025.431: The Dewey blog

"Abridged" View of WebDewey

An "Abridged" View of WebDewey, the presentation from the 19 March 2012 invitational webinar with current Abridged WebDewey users, is now available. The presentation outlines the approaches we propose to implement in WebDewey to accommodate current Abridged WebDewey users (see here for background information on why we have decided not to continue with a separate version of WebDewey based on Abridged Edition 15). We welcome your questions, comments, and ideas. 

 

Dewey at PLA

Libbie Crawford and I enjoyed sharing some of our ongoing developments—progress never stands still at Dewey!—at the Dewey Breakfast/Update at PLA 2012 in Philadelphia earlier this month.  Libbie gave a presentation on Dewey Products and Services in which she addressed the availability status of the latest set of print products (DDC 23—available, Abridged Edition 15 [A15]—available, 200 Religion Class—coming soon); in addition she summarized the set of enhancements that have recently been incorporated into WebDewey (e.g., icons for Manual notes and built numbers; history of numbers) or that will appear in WebDewey in the foreseeable future (e.g., user contribution / number building assistant).  Her presentation was sandwiched between presentations on A15 (Abridged Edition 15:  It’s Here!) and DDC 23 (DDC 23:  What’s New + Helpful Hints [not from Heloise]).  The former touched on some of the changes incorporated into A15, both those ranging across the system and those limited to specific subject areas; the presentation also explained the development process for generating A15.  The latter presentation addressed classifying works on evolving technologies, giving specific examples in the areas of digital photography and multifunctional digital devices; it also addressed how to classify works involving groups of people that are defined by more than a single attribute, with particular emphasis on the preference tables at 302-307, 362, and 362.74-.78. 

We invite everyone to take advantage of the availability of the presentations by using them for both review and learning.

Boycotts

(This is the second in a series of posts on eponyms.)

(Warning:  There’s rather more to this story than I’m going to try to relate.)  In the fall of 1880 in County Mayo, Ireland, Lord Erne granted his tenant farmers a ten percent reduction in their rents because of the poor harvest that had occurred that year.  Many of the farmers demanded a higher reduction—25 percent—in their rents, which Lord Erne refused to grant.  It was then left to his land agent, Captain Charles Boycott, to evict the farmers who refused (or were unable) to pay the higher amount.   In addressing the issue of someone’s coming in to work the land after the former farmer had been evicted, Charles Stewart Panell, an influential member of the Irish Land League, urged the use of “social ostracism,” by shunning the person under all circumstances.  This counsel was first applied to the land agent Charles Boycott:  none of the local farmers would harvest the crops on Lord Erne’s lands, while local merchants refused to render services to Boycott.  Within only days, the verb to boycott was being used locally in relation to ostracizing landlords or land agents.  By the end of the decade, it had entered A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (later known as the Oxford English Dictionary).  According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the word today has gained the following broader meaning:   “To abstain from or act together in abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with as an expression of protest or disfavor or as a means of coercion.”  The word has been adopted (and adapted) by many other languages, such as Finnish, French, Dutch, German, Greek, Indonesian, Korean, Polish, Swedish, Tagalog, Turkish, Russian, and related languages.  (Check it out.)

The Relative Index does not designate an interdisciplinary number for boycotts, but gives instead the following entries (it should be noted that boycotts do not approximate the whole of any of these classes; if mentioned at all, they are in the including note):

Relative Index heading	DDC number	Captions
Boycott—Holocaust, 1933–1945	940.5318132	Holocaust  /  Economic actions against business and property
Boycott—international politics	327.117	Foreign policy and specific topics in international relations / Use of force and threats of force
Boycott—international politics—law of nations	341.582	Law of nations / Disputes and conflicts between states / Coercive methods of settlement short of war / Sanctions
Boycott—labor economics	331.893	Labor-management bargaining and disputes / Other labor measures (i.e., other than contracts, strikes)
Boycott—labor economics—law	344.01893	Labor law / Labor-management bargaining and disputes / Other labor measures (i.e., other than contracts, strikes)
Boycott—restraint of trade	338.6048	Organization of production / Competition and restraint
Boycott—restraint of trade—law	343.0723	[Economic law] / Regulation of economic activity / Unfair practices / Restraint of trade

Examples of works on boycotts include: 

• International boycotts: Canadian responses, classed in 327.117 Foreign policy and specific topics in international relations / Use of force and threats of force;
• The boycott in American trade unions, classed in 331.893 Labor-management bargaining and disputes / Other labor measures (i.e., other than contracts, strikes);
• The NLRB [National Labor Relations Board] and secondary boycotts,  classed in 344.7301893 (built with 344 Labor law, etc., plus T2—73 United States, plus 01 from 344.011–.018 Specific aspects of labor, following instructions at 01–09 Topics of labor law, etc., in the add table under 344.3–.9 Specific jurisdictions and areas, plus 893 from 331.893 Labor-management bargaining and disputes / Other labor measures (i.e., other than contracts, strikes, following instructions at 344.011–.018 Specific aspects of labor); and
• Refusing to cooperate with competitors:  A theory of horizontal boycotts, classed in 343.730723 (built with 343 Industry, trade law, etc., plus T2—73 United States, plus 0723 from 343.0723 Restraint of trade, following instructions at 01–09 Topics of industry, trade law, etc., in the add table under 343.3–.9 Specific jurisdictions and areas). 

And where should a comprehensive biography on Captain Charles Boycott be classed?  The Manual note at T1—092 Biography instructs us to “use the number for the subject of the person’s most noted contribution for the comprehensive biography of the person.”  However, it goes on to say, “Class an individual biography in the number most nearly covering the history and civilization of the place and time of the activity emphasized when a work is not clearly associated with any subject but is clearly associated with a place, even in cases when a person’s activity may not approximate the whole of the most specific period.”   Captain Boycott is not known for a contribution within a subject area, but is known as a part of the history of Ireland in the late 19^th century.  The best number for his comprehensive biography therefore is 941.5081092 (built with 941.5081 Ireland, 1800–1899, plus T1–092 Biography).  An example of such a biography is Boycott:  The life behind the word; the life and times in England and in Ireland and the unusual family background of Charles Cunningham Boycott.

 

What does "below" mean in WebDewey?

DDC 23 contains a new type of note in class records for standard subdivisions that introduce special expansions not found in Table 1: "Notation X from Table 1 as modified below." For example, the note "Notation 01 from Table 1 as modified below" is included in the record for 370.1 Philosophy and theory, education for specific objectives, educational psychology; there are several expansions under 370.1 that are not part of T1—01 Philosophy and theory.

Yesterday, we received an interesting question about the use of the term "below" in the note in the WebDewey version of class 370.1: "What does 'below' mean if I don’t see something directly below the note?" In the note under 370.1, "below" is shorthand for "in the subdivisions of this class." The direct subdivisions of 370.1 appear in the hierarchical display in WebDewey:

In some cases, "below" may refer to content in the class record itself plus subdivisions of the class. For example, the note "Only those peoples provided for below" under T5—9489 Peoples who speak, or whose ancestors spoke, miscellaneous languages of south Asia refers to the peoples named in the including note in the record for T5—9489 plus the caption and class-here note in T5—94892. There are over two hundred instances of the term "below" in the schedules, tables, and Manual notes in DDC 23. In each case, one needs to consult what follows.

WebDewey and Library of Congress Subject Headings

Among the Library of Congress Subject Headings mapped to Dewey numbers in earlier versions of WebDewey were some labeled "PPT" because they came from the 2001 publication People, Places & Things: A List of Popular Library of Congress Subject Headings with Dewey Numbers. Those headings were not included in WebDewey 2.0 because the mappings needed to be updated. 

The process of updating has begun.  Thus far, PPT headings mapped to 500–599 have been updated and restored to WebDewey.  The headings are no longer labeled "PPT" because they are now like other editorially mapped headings; there is no longer a need to warn users that they may be out of date.  A few examples may illustrate.

The LCSH "Polynomials" is now mapped to 512.9422 Polynomial equations.  The history box for that number has this information:

expanded from 512.942
2003, Edition 22

In PPT, the LCSH "Polynomials" was mapped to the old number, 512.942.  An example of a work with the LCSH "Polynomials" classed in 512.9422 Polynomial equations is Polynomials.

(To learn more about the history box now available in WebDewey, see the previous blogs "WebDewey 2.0 Enhancements" and "Expansions from DDC 22 to DDC 23.")

The LCSH "Algorithms" is now mapped to 518.1 Algorithms.  The history box for that number has this information:

formerly located in 511.8
2003, Edition 22

In PPT, the LCSH "Algorithms" was mapped to the old number, 511.8.  An example of a work classed in 518.1 Algorithms is Algorithms.  The work has both the LCSH "Algorithms—Textbooks" and "Computer algorithms—Textbooks," but it emphasizes the mathematical ideas behind algorithms.

The LCSH "Pacific Ocean" is now mapped to the built number 551.4614 Pacific Ocean (built with 551.461 Specific oceans and seas, coastal saltwater bodies plus 4 from T2—164 Pacific Ocean, following instructions at 551.4613–551.4617 Specific oceans and seas). The history box for 551.4614 Pacific Ocean has this information:

formerly located in 551.465
2003, Edition 22

In PPT, the LCSH "Pacific Ocean" was mapped to the old number, 551.465.  An example of a work with the LCSH "Pacific Ocean" classed in 551.4614 Pacific Ocean is Pacific Ocean. The work is interdisciplinary, and 551.4614 is the interdisciplinary number for the Pacific Ocean.  In the upward hierarchy, at 551.46 Oceanography and submarine geology, is the class-here note: "Class here . . . interdisciplinary works on marine science, on oceans and seas."  That note has hierarchical force.

DDC 23: Expansions in Table 2 notation 3 Ancient world

Among the expansions in DDC 23 summarized in "New Features in Edition 23" are many for geographic areas in T2--3 Ancient world, e.g.:

--394 Middle East to 640

An example of a work for which one of the new subdivisions can be used is The City of Ugarit at Tell Ras Shamra.  The work has the LCSH Ugarit (Extinct city) and the LCSH Excavations (Archaeology)--Syria.  Browsing the Relative Index for "Ugarit" yields:

Ugarit (Extinct city)    T2--39433

The record for T2--39433 Northwest provinces of modern Syria to 640 has an including note naming Ugarit:  "Including Ebla, Ugarit."  This new number is an expansion of the number T2--3943 Syria to 640. At 930.1 Archaeology is the see reference: "For archaeology of continents, countries, localities provided for in notation T2--3 from Table 2, see 931-939."  The City of Ugarit at Tell Ras Shamra is classed in 939.433 History of northwest provinces of modern Syria to 640 (built with 9 History plus T2--39433 Northwest provinces of modern Syria to 640, following instructions under 930-990 History of specific continents, countries, localities; extraterrestrial worlds).

Another example of a work for which a new subdivision of T2--3943 Syria to 640 can be used is A History of Antioch in Syria: From Seleucus to the Arab Conquest.  The work has the LCSH Antioch (Turkey)--History.  Browsing the Relative Index for "Antioch" yields:

Antioch (Turkey)                   T2--5648
Antioch (Turkey)--ancient       939.431
Antioch (Turkey)--ancient       T2--39431

Here is the new Table 2 entry, with an option note that links to the Table 2 number for Hatay Province of modern Turkey (T2--5648):

T2--39431 Hatay Province of modern Turkey to 640
                    Class here Antioch to 640
                    (Option: Class in T2--5648)

Syria is named in the upward hierarchy for T2--39431, and the option note has a link to the Table 2 number for modern Syria (T2--5691):

T2--3943  Syria to 640
                        For Phoenicia, see T2--3944
                    (Option: Class in T2--5691)

The information in the captions and notes helps the classifier cope with the differences between the ancient world, when Antioch was part of Syria, and the current period, when Antioch is part of Turkey.  A History of Antioch in Syria: From Seleucus to the Arab Conquest is classed in 939.431 History of Hatay Province of modern Turkey to 640 (built with 9 History plus T2--39431 Hatay Province of modern Turkey to 640, following instructions under 930-990 History of specific continents, countries, localities; extraterrestrial worlds).

Incidentally, here is a link to Google Maps for Antioch where it is today, in modern Turkey (T2--5648).

 

 

Eponymy and the DDC

I’m taking advantage of a minor relocation in DDC 23—the relocation of dictionaries of eponyms from 413.1 Specialized dictionaries to 412.03 Etymological dictionaries—to start a series of blog posts on eponymous subjects.   But first, please remind me (you might be saying), what’s an eponym?  And while you’re at it, why would dictionaries of eponyms be relocated out of 413.1?  (They sound pretty specialized, don’t they?)  And what do eponyms have to do with etymology?

An eponym is a word/phrase that is derived from the name of a person.  For instance, the Dewey Decimal Classification is an eponym, derived from the name of Melvil Dewey, the person who devised the system.  Thus eponymy is one of the types of word sources studied in etymology.  Yes, dictionaries of eponyms are specialized dictionaries, but classing them with other works on etymology makes for a better fit than classing them with other specialized dictionaries. 

The number for the DDC is, as the blog itself broadcasts, 025.431 Dewey Decimal Classification.  What then is the class number for comprehensive works on Melvil Dewey?   The Manual note at T1—092 Biography instructs us to “use the number for the subject of the person’s most noted contribution for the comprehensive biography of the person.”  It might seem obvious then that comprehensive works on Melvil Dewey should be classed in 025.431092.  But what of his other noted contributions, among which are his (co-)founding of The Library Journal, the American Library Association, and the Library Bureau, as well as the world’s first library school?   We are helped out again by the Manual note, which goes on to say, “If in doubt between a number for a discipline and a number for a specific subject within the discipline, prefer the number for the discipline.”  The most appropriate number for comprehensive works on Melvil Dewey therefore is 020.92 (built with 020 Library and information sciences, plus T1—092 Biography).  A good example of such a work is Wayne Wiegand’s Irrepressible reformer:  A biography of Melvil Dewey.

Add Table Notation in WebDewey (or, DDC Has Not Become Colon Classification)

We were asked, "Why are there colons in some numbers in WebDewey?  Is that a glitch?"  No, those numbers represent add table notation; the part before the colon gives the DDC number or number span where the add table is located, and the part following the colon represents the notation in the add table. For example, a search in All Fields for "drug therapy" will produce a long list of search results that includes:

616.1-616.9:061 Drug therapy

If you click that entry in the search results, you will see the add table under 616.1-616.9
Specific diseases displayed as a complete table, much as in the printed book.  Because it is a large add table, you will need to scroll down to see the specific add table entry in that print-like display:

061    Drug therapy

Because you have already seen the entry 616.1-616.9:061 Drug therapy in your search results, you know where to look as you scroll down in the add table. 

Alternatively, since you already know what add table entry you seek, you could use the hierarchy display at the left of the screen to drill down to 616.1-616.9:061 Drug therapy.  Or if you have scrolled down in the display of the full add table and find the full add table with all its entries and notes a bit overwhelming, you could use the hierarchy display to focus on the entries in the upward hierarchy that are relevant to drug therapy.  If you click the 061 link in the add table display in WebDewey, you can see 616.1-616.9:061 Drug therapy displayed as a separate record, with its own upward and downward hierarchy, including broader or narrower add table entries.  Here are the add table entries in the hierarchy for 616.1-616.9:061 Drug therapy:

616.1-616.9:05-09 Preventive measures, therapy, pathology, psychosomatic medicine, case histories
616.1-616.9:06 Therapy
616.1-616.9:061-069 Specific therapies
616.1-616.9:061 Drug therapy
616.1-616.9:0610724 Experimental research

If you click the entries in the upward hierarchy, you will find notes with hierarchical force in each one.  Those same notes appear also in the print-like display of the full add table; you can choose which way seems most convenient to find them.

For browsing DDC numbers, you also have a choice: show the add table notation as separate entries in the browse results, or hide the add table notation and show only the DDC number or number span where the add table is located. To hide the add table notation, click Preferences, then under Add Table Notation Options click Hide.  Then if you browse for 616.1 the entire add table will be represented by one line:

616.1-616.9 Specific diseases

If you click Show, then browse for 616.1, the add table notation will be represented by many separate lines, beginning with standard subdivisions:

616.1-616.9:001 Philosophy and theory
 
616.1-616.9:002 Miscellany
 
616.1-616.9:[0023] The subject as a profession, occupation, hobby
 
616.1-616.9:0028 Auxiliary techniques and procedures; apparatus, equipment, materials
 
616.1-616.9:00284 Apparatus, equipment, materials
 
616.1-616.9:[00287] Testing and measurement
 
616.1-616.9:003-006 Standard subdivisions

If you frequently use a particular add table and know approximately what add table notation you seek, you can use the form of notation with the colon as a search or browse term.  For example, you can search the Dewey Numbers index with 616.1-616.9:06* (the asterisk is a truncation symbol) and get six add table entries all relating to therapy.  Similarly, you can browse in Dewey Numbers (with Captions) for 616.1-616.9:06 (no truncation symbol needed for browsing) and see a display that begins:

616.1-616.9:05 Preventive measures
 
616.1-616.9:06 Therapy
 
616.1-616.9:060724 Experimental research
 
616.1-616.9:061-069 Specific therapies
 
616.1-616.9:061 Drug therapy

616.1-616.9:0610724 Experimental research
 
616.1-616.9:062-069 Other therapies

Rhythm and blues

In the Q&A session for one of our recent webinars (DDC 23 Update), the following question was posed:  “Are you able to give some insight into the reasoning behind relocating comprehensive works on rhythm & blues to 781.644 (the number for Soul music) from the number for blues (781.643)?” 

Here is how the two entries read in DDC 23:

781.643 †Blues

Class here traditional rhythm and blues; specific blues styles

Comprehensive works on rhythm and blues relocated to 781.644

781.644 †Soul

Class here comprehensive works on rhythm and blues [formerly 781.643], R&B; specific soul styles

For traditional rhythm and blues, see 781.643

That is, traditional rhythm and blues are part of 781.643 Blues, while contemporary rhythm and blues are part of 781.644 Soul.  Comprehensive works on rhythm and blues—works on both traditional and contemporary rhythm and blues—have been relocated from 781.643 Blues to 781.644 Soul.

In our review of popular music styles in the period before the publication of DDC 23, we investigated changing the structure at 781.643 Blues and 781.644 Soul to parallel the overall structure of allmusic.com, which distinguishes between blues and R&B and which treats soul music as a subcategory under R&B.  The arrangement in allmusic.com differs subtly from the meaning afforded these terms in Library of Congress Subject Headings, with its entries for Blues (Music), Rhythm and blues music (UF R&B), and Soul music.  Both Blues (Music) and Soul music are RTs of Rhythm and blues music (and vice-versa).   (For the record, the Library of Congress Classification combines Blues and Rhythm and blues into a single class.) 

WorldCat searches showed that Blues (Music) had been assigned quite infrequently in comparison to Rhythm and blues music and Soul music.  At the same time, works assigned the LCSH Rhythm and blues music were much more likely to be classed in 781.643 Blues than in 781.644 Soul.   It appears from this classification practice that the class-here note [5] for comprehensive works on rhythm and blues that had been in 781.643 was pulling literature into that class that should rightfully have gone into 781.644, given the USE/UF relationship between Rhythm and blues music and R&B.

Our solution has been (1) to distinguish between traditional rhythm and blues, aligned with 781.643 Blues, and contemporary rhythm and blues (that is, R&B), aligned with 781.644 Soul and (2) to relocate comprehensive works on rhythm and blues to 781.644.  The first part of our solution accords with the distinction between blues and R&B made on allmusic.com; the second part of our solution aligns the DDC’s comprehensive works on rhythm and blues with the LCSH Rhythm and blues music and corrects past misclassifications based on the assignment of that LCSH.