025.431: The Dewey blog

EPC 145 changes live in WebDewey

EPC Meeting 145 concluded with all exhibits ultimately approved. Some were subject to amendment, so as usual, what you see in the Google Drive is what was proposed, not necessarily the final version that was approved. Always consult WebDewey for the most authoritative information.* Fortunately, all of the changes from EPC 145 are already live there! Keep an eye on the Dewey blog in September for posts highlighting some of those changes.

Regular readers may know what I'm going to say now: you, too, can be a part of the editorial process! We're always accepting suggestions for changes big and small. You can use the "Help Revise the DDC" form in the WebDewey footer, email us, comment here... as long as your message gets to us, there's no wrong way to do it. You could see your work in the DDC in the next round of revisions--or even earlier.

*Oh yeah, and speaking of things that are live, there's a little thing called Dewey linked data you can browse now! Explore the summaries freely, or log on with your existing English WebDewey account to see the whole thing in all six languages. Stay tuned for more information.

Recording available for the OCLC cataloging community virtual meeting

If you weren't able to attend the OCLC cataloging community virtual meeting--or if you did, and want to listen again--a recording and slides are now available on the OCLC website: https://www.oclc.org/go/en/events/cataloging-community-meeting/june-2024.html.

Please note this mostly just covers the presentation portion of the meeting, in which I and three colleagues from public libraries discussed the optional arrangement for religion in the 200s. It does include the Q&A portion of the presentation, but not the general cataloging Q&A that followed.

EPC 145 exhibits ready for review

Starting three weeks from today, the DDC Editorial Policy Committee (EPC) will hold their annual meeting, from 9-11 July. At this meeting, Meeting 145, they will consider a slate of exhibits with proposed changes to the classification. The following exhibits are available for review at our Google Drive page:

• EPC 145-S29.1 Qur'an and branches of Islam
• EPC 145-S32.1 Radicalism
• EPC 145-S32.2 Christian nationalism
• EPC 145-S34.1 Institutions of the European Union
• EPC 145-S36.1 Social problems (discussion paper)
• EPC 145-S36.2 Vaping and vaping devices
• EPC 145-S94.1 Ukrainian history
• EPC 145-T1.1 T1--0285 Computer applications
  • EPC 145-T1.1a T1--0285 Computer applications, other standard subdivisions, geographic information systems
  • EPC 145-T1.1b Libraries and archives; Journalism and publishing
  • EPC 145-T1.1c Sociology and anthropology
  • EPC 145-T1.1d Other social sciences

A special note on that last group: EPC 145-T1.1 is one very large exhibit about the use of standard subdivision T1--0285 and its builds throughout the schedules and tables. The base EPC 145-T1.1 document lays out the general issues involved, and exhibits T1.1a-T1.1d give specific recommendations broadly related to T1--0285 in those areas. So for example, EPC 145-T1.1b is not about general issues related to libraries and archives or journalism and publishing, but about how T1--0285 is used for those disciplines.

At their meeting, EPC will discuss and vote on these proposals. If you have feedback, we welcome comments here, via email, or directly to EPC members. While we'll always do our best to accommodate later comments, it's best to make your voice heard before the first day of the meeting, 9 July.

If you'd like to propose a change for EPC's future consideration, just check the DDC contributors page at oc.lc/DeweyContributors to get started. I hope to hear from you!

Attend the OCLC cataloging community virtual meeting

Did you miss the panel presentation on the optional arrangement in the 200s at this year's PLA conference? It was well attended, but statistically speaking, you probably did miss it! Fortunately (and by popular demand--really!), we'll be re-running it at the OCLC cataloging community meeting, a free and open event June 21, 2:00-4:30 EDT. The first part of the meeting is the presentation.

Increase religious equity by reclassifying Dewey 200s 

In 2019, OCLC provided an alternate arrangement for the Dewey Decimal Classification system’s religion section (200s), which organizes religious subjects more equitably by chronology and geography, rather than centering on Christianity. You’ll hear from OCLC about the new arrangement, and from two public libraries that implemented it. You’ll also get tools to make it easy to increase access and equity in your collection by doing the same. 

Panelists:

• • Emily McDonald, Lawrence (Kansas) Public Library
  • Elizabeth McKinstry, Springfield (Massachusetts) City Public Library
  • Matthew Vasquez Jaquith, Springfield (Massachusetts) City Public Library 
  • Alex Kyrios, OCLC

Then stick around for Q&A and OCLC updates:

• • Learn about OCLC’s linked data strategy and how we’re integrating linked data into current and future cataloging workflows. We’ll also discuss OCLC Meridian and how we’re incorporating WorldCat Entities linked data into various library datasets for use in cataloging and discovery. 
  • Hear about how WorldCat records are continually enriched and how you can automatically receive the updated records to use in your catalog. 
  • Discover how recent WorldShare Collection Manager enhancements can support and simplify your e-resource workflows.  

Even if you can't attend live, registrants will get access to a recording after the event. Interested? Register here. Hope to see you there!

What do you think of the 200s optional arrangement?

Do you use the optional arrangement in the 200s to provide chronological/regional coverage of religion, rather than the standard, Christianity-heavy schedules? Have you thought about it? I’m going to be on a panel at this year’s Public Library Association Conference in Columbus where I’ll give some context behind the arrangement, along with librarians that have adopted it (including Emily McDonald of Lawrence Public Library (KS), who wrote a guest post about their adoption of it). I’ll share more details about that panel closer to the event, but if you’d like to mark it on your calendar now, our panel will be on Friday, April 5.

As I prepare for the presentation, I want to hear your thoughts about the arrangement, whether you’ve adopted it, considered it, or even decide against it. What do you like about it? What’s giving you pause about adopting it? What works well in the standard 200s for you? I’d also be interested to hear if you’ve adopted one of the other options in the 200s: either using the 210s for a specific religion or using all of 220-280 for a specific religion.

EPC 144 exhibits ready for review

The DDC Editorial Policy Committee (EPC) will hold their annual meeting from 12-14 July. At this meeting, Meeting 144, they will consider a slate of exhibits with proposed changes to the classification. The following exhibits are available for review at our Google Drive page:

• EPC 144-S27.1 272.1-.9 Persecutions in general church history--historical periods
• EPC 144-S30.1 Transvestism and cross dressing
• EPC 144-S30.2 304.8 Movement of people and 325 International migration and colonization
• EPC 144-S36.1 365.47 Institutions for immigrants and refugees
• EPC 144-S36.2 Climate change
• EPC 144-S61.1 Gender dysphoria
• EPC 144-S61.2 Autism spectrum disorder; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• EPC 144-S64.1 649.8 Home care of people with illnesses and disabilities by family and friends
• EPC 144-S74.1 Design in 745-749 (discussion paper)
• EPC 144-S79.1 Drag
• EPC 144-S89.1 Period table for Cornish literature at 891.67
• EPC 144-T2.1 Subdivisions of Pakistan
• EPC 144-T2.2 Subdivisions of Central Asian countries
• EPC 144-T5.1 Black people and White people
• EPC 144-T5.2 Irish Travellers (Mincéirs)

Some of these proposals come straight from DDC users, and many others were prompted by questions or suggestions. I've already had a proposal sent to me for the next meeting! If you'd like to be a part of that, I encourage you to get in touch. And for EPC 144, I encourage any interested users to review and comment on these proposals. You may do so here on the blog, via email, or at the DDC contributors forum at oc.lc/DeweyContributors. You can also share your comments directly with members of EPC.

EPC 143A exhibits available for review

In January, we'll have Electronic Meeting 143A of the Editorial Policy Committee (EPC). You can view the following revision proposals at oc.lc/deweyexhibits: 

• EPC 143A-S29.1 - 297.48 Sufi orders
• EPC 143A-S30.1 - Movement of people and 325 International migration and colonization
• EPC 143A-S73.1 - 730 Sculpture and related arts
• EPC 143A-S94.1 - Ionian Islands
• EPC 143A-T1.1 - Further updates to terminology for groups of people

EPC will be voting on these the week of January 30-February 3. Please share any feedback, positive or negative! You can do so by commenting on this post, posting to the the Dewey Contributors Google Group, or by email to [email protected] or an EPC member.

Results of EPC 143

The Editorial Policy Committee (EPC) met virtually in June to consider the slate of exhibits finalized back in May. Most were approved, and you’ll be seeing them rolling out into WebDewey in the coming weeks. (One is already there! More on that soon.)

Two exhibits were sent back for further work:

• EPC 143-S29.1c - 297.48 Sufi orders
• EPC 143-S30.1 - 304.8 Movement of people

For EPC 143-S29.1c, there was consensus among the committee that more specific Sufi orders should be provided for, beyond those proposed in the exhibit. We welcome feedback from users around the world, or anyone with interest or expertise in the topic, even if they aren’t users, to help represent Sufi orders that are frequently the subject of published literature.

On EPC 143-S30.1, the topic is just complicated! Where do you class a work on immigration to a specific country, emigration from a country, or works that cover both? When does a work on immigration belong with community sociology or political science instead of the interdisciplinary number? We’ll revisit the issue at the next electronic EPC meeting, towards the end of this year.

Keep checking the blog for posts highlighting specific changes from EPC 143 as they’re added to WebDewey, but keep your eye on the WebDewey updates feed too, as not every exhibit will necessarily lead to a blog post.

Last but certainly not least, there are a few new (and returning!) faces joining EPC, and that will lead to a blog post!

EPC 143 exhibits ready for review

The Editorial Policy Committee (EPC) will meet virtually in early June for their Meeting 143. Dates and times will vary based on members' availability. You can view the following revision proposals at oc.lc/deweyexhibits:

• EPC 143-S29.1a - Introduction, Islam and secular disciplines
• EPC 143-S29.1b - 297.38 Rites, ceremonies, prayer, meditation
• EPC 143-S29.1c - 297.48 Sufi orders
• EPC 143-S29.1d - 297.54 Zakat
• EPC 143-S29.1e - 297.576 Individual observances
• EPC 143-S30.1 - 304.8 Movement of people
• EPC 143-S30.2 - Disasters as causes of social change
• EPC 143-S74.1 - Graphic design and communication design
• EPC 143-T1.2 - Terminology in T1--08 Groups of people
• EPC 143-T2.1 - Kosovo
• EPC 143-T2.2 - T2--599 Philippines
• EPC 143-T6.1 - T6--9549 Eastern Himalayan languages; T5--9549 Eastern Himalayan peoples

(To paraphrase guidance we give on the Summaries, Consult exhibits for complete and exact titles.)

Please share any feedback, positive or negative! You can do so by commenting on this post, posting to the the Dewey Contributors Google Group, or by email to [email protected] or an EPC member.

Results of electronic meeting EPC 142C

During the month of October, the Dewey Editorial Policy Committee (EPC) reviewed seven exhibits. Six were approved, with one sent back for further work. This post will summarize changes from these exhibits; consult WebDewey, where all changes are live, for full details.

EPC 142C-S02.1 Library programs has introduced a new class, 025.57 Library programs on specific subjects. You can add up to three digits to this base number from 001-999 for specific subjects, such as 025.578 for creative writing programs, or 025.57929 for genealogy programs. Just keep in mind the class-elsewhere note at 025.5. Works on programs on specific subjects for specific groups will go with the group (e.g., 027.625 for children).

EPC 142C-S20.1 Religious conversion authorizes 204.24 Conversion in comparative religion, which was formerly in an including note at 204.2. For a while now, the DDC has had numbers for conversion in specific religions (e.g., 248.24 for Christianity), but not for the idea of religious conversion more broadly.

Look for a full blog post about EPC 142C-S41.1 Sign languages soon!

EPC 142C-S62.1 Arms and armor resolves some issues with 623.441 Small arms of pre-firearm origin ("Weaponry of prefirearm origin" before the changes). This expansion authorizes six new subclasses for specific types of weapons, e.g., 623.4416 Bows and arrows, and also develops for new numbers under 623.42 Specific pieces of artillery. Armor is still stuck in this "weapons" hierarchy, now at 623.4418 Armor, but hopefully the situation is more clear than before!

EPC 142C-T2.1 Counties of Kenya and EPC 142-T2.2 Regions of Denmark give more specific Table 2 notation for those two countries.

This leaves EPC 142C-S36.1 Vaping and vaping devices. This is an area that Dewey users have rated as a high priority for future development, but EPC had questions about this proposal, and we want to make sure we get it right. Expect to hear more about this in the future.

Special thanks go out to our community volunteers who worked on these proposals: Julianne Beall, Michael Cantlon, Bradley Carrington, Josh Hall, and Winton Matthews.