Page 18 - DLIS103_LIBRARY_CLASSIFICATION_AND_CATALOGUING_THEORY

Unit 2: Classification Schemes

(a) Universal Schemes: The term ‘universal schemes’ is used for schemes that are globally Notes
accepted, multilingual and multidisciplinary in nature. UDC, DDC, LC, etc. are the
commonly used Universal schemes. The use of a universal, multidisciplinary classification
scheme in an Internet context could result in the following advantages:
They can cover all subject areas.
They are widely supported.
Continuous updating.
User familiarity.
Multilingual access to a collection.
Availability in machine-readable form. (since most of them are available in Machine
readable forms).

Universal classification schemes, however, are subject to several
criticisms:

Rigid or false ontology: The limitations of enumerated classification numbers had given
birth to more flexible analytico-synthetic classification schemes like CC.
Delay in updating and adding new subject areas.
Further no classification scheme is able to fully represent the Universe of Knowledge.
(b) National Schemes: Apart from the advantages and disadvantages of universal classifica-
tion schemes the national schemes [like Nederland’s Basisclassificatie (BC) and the Sveriges
Allmäma Biblioteks for ending (SAB), etc.] Have some drawbacks as discussed below.
Multilingual capability is not a primary concerned with national schemes, apart
from countries with multiple languages.
National schemes are likely to have a geographic bias.
(c) Specific Subject Schemes: Specific subject schemes (like NLM, and Ei) are usually created
for special collections or indexing and/or abstracting services in a scientific discipline.
They do have the potential to provide a structure and terminology much closer to the
discipline and can be more up-to-date, compared to universal schemes. They could be used
mostly in subject-based services. These schemes also do have drawbacks like:
They make co-operation between subject services from different subject areas more
difficult.
People from other subject areas may find difficulties in using the scheme.
Some fringe topics, which could be found in subject specific resources, will not be
adequately covered within these schemes.
(d) Home-Grown Schemes: Some Web sites have tried to organize knowledge on the Internet
by devising their own classification schemes like Yahoo. Home-grown schemes do have
some theoretical advantages over library universal classification schemes:
Relatively flexible and easy to change.
They can very quickly absorb new areas of interests.

On the other hand, these schemes have a number of disadvantages like:
Lack of consistency
Unlikely to be well-known
Not so economical.

2.2 Colon Classification (CC)

(a) Basic principles in colon classification: The CC, like- other scheme of classification, starts
with a set of main classes which form the first order array, of classes. Each main class is

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