) and new EPC member Jonathan Furner (UCLA [and yes, former DDC assistant editor and creator of 025.431: The Dewey blog]) were unable to attend in person, but e-mailed voluminous comments that were considered by the committee during the meeting.

EPC reviewed the full version of Table 1 (Standard Subdivisions).  One provision was postponed for discussion at Meeting 132 in November 2009: the use of T1—0286 Waste technology to represent green technology.  We'll have more to say about that issue once we sort out the ripple effects throughout the schedules.  In Table 2 (Geographic Areas, Historical Periods, Persons), EPC looked mostly to the past in reviewing provisions for the ancient world in T2—3.  Some of the ancient world proposals have implications for the modern world versions of the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, Asia Minor, and Turkey.  EPC also approved some adjustments to German administrative units proposed by colleagues at Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, plus the placement of the Barents Sea region, North Calotte, and Sápmi (Lapland).  EPC approved the full version of Table 3 (Subdivisions for the Arts, for Individual Literatures, for Specific Literary Forms), and an expansion for Hakka (Han Chinese who speak Hakka dialect) in Table 5 (Ethnic and National Groups).

EPC approved updates in the following schedules: 004-006 Computer science, 200 Religion, 300 Social sciences, 301-307 Sociology and anthropology, 320 Political science, 330 Economics, 340 Law, 400 Language, 610 Medicine and health, 780 Music, 800 Literature, and 960 History of Africa.  EPC reviewed preliminary versions of 640 Home and family management, 690 Buildings, 710 Civic and landscape art, and 720 Architecture.  On the recommendation of EPC, we plan to post the sewing and clothing sections of 646 shortly for outside comment.  EPC also reviewed a preliminary proposal for updates to sections of 372.3-372.8 Elementary education in specific subjects.  In addition to comments from members and observers on the private EPC mailing list, EPC’s deliberations were informed by reports from the working groups associated with the European DDC Users’ Group (EDUG) in the areas of law, education, archaeology, and technical issues.

EPC reviewed several research initiatives from the OCLC Office of Research and the Dewey editorial team, plus the latest draft specification for Dewey Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs).  We’ll be back with more information on these initiatives later.

EPC scheduled a follow-up electronic Meeting 131A (to be held August 3-28, 2009), during which the committee will address use of the term “encompassing” in the DDC, plus minor issues in 400, 710, and 780.  Meeting 132 will be held November 16-17, 2009, at the Library of Congress.

One other major Dewey event took place last week—June 12 was the last day for updating Dewey data in the current Editorial Support System (ESS).  The new ESS, along with new data formats based on the MARC classification and authority formats, is scheduled to be launched on July 5 (another reason for our recent periods of silence on this blog).  Rebecca wrote a bit about the new ESS last month—watch for more reports shortly.

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

Mardi Gras

Today is the last day before Lent starts in the Western Church.  (The Orthodox Church waits a few weeks to start Lent in most years, including this one).  So it's Mardi Gras, Carnival, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Tuesday, depending on where you live.

My first experience of Carnival was back on February 14th, 1961, in Florence (Firenze in Italian), where my family was on holiday for a couple of days.  For an Australian teenager, it was an amazing experience to be surrounded by those crazy-for-one-day Italians.  And the next day we saw TV cameras being set up on the Ponte Vecchio, and wondered why, until we found out that there was a total solar eclipse in that part of Italy on that day  The two events made our visit to Italy even more memorable than we had expected.

Mardi Gras is classed at 394.25 Carnival in Dewey; Lent is classed at 263.92 Lent; pancakes (for Pancake Tuesday) are classed at 641.815 Bread and bread-like foods; Florence is classed at T2--45511 Florence; and total solar eclipses are classed at 523.78 [Solar] Eclipses.

Another Day Has Come: Capitol Hill Commute, Part 2

Last week I wrote, from an architectural perspective, about the buildings I walk past in the last segment of my commute. I noted that they would be classed in different numbers if considered from another perspective—but that was a blog for another day. Well, another day has come. The perspective used here is a functional one. From a functional perspective, a building is classed in the number that represents the activities that take place in the building.

The Library of Congress is classed in 027.573 (built with 027.5 Government libraries plus notation T2—73 United States, as instructed under 027.53–027.59 Specific institutions, where the Library of Congress is given as the example in the add instruction), e.g., America’s Library: The Story of the Library of Congress, 1800-2000. 

The United Methodist Building is classed in 287.6753 (built with 287.6 United Methodist Church plus notation T2—753 Washington, DC, as instructed under 287.64–287.69 Geographic treatment), e.g., Methodism in Washington.

As the home of Congress, the legislative branch of the United States, the Capitol is classed at 328.73 (built with 328 The legislative process plus notation T2—73 United States, as instructed under 328.4–328.9 The legislative process in specific countries in modern world), e.g., The Congress of the United States. A note at 328 instructs us to class there the legislative branch and legislative bodies.  The Dirksen and Russell Senate Office Buildings are classed with other works on the U.S. Senate at 328.73071 (built with 328 The legislative process plus notation T2—73 United States, as instructed under 328.4–328.9 The legislative process in specific countries in modern world, plus notation 07 Specific topics of legislative bodies from the add table at 328.4–328.9, plus 1 from 328.31 Upper houses, following instructions at 07 in the add table), e.g., The Senate, 1789-1989. The Supreme Court is classed in 347.7326 Supreme Court, part of a special development for the United States under 347 Civil procedure and courts (a note at 347 instructs us to class there the judicial branch of government), e.g., The Supreme Court. Note that the legislative branch is found under 320 Political science (Politics and government), while the judicial branch is found under 340 Law; the executive branch is found under 351 Public administration. 

The Minuteman Memorial Building of the Reserve Officers Association of the United States is classed at 355.3706073 (built with 355.37 Military reserves plus notation T1—06 Organizations plus 0 plus notation T2—73 United States, as instructed under T1—0603–T1—0609, e.g., The ROA Story: A Chronicle of the First 60 Years of the Reserve Officers Association of the United States.

Union Station is classed in 385.31409753 (built with 385.314 Railroad terminals and stations plus notation T1—09 Geographic treatment plus T2—753 Washington, DC), e.g., Future of Union Station.

  

EPC Day 2: Highlights

Professor Ia McIlwaine (pictured left), chair of the Universal Decimal Classification Consortium and former editor-in-chief of the UDC, kicked off Day 2 of EPC Meeting 126 with UDC Harmonization Project: Religion, a presentation in which she described our efforts to date in exploring the question, “Can we use UDC’s Class 2 (Religion. Theology) as the framework for an alternative view of religion in the DDC and as a model for the future revision of 200 Religion?” (See here and here for earlier discussions on 200 Religion in the blog.) EPC endorsed the concept of discontinuing the current optional arrangements listed at 290 Religion (Options A-E) in favor of a single chronological/regional alternative framework based on the top-level UDC arrangement, and recommended exploring the framework as a model for a future revision of 200 Religion. We’d like to prototype a virtual version of the alternative framework, and will be working with our colleagues in the OCLC Office of Research on this project.

Diane Vizine-Goetz (OCLC Office of Research) followed Ia McIlwaine with an overview of current Dewey research projects. Juli and I then presented a plan for Dewey training. We have a storehouse of Dewey courses, and would like to make these available to LIS students, librarians new to Dewey, and librarians needing a refresher in Dewey application. We realize that there’s also a need for training materials aimed at a broader circle of current and potential users, but we’d like to start with making the courses from our electronic archive of presentations more widely available (i.e., for free on the web) without a lot of modifications.  Libbie Crawford is looking into various strategies to make this happen—stay tuned.

Giles gave an update on the status of our new editorial support system. We are working out the details of data conversion from the current ESS proprietary format to an enhanced version of the MARC 21 Format for Classification Data (and to an enhanced version of the MARC 21 Format for Authority Data for the Relative Index).  The format conversion will facilitate improved data representation within the system, and easy distribution of data in XML and other formats.  Pamela Brown, former ALA representative to EPC, has been working with us as consulting product manager for the new system.

We also discussed Dewey Numbers in Authority Files. EPC urged us to test the guidelines using Canadian Subject Headings (CSH)—we’ve already approached Library and Archives Canada on this matter.  We currently map Dewey numbers to CSH based on the “likelihood of co-occurrence” model for mappings; we would need to reconsider those mappings in the context of the proposed guidelines before adding Dewey numbers to CSH authority records. EPC also agreed that we need to specify the relationships between topical Relative Index terms and Dewey numbers in Dewey records in which those relationships are not explicitly specified. We are studying the broader question of whether there should be additional specifications of relationships in Dewey records beyond the current equals/approximates the whole and standing room relationships.

During the evening of Day 2, we feted outgoing ALA representative Jessica MacPhail (Racine Public Library), whose committee service will end in December 2006. Jessica (pictured left) joined the committee in January 2001, and will be succeeded as ALA representative by Migell Acosta (County of Los Angeles Public Library), who attended Meeting 126 as a guest. Jessica’s citation from the committee reads in part: Whereas Jessica MacPhail ably served as the official ALA representative to EPC 2001-2006 and reported regularly to the Subject Analysis Committee of the Cataloging and Classification Section of ALCTS; . . . represented the needs of ALA members in the development of Edition 22 (2003) and Abridged Edition 14 (2004) of the Dewey Decimal Classification, and in the publication of ongoing updates in WebDewey and Abridged WebDewey; . . . participated in the EPC planning retreat, “The Future of the Dewey Decimal Classification,” March 15-18, 2004, at OCLC; . . . moved for acceptance the exhibit on 150 Psychology (EPC 116-11) at her very first meeting and also moved for acceptance portions of the exhibit on 150 Psychology (EPC 126-15) at her last face-to-face meeting; . . . enlivened many earnest exhibit discussions with her gentle humor (“just raising the question” for consideration by the committee prior to a vote); . . . brought commitment to committee membership to a new level by participating in a committee teleconference by cell phone from a campground; . . . shared openly her deep affection for notation 782.421660922 when applied to the Rolling Stones, and even skipped a concert in T2—77311 to attend an EPC meeting; . . . contributed the wonderful phrase “Dewey on Dewey” to the training discussion at Meeting 126 as a popular title for training modules, thereby leaving the committee with a flourish, just as she had joined it; 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 Jessica MacPhail their deep gratitude and appreciation for her service and commitment to the Committee and the Classification, their regret that she will no longer be one of their number, and their wishes for her continued success and happiness now that she has retired from the Committee.

In my report on highlights of Day 1 yesterday, I neglected to mention the lowlight of the week—the night before Meeting 126 started, Winton fell and broke his arm. He missed most of the meeting (he stopped by for two hours on the afternoon of Day 3), and is scheduled to have an operation on his arm tomorrow (it’s his right arm and he’s right handed).

A New View of Religion

We’re the first to admit that the top-level view of 200 Religion in the DDC is problematic.  In the last two editions of the DDC, we’ve reduced Christian bias and provided deeper representations for numerous religions throughout 200, but the fact remains that Christianity is still prominently featured at the three-digit level. At the present time, the only way to transform the top-level view is to use one of the optional developments suggested at 290 (we wrote about the optional developments and the results of a web-based survey on their use last October).

Ia McIlwaine (chair of the Universal Decimal Classification Consortium and former editor-in-chief of the UDC) and I are working together on a research project to study the introduction of a chronological/regional view of religion in Dewey based on the development introduced in UDC in 2000. Our research question follows: Can we use UDC’s Class 2 (Religion. Theology) as the framework for an alternative view of religion in the DDC and a model for the future revision of 200 Religion? We reported on work to date, preliminary findings, and next steps at the ISKO Conference in Vienna on July 7.  Readers might be especially interested in slide 13, which shows an excerpt of 200 Religion reordered in a chronological/regional view similar to the arrangement found in UDC.  We are working with our colleagues in the OCLC Office of Research to develop a prototype that would offer a web-based chronological/regional view of 200 Religion for all users. We are also investigating replacement of the current set of optional arrangements in the DDC with a single optional arrangement based on the same view found in the prototype (and interoperable with the standard edition of Dewey). The prototype and new optional arrangement will also facilitate dialog with users about the future structure of 200 Religion. We’ve invited Ia McIlwaine to speak at the October 2006 EPC Meeting in Washington, DC, and participate in the discussion about virtual improvements and potential long-term structural changes in 200 Religion.

Wicca

ReligiousTolerance.org describes Wicca as "a Neopagan, earth-centered religion" and continues:
"Depending upon how you look at Wicca, it is either one of the newest or one of the oldest religions in the world: 
*   Wicca is a recently created, Neopagan religion. The various branches of Wicca can be traced back to Gardnerian Witchcraft which was founded in the UK during the late 1940s.
*   Wicca is based on the symbols, seasonal days of celebration, beliefs and deities of ancient Celtic society. Added to this material were Masonic and ceremonial magickal components from recent centuries. In this respect, it is a religion whose roots go back almost three millennia to the formation of Celtic society circa 800 BCE."   

In a supplement to the May 1, 2006, issue of Library Journal, Janet Tapper expressed concern about the placement of Wicca with occultism in 133 in the Dewey Decimal Classification.  In fact, the Wicca religion is classed in 299.94 Religions based on modern revivals of witchcraft.  At that number is the note: "Class here neopaganism, wicca."  The Relative Index also includes the following entry for Wicca: "Wicca--religious practice 299.94." 

As we reported last October, we are working on a single optional arrangement in 200 Religion with religions arranged in a chronological/regional sequence (similar to the reorganization of Class 2 Religion recently undertaken in the Universal Decimal Classification). At some future date, this proposed optional arrangement could also become the basis of a new framework for 200 Religion. Ia McIlwaine (editor in chief of the UDC) and Joan Mitchell will be presenting a paper on preliminary research on recasting 200 Religion in a chronological/regional sequence at the ISKO 2006 Conference in July.  Stay tuned for more information.

Happy birthday

The third Monday in January -- the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. -- is a legal (federal) public holiday in the USA, observed for the first time on January 20, 1986, and for the first time in all 50 US states on January 18, 1993. (Dr. King's actual birthday was January 15, 1929.) Works on Martin Luther King, Jr., Day are classed at 394.261 Holidays of December, January, February. The number for comprehensive biographies of Dr. King is 323.092, formed by adding the standard subdivision —092 Persons from Table 1 to the base number 323 Civil and political rights. Works that focus on Dr. King's life and work as a Baptist minister should be classed at 286.1092, adding T1—092 to 286.1 Regular Baptists (Calvinistic Baptists). (Although Dr. King was a member of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, which is classed at 286.135, the Manual note at 230–280 instructs us to "Class biographies of members of specific denominations and sects with the main branch of the denomination rather than with the most specific organization or area ...") Works on Dr. King's theology go at 230.61092, adding to base number 230 Christianity    Christian theology the numbers following 28 in 286.1, and then T1—092; works on Dr. King's life as a preacher are classed at 251.0092, adding the standard subdivision (here with an extra zero) to 251 Preaching (Homiletics); while works about Dr. King's assassination (in Memphis, TN, on April 4, 1968) go at 364.1524092, adding T1—092 to 364.1524 Assassination.