025.431: The Dewey blog

International Dewey Users Meeting

OCLC will host the annual International Dewey Users Meeting (formerly known as the Dewey Translators Meeting) in conjunction with the World Library and Information Congress (76th IFLA General Conference and Assembly) in Göteborg, Sweden.  The meeting will be held Friday, 13 August, 16:00-18:00, in Swedish Conference Centre, Meeting Room J2.  The agenda includes presentations on WebDewey 2.0, the Swedish mixed translation, the expansion of 297 Islam under way in cooperation with the Arabic translation team, and activities of the European DDC Users’ Group.  Please register here by 4 August if you plan to attend the meeting.

European DDC Users' Group (EDUG)

A brief bit of news on the European DDC Users’ Group (EDUG):  The group met in Egypt at Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA) 26-27 April 2010.  The first day was devoted to meetings of three working groups (370, 930, and IT), plus the EDUG business meeting.  (The EDUG 340 Law Working Group was not able to meet in Alexandria, but has planned a meeting in conjunction with IFLA.)  On 27 April, EDUG and BA co-sponsored a full-day seminar, “Bridging the Class(ification) Divide: The New DDC Languages and Retrieval Possibilities.”  The seminar featured speakers from the Arab region, Europe, and the United States.  Presentations from the seminar are now available here. 

Ancient International Trade

Recent archaeological finds were featured in several articles by Andrew Lawlor in the news focus section of the May 28 Science. A major theme was what the finds reveal about ancient international trade.  Here is the summary of “A Forgotten Corridor Rediscovered”:

Recent digs in Iran and Central Asia have uncovered a plethora of ancient cities that traded goods and technologies overland with one another and their more famous neighbors. Now discoveries in Oman and the neighboring United Arab Emirates (UAE) are beginning to show that there was a southern sea route as well, which funneled raw materials such as copper and manufactured goods such as textiles across the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf. Those links reached deep into the eastern Arabian Peninsula. Much is still unknown, including whether Indus traders actually penetrated deep into Arabia, the identities of the sailors who first plied the Indian Ocean, and just how extensive that contact was. But clues continue to emerge from numerous archaeological digs in Oman and the UAE, a region that has become a hotbed of excavation. Work here and in the western Persian Gulf, Iran, Pakistan, and India reveals that this early Arabian culture was a nexus point for the far-flung civilizations of the 3rd millennium B.C.E. This special Focus package also discusses a bevy of archaeological surprises being discovered in Omani soil and fortified coastal settlements that suggest that the Indus Civilization, once considered an insular society, shipped goods to the east.

The interdisciplinary number for archaeology is 930.1 Archaeology, as shown by the unsubdivided Relative Index entry: 
Archaeology       930.1
At 930.1 is the see reference: “For archaeology of continents, countries, localities provided for in notation T2—3 from Table 2, see 931–939.”  An example of a work about the archaeological site of an ancient city in Oman is The Road to Ubar:  Finding the Atlantis of the Sands, classed in 939.49 Arabia Felix to 622.  (The NOVA Online program Lost City of Arabia treats the same site.)  A classifier who goes to the modern history number for Oman, 953.53 Oman, will find the see reference: “For ancient history to 622, see 939.49.”

What about a work that focuses specifically on international trade?  The numbers 930.1 and 931–939 all have in their upward hierarchy 900 History, geography, and auxiliary disciplines.  At 900 is the scatter class-elsewhere note:  “Class historical and geographic treatment of a specific subject with the subject, plus notation T1—09 from Table 1, e.g., historical and geographic treatment of natural sciences 509, of economic situations and conditions 330.9, of purely political situations and conditions 320.9, history of military science 355.009.”  Because class-elsewhere notes have hierarchical force, works about the history—and archaeology—of international trade are classed with international trade. 

The interdisciplinary number for international trade is 382 International commerce (Foreign trade), as shown by the unsubdivided Relative index entry:
International trade       382
Adding standard subdivision T1—09 Historical, geographic, persons treatment to 382 yields 382.09 Historical, geographic, persons treatment.  That number itself is regular; but the geographic subdivisions have special add instructions.  For example, 382.093–382.099 International commerce in specific continents, countries, localities has the notes:
           

Add to base number 382.09 notation T2—3–T2—9 from Table 2, e.g., international commerce of United Kingdom 382.0941; then, for commerce between two continents, countries, localities or between a continent, country, locality and a region, area, place, add 0† and add notation T2—1–T2—9 from Table 2, e.g., commerce between United Kingdom and communist bloc 382.094101717

Give priority in notation to the continent, country, locality emphasized. If emphasis is equal, give priority to the one coming first in Table 2

† Add 00 for standard subdivisions; see instructions at beginning of Table 1

An example of a work about ancient international trade is Rome's Eastern Trade:  International Commerce and Imperial Policy, 31 BC-AD 305.  The work is classed in 382.09370394 International commerce of Roman Empire with the Middle East (built with 382 International commerce (Foreign trade) plus T1—09 Historical, geographic, persons treatment plus T2—37 Italian Peninsula and adjacent territories to 476 plus 0 plus T2—394 Middle East, following instructions at 382.093–382.099).  At T2—37 is the class-here note: “Class here Roman Empire.”  At T2—394 is a scatter see reference note:  “For a specific part of Middle East not provided for here, see the part, e.g., Egypt T2—32, Palestine T2—33”; consequently, T2—394 should be understood as including parts of the Middle East, such as Egypt and Iraq, that are not listed as direct subdivisions of T2—394.

Public Debt

Public debt has been in the news in the last few months, along with fears of double-dip recession, e.g., “World Debt Crisis: Eight Reasons You Should Care” (Christian Science Monitor), “Double-Dip Recession: Q&A” (Telegraph), “Portugal Downgrade Rekindles Europe Debt Crisis” (AFP), and “Q+A-Does Japan Face a Greek-Like Debt Crisis?” (Reuters).

The interdisciplinary number for public debt is 336.34 Public debt, as indicated by the Relative Index entry without subentry:
Public debt           336.34
An example of a work classed in 336.34 is Sustainability of Public Debt.  Regular standard subdivision notation is used for interdisciplinary works on the public debt of a specific country; for example, The Public Debt of the United States: An Historical Perspective, 1775–1990 is classed in 336.340973 Public debt of the United States (built with 336.34 Public debt plus T1—09 Geographic treatment plus T2—73 United States, following instructions at T1—093–099 Treatment by specific continents, countries, localities; extraterrestrial worlds).

A see-reference leads from 336.34 Public debt to 336.36 Debt management.  Examples of works classed in 336.36 are Restructuring Sovereign Debt: The Case for Ad Hoc Machinery and Government Debt Management: New Trends and Challenges.

What about public debt and budget deficits in relation to long-term macroeconomic concerns? In the Relative Index is
Public debt—macroeconomic policy       339.523  
The number 339.523 Budget surpluses and deficits has in its upward hierarchy:
339.5 Macroeconomic policy
339.52 Use of fiscal policy

Examples of works classed in 339.523 are Budget Deficits and Macroeconomic Policy and The Political Economy of Fiscal Policy: Public Deficits, Volatility, and Growth.

If the choice between 336 Public finance and 339 Macroeconomics and related topics is difficult, the Manual entry 332, 336 vs. 339 gives general guidance:

Use 332 and 336 for works on economic topics considered in their own right, e.g., monetary activities of central banks 332.112. Use 339 if the topics are discussed in relation to the total economic picture of a country or region, since macroeconomics is the study of the economy as a whole, especially with reference to its general level of output and income and the interrelationships among sectors of the economy, e.g., activities of central banks undertaken primarily to carry out macroeconomic policy 339.53. If in doubt, prefer 332 and 336.

Also, at 336.3 Public debt and expenditures are these notes: “Class here fiscal policy, comprehensive works on monetary and fiscal policy” and “For use of fiscal and monetary policy in economic stabilization, see 339.5.” At 336.36 Debt management is the note: “See also 339.523 for deficit financing in macroeconomic policy.”

What about public debt in relation to economic fluctuations (338.54 Economic fluctuations)?  At 339.5 Macroeconomic policy is a see-reference to 338.543 Remedial and preventive action: “For measures to control economic fluctuations, see 338.543.”  Since see-references have hierarchical force, topics that would otherwise be classed in subdivisions of 339.5 are classed in 338.543 if the focus is on controlling economic fluctuations.  Works classed in 338.543 may focus on one kind of action, or many kinds, possibly but not necessarily involving public debt.  Examples of works classed in 338.543 Remedial and preventive action are Recovery from Crisis: Policy Alternatives for Equitable Development and Credit, Currency, or Derivatives: Instruments of Global Financial Stability or Crisis?

We have already written about general works on economic fluctuations (see previous blog “Prosperity or Depression”) and discussed 338.542 Business cycles. At 338.542 is a class-elsewhere note: “Class remedial and preventive measures in 338.543.” 

A World Cup post-mortem

The FIFA World Cup came to an end on Sunday with Spain’s victory over the Netherlands in a very physical and hard-fought final game. After four weeks of constant football excitement – as much as three matches a day in the first round! – suddenly, millions of football (or soccer, fútbol, Fußball, calcio, ...) fans are finding themselves with a lot of free time on their hands. So what could be better than to use this time to look back at some of the more colorful “side events” that seem to accompany every World Cup and make it unique?

The biggest star that has emerged over the duration of the tournament (judging by the way it has captured media attention and the world’s imagination) is Paul, the clairvoyant octopus, who seemingly had several of his eight arms in everything. German TV stations interrupted their regular programming to broadcast live from Oberhausen’s Sealife aquarium, where Paul correctly predicted the outcome of every game Germany played in the tournament plus Spain as the winner in the final. After being presented by two clear containers, each adorned with national flags, he “made” his prediction by grabbing a mussel from one of the containers.

It’s not always nice to have such a good track record, however. After predicting Argentina’s defeat in the quarter final, “the oracle of Oberhausen” reportedly received death threats (in the form of octopus recipes). German fans were very upset when he predicted Spain’s win over Germany in the semi-final and even accused him of jinxing the “Mannschaft.” This went as far as Spain offering him asylum “so the Germans don’t eat him.” The Dutch were not amused, either. So it is probably a good thing that it has been announced that Paul is going to retire; at the ripe age of 2 1/2 years, he really is a pensioner in octopus years.

Paul was not the only animal around the world that was used as an oracle for World Cup games (another one was Mani, the Singaporean parakeet); after all, if you only “ask” enough of them, one is statistically bound to get it right. Even more about them can be found in 133.89 Animal magnetism, hypnosis, extrasensory perception of animals, aura, where animals with “psychic powers” are classed.

Another topic that was on everyone’s mind (and in everyone’s ears) was the vuvuzela, a plastic blowing horn that was a ubiquitous accessory at this years’ World Cup. Some found it an insufferable noise-maker (with a sound pressure of around 120 dB at close range) that drowned out the stadium atmosphere even on TV; others said it is an integral part of a South African football experience. Because vuvuzelas technically only produce one note, a B-flat at a frequency of about 230 Hz, the sound can be (and was) filtered out to some degree by broadcasters. But for those who couldn’t get enough, Youtube added a “vuvuzela button” to its video player! Some, like these musicians at the Konzerthaus Berlin, took it even more seriously than others, and were able to unearth and perform the little-known vuvuzela solo that Maurice Ravel wrote for his “Boléro.”

Works about vuvuzelas are classed at 788.99 Other brass instruments, where vuvuzelas as instruments are implicitly in standing room. (Even though they are not made of metal, they qualify for inclusion under 788.9 because they are lip-reed instruments.)

Finally, an old classic came up as topic for controversy once again: the ball itself. As the official match balls for the 1970 World Cup, Adidas created what would become the perhaps most iconic ball of all: the Telstar with its familiar 12 black pentagons and 20 white hexagons. Geometrically, such a ball represents a truncated icosahedron, and, as such, is not perfectly round. Recently, manufacturers have embarked on a quest to construct a “rounder” ball with fewer seams, which should perform more consistently regardless where it is hit. While the 2006 World Cup saw the Adidas Teamgeist made out of 14 curved panels, the construction of this year’s Jabulani has been further reduced to eight spherically-molded panels.

While many players seem to like it, it has gotten a lot of criticism. Some players have called it a “supermarket ball” or a “beach ball.” Even NASA has weighed in with an opinion on the aerodynamics of the Jabulani!

Works about the construction and performance of soccer balls are classed at 688.76334, built with 688.76 Equipment for outdoor sports and games plus 334 [from 796.334 Soccer (Association football)]. Since balls do not approximate the whole of equipment for association football, standard subdivisions may not be added; thus another hotly debated topic like the integration of computer chips into the ball to determine automatically when it has passed the goal line is also classed in 688.76334, not in 688.763340285.

This was not all, of course! Other trifles like the development in tactics, football jersey fashion trends and the history of official World Cup anthems will have to wait for another time.

Salads

At this time of year in the northern hemisphere, food stories in news media often feature summer salads or salads for picnics and barbecues, e.g., “Summer Salad Recipe: Heritage Tomatoes with Red Onion, Summer Savory and Red Wine Vinegar” from a summer salads series (Telegraph), “Traditional Japanese Seaweed Salad Provides Cool Summertime Refreshment” (Burlington Free Press), “Layered Salad is Right for Summer” (“layered Chinese chicken salad” from Pittsburgh Tribune-Review), “Donna’s Peach Chicken Salad with Honey Peach Dressing” (Channel 3000 Wisconsin TV), “It's Slaw Season: Washington Chefs Put Their Own Spin on the Summer Staple” (Washington Post), “Salad Season: Break out the Grill for Some Flavorful Summer Dishes” (e.g., “grilled shrimp salad with mango, red pepper and snow peas” from Lawrence Journal World and News), “All-Star Potato Salads” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), and “Real Salads Sport Bacon, Beans and BBQ Sauce” (ABC/AP).

Salad recipes are classed in 641.83 Salads, which has 641.8 Cooking specific kinds of dishes and preparing beverages in the upward hierarchy.  Examples are Raising the Salad Bar and For the Love of Salad. Incidentally, as noted in a previous blog (“Strawberries”), “cooking” in DDC does not necessarily imply heating.

What if a work is limited to or has mostly vegetarian salad recipes?  How does one know whether to use 641.83 Salads or 641.5636 Vegetarian cooking?  In the upward hierarchy of 641.5636, at 641.5 Cooking, is the see reference: “For cooking specific kinds of dishes, preparing beverages, see 641.8.”  Since see references have hierarchical force, works on vegetarian salads are classed in 641.83 Salads, e.g., 175 Vegetarian Salads: Make Tempting Salads, Dressings and Dips All Year Round with Easy-to-Follow Recipes and Twelve Months of Monastery Salads: 200 Divine Recipes for All Seasons.

What if a work emphasizes salads that feature a specific ingredient, e.g., chicken?  General works on cooking chicken are classed in 641.665 Chicken (Meat)—cooking (built with 641.6 Cooking specific materials plus 65 from 636.5 Poultry    Chickens, following instructions at 641.63-641.67 Cooking food derived from plant crops and domesticated animals).  How does one know whether to use 641.83 or 641.665 for a work about chicken salads?  At 641.6 is the class-elsewhere note: “Class specific kinds of dishes featuring specific materials in 641.8.” Since class-elsewhere notes have hierarchical force, works on chicken salad are classed in 641.83 Salads, e.g., Chicken Salad: Fifty Favorite Recipes.

What if a work emphasizes salads that can serve as main dishes?  At 641.82 Main dishes is the class-elsewhere note: “Class a side dish, salad, sandwich or stuffed food regarded as a main dish with the topic elsewhere in 641.8, e.g., soup 641.813, hamburger on a roll 641.84.”  Consequently, works on main-dish salads are classed in 641.83 Salads, e.g., Salad Suppers: Fresh Inspirations for Satisfying One-Dish Meals, and Salad Makes the Meal: 150 Simple and Inspired Salad Recipes Everyone Will Love.