025.431: The Dewey blog

Immigration

Immigration has been in the news recently in political contexts, for example, as an issue in the presidential elections in France, and as an issue in the U.S. Congress, which is struggling to write a new immigration law. 

Political aspects of immigration are classed in 325.1 Immigration.  Political aspects of immigration in a specific area are classed in 325.4-325.9 International migration to and colonization in specific continents, countries, localities in modern world, e.g., 325.44 Immigration into France (built with 325 International migration and colonization plus T2--44 France, following instructions at 325.4-325.9).

Immigration laws are classed in 342.082 Entrance to and exit from national domain, where immigration is named in the including note.  Immigration laws in a specific jurisdiction are classed in 342.3-342.9 Constitutional and administrative law in specific jurisdictions and areas, e.g., Immigration Made Simple: An Easy to Read Guide to the U.S. Immigration Process, classed in 342.73082 U.S. immigration law (built with 342 Constitutional and administrative law plus T2--73 United States plus 082 from 342.082 Entrance to and exit from national domain, according to the instructions under 342.3-342.9).  Preliminary materials, such as bills and hearings, if considered in a legal context, are classed in the same numbers.  Notation 0262 Preliminary materials from the add table under 342-347 Branches of law cannot be added because immigration is in standing room.

Interdisciplinary works about immigration that include at least some sociology (e.g., The Migration Decision and Immigration Policy) are classed in 304.82 International movement of people.  Interdisciplinary works about immigration into a specific area are classed in 304.83-304.89 Migration; for example, Immigration and the Transformation of Europe is classed in 304.84 Immigration into Europe from many areas (built with 304.8 Movement of people plus T2--4 Europe, following instructions at 304.83-304.89).

Melamine Contamination

In recent months recalls of dog and cat food contaminated with melamine have been much in the news.  Melamine is an industrial chemical that does not belong in pet food.  Other substances that may be in the food, such as cyanuric acid, may react with the melamine and increase the toxic effect.  Investigations continue into the mechanism of the toxicity that has sickened and killed dogs and cats that ate the contaminated pet foods. 

There have also been reports of swine, chickens, and fish fed contaminated pet food.  After investigation, the swine, chickens, and fish have largely been declared low risk as food for humans and allowed into the human food chain.

General works about the safety and nutritional quality of food for domestic animals with respect to the welfare of the animals are classed in 636.0855 Feeds.  Similar works about food for pets are classed in 636.0887 Pets, because of the instructions at 636.08 Specific topics in animal husbandry to "class a subject with aspects in two or more subdivisions of this schedule in the number coming last."   Works about food poisons that affect domestic animals are classed in 636.0895954 Veterinary toxicology of food poisoning (built with 636.089 Veterinary medicine plus 5954 from 615.954 Food poisons [including toxicology of food additives], according to the instructions at 636.089).

Works about food poisons that affect dogs are classed in 636.70895954 Veterinary toxicology of food poisoning in dogs (built with 636.7 Dogs plus 089 from 636.089 Veterinary medicine, according to the instructions at 636.7001-636.708 Standard subdivisions, specific topics in husbandry of dogs, plus 5954 from 615.954 Food poisons).  Works about food poisons that affect cats are classed in 636.80895954 Veterinary toxicology of food poisoning in cats (built with 636.8 Cats plus 089 from 636.089 Veterinary medicine, according to the instructions at 636.8001-636.808 Standard subdivisions, specific topics in husbandry of cats, plus 5954 from 615.954 Food poisons).

Investigation of specific foods (including meats) intended for human consumption as part of a public safety program is classed in 363.1929 Safety of specific foods.  The scope note at 363.19 Product hazards ("Adulteration, contamination, safety, adequacy, effectiveness of products offered for human consumption and use") limits 363.192 Foods and its subdivisions to food intended for human consumption.

A mud bath for the Taj Mahal

The white marble surfaces of the Taj Mahal have yellow stains from aging and pollution. The discoloration is caused by high levels of sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide emitted by vehicles and the burning of fossil fuels. The treatment involves smearing the surface with a clay-based mud, allowing the mud to dry, and then washing the surface. Maintenance of all types of buildings is classed at 690.24 Maintenance and repair of buildings. The class-elsewhere note at 690.2 General activities of buildings indicates that maintenance of a specific type of building is classed with the type in 690.5-.8 Specific types of buildings, which is developed like 725-728 Architecture of specific types of structures. The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum, a kind of tomb. The architecture of tombs is classed at 726.8 Mortuary chapels and tombs. The note "Subdivisions are added for either or both topics in heading" at 726.8 indicates that standard subdivisions can be added for tombs. Because the maintenance is occurring in only one location, T1--093-099 Treatment by specific continents, countries, localities; extraterrestrial worlds is used instead of T1--0288 Maintenance and repair. (T1--0288 Maintenance and repair is below T1--093-099 Treatment by specific continents, countries, localities; extraterrestrial worlds in the table of preference at the beginning of Table 1.) The Taj Mahal is located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. Because Agra does not have a specific notation, notation T2--542 Uttar Pradesh is used. Because Agra is not a class-here concept at T2--542, the notation 028 Conservation, preservation, restoration in the add table at T1--093-099, which can be added for Uttar Pradesh, cannot be added for Agra. While the maintenance of tombs in Uttar Pradesh is classed at 690.6809542028 Maintenance of tombs in Uttar Pradesh, India, the Taj Mahal's mud bath is classed at 690.6809542 Tombs in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Mercury's Core

Researchers recently announced that the core of Mercury seems to be molten, not solid. While Mercury has its own number (523.41) under 523.4 Planets of the solar system, the geology of Mercury is classed in 550 Earth sciences, at which is the following note: "Class here geophysics; phenomena of celestial bodies directly comparable to terrestrial phenomena, e.g., volcanic activity on Mars 551.21099923." Just in case the classifier is in 520, not 550, there is the following note at 523 Specific celestial bodies and phenomena: "Class phenomena of celestial bodies directly comparable to terrestrial phenomena with the terrestrial phenomena in 550, e.g., volcanic activity on Mars 551.21099923." Thus, the core of Mercury is classed at 551.112099921 Core of Mercury (551.112 Core of the earth plus T1--09 Geographic treatment plus T2--9921 Mercury).

Editorial Policy Committee meetings, May 2007

Report from the DDC EPC Chair, Deane Zeeman

The 127th meeting of the Dewey Decimal Classification Editorial Policy Committee (pictured left) was held at the OCLC Campus in  Dublin, Ohio, on May 9-11.  Among the first items of business was the introduction of two new members of the Dewey family, Rebecca Green (assistant editor) and Michael Panzer (global product manager of taxonomy services), who bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the editorial team. Initial discussions focused on proposed enhancements to the MARC 21 formats to facilitate their use with the DDC. The Committee’s insights helped the editorial team to clarify the proposal, which is being developed jointly with the Library of Congress and the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek (DNB). Assistant editor Juli Beall will be discussing the proposal with the DNB in connection with her participation at an international workshop on MARC 21 in Frankfurt later this month.

This intense discussion set the stage for a challenging two and a half days. In addition to such technical topics as the MARBI proposal and functional specifications for a new DDC editorial system, we spent considerable time wrestling with how to improve the Classification from 004-006 Computer science, 010-090 Information and general works, and 150 Psychology to 930-990 History by way of 641.22 and 663.2 Wine, miscellaneous topics in 620, Table 1—08 (Groups of people), and Table 3C (Themes in art and literature). Updates to records associated with many of these topics (and some new numbers) will be released to users over the next several months.

One of the highlights of Day 2 was the proposed expansion of the “Wars” entry in the Manual, written by assistant editor Winton Matthews. The quality of the research and of the writing of this exhibit prompted the Committee to recommend that a possible avenue for separate publication be explored.

Most of this feverish intellectual activity was undertaken without the guidance of our Fearless Leader, Joan Mitchell, editor-in-chief of the Classification. Joan was unfortunately taken ill and unable to take her usual place at the EPC helm. (She is recovering at home.) It was inspiring to experience the commitment of the editors, the rest of the Dewey team (product manager Libbie Crawford, pictured left) and Committee members, who demonstrated a dedicated professionalism and worked through the agenda in less than ideal circumstances. I honor and thank them all.   

Colony Collapse Disorder

According to the Mid-Atlantic Apiculture Research and Extension Consortium:

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is the name that has been given to the latest, and what seems to be the most serious, die-off of honey bee colonies across the country. It is characterized by sudden colony death with a lack of adult bees in/in front of the dead-outs. Honey and bee bread are usually present and there is often evidence of recent brood rearing. In some cases, the queen and a small number of survivor bees may be present in the brood nest. It is also characterized by delayed robbing and slower than normal invasion by common pests such as wax moth and small hive beetles.

Many possible causes of the honeybee die-offs are being explored, e.g., mites and pesticides, but the cause or causes have not been established.  The focus of attention has been the United States, but similar problems have been reported in other countries.

Because the cause of Colony Collapse Disorder is unknown, works on the topic are classed in the comprehensive number for disorders of domesticated bees, 638.15 Bee injuries, diseases, pests.  Once the cause of the disorder is known, a more specific number will be given.  For example, disorders caused by mites are classed in 638.156542 Bee disorders caused by mites (built with 638.15 Bee injuries, diseases, pests plus 6 from 632.6 Animal pests in agriculture, following the instructions at 638.151-638.158 Specific injuries, diseases, pests, plus 542 from 595.42 Acari, following instructions at 632.6), and disorders caused by pesticides are classed in 638.159 Adverse effects of pesticides.

Prepaid postage

On May 1, 1840 Great Britain issued what is ostensibly the world's first official adhesive postage stamp for sale, the Penny Black.  (The general idea of postage stamps is, however, older.)  The significance of the stamp is that it represented the prepayment of postage; previously, postage was generally paid by the receiver rather than the sender.  The Penny Black was part of a series of reforms of the British postal system proposed by Rowland Hill, widely credited with developing the ideas underlying modern postal service. 

When a competition to design the stamp for the new postal service failed to produce a winning submission, the decision was made to use the profile of Queen Victoria, the reigning British monarch.  To this day, the profile of the reigning monarch, usually facing leftward, graces British stamps, which do not indicate their country of origin.

Postal service is classed at 383 Postal communication, which encompasses developments for the handling of various classes of mail, the transporting of mail, other postal services, economic aspects of postal service, and its organization.  The use of postage stamps is found in an including note at 383.23 Rates and costs.

In addition to their economic significance, postage stamps are great fun to collect.  Philately, the study and collecting of stamps, is classed at 769.56 Postage stamps and related devices.  As a collectible, the Penny Black is classed at 769.56941 Postage stamps of Great Britain (769.569 Geographic treatment of postage stamps plus T2--41 Great Britain).